NFL Power Rankings: The experts were right about the Bears

All week leading up to the Monday night game, I had a strong feeling the Chicago Bears were going to head to California and beat the Los Angeles Rams and prove to the doubters that this team is for real. While I still had concerns about the offense, I’ve seen enough flashes and near misses that led me to truly believe this team was close to finding some consistency on that side of the ball.

I was epically wrong.

Not only did the Bears lose, but they looked like a JV team taking on the Varsity as the Rams controlled the game from start to finish.

The experts were right, this was the worst 5-1 (now 5-2) team of all time.

Let’s take a look at how far they dropped in the power rankings after losing 24 to 10 to the Rams.

NFL.com dropped the Bears 5 places to 16th overall.

The Bears had an opportunity on Monday night to show America their fast start wasn’t a fluke. Instead, a 24-10 loss to the Rams reinforced everything the doubters assumed: This is an average team with a very good defense and a deeply mediocre offense. That combination was good enough to get Chicago to 5-1, but all the team’s deficiencies are laid bare when the competition jumps up. Nick Foles was a sitting duck all game, pressured into a series of low-percentage throws and pointless checkdowns. His inability to make plays with his legs jumps out in the modern NFL — if the Bears can’t scheme anyone open and his receivers don’t win one-on-one, darkness descends. Matt Nagy deserves some flak for an unimaginative attack, as well — this is just a drab offense. The surging Saints are up next.

Here’s how the USA Today has it.

17. Bears (13): The Bears are who we thought they were ... and we’re not letting them off the hook.

The Sporting News has it like this.

13. Chicago Bears 5-2 (10)

The Bears’ only blemish was an ugly one-possession home loss to the Colts in Week 4. Their defense, especially against the pass, has really picked it up of late and they’ve found more in the running game with David Montgomery. Nick Foles has to play better, however, to take them more seriously as NFC title contenders.

ESPN gives their “player that needs to step up” as they drop the Bears one spot to 12.

Who needs to step up: QB Nick Foles

Chicago is positioned for a playoff run. The Bears have a championship-caliber defense and a better-than-expected kicker, Cairo Santos, but the offense is suspect. Coach Matt Nagy benched Mitchell Trubisky in favor of Foles to smooth out the rough edges and play a more consistent brand of football. The results have been average. The Bears are winning, but the offense under Foles doesn’t look a ton better than it did when Trubisky ran the show. Foles is under pressure to elevate his game. The season hinges on it. — Jeff Dickerson

PFT has the Bears dropping 7 places.

14. Bears (No. 7; 5-2): Winning ugly > losing pretty >>>>>>>>> losing ugly.

Yahoo Sports has it like this.

15. Chicago Bears (5-2, LW: 12)

There should be fewer complaints this week about the Bears’ ranking. Their offense is horrible.

Sports Illustrated has the Bears at 15 overall.

As we’ve written before, Nick Foles can manifest luck, unlike any quarterback I’ve seen in modern times. Someone give him a 23 and Me and see if he is part leprechaun. Still, sometimes that is not enough.

The Pro Football Network has them at 14.

Offense was tough to come by in Los Angeles on Monday night, especially for the Bears. Chicago had nothing going on the ground and the Rams did a nice job containing Allen Robinson. But getting Los Angeles’ front blocked was the biggest problem and Nick Foles showed no ability to elevate those around him in harsh circumstances. Still, the Bears are 5-2 and are ranked 14th in these Week 8 NFL Power Rankings.

CBS Sports had the Bears as their big dropped this week as they fall 8 to 14th.

The offense is awful. Nick Foles isn’t good. They can’t move the ball. They can’t win games playing the way they do.

What are your thoughts on the power rankings this week?