NFL Power Rankings: Where are the Bears this week?

With the Chicago Bears suffering their fourth straight defeat it’s natural for them to be ranked near the bottom of the week 10 NFL power rankings, but I was curious how far they’d fall, and also curious what the experts would say about rookie quarterback Justin Fields. Chicago’s quarterback has strung together a couple impressive performances in a row and the future looks promising, despite the current state of the offense under head coach Matt Nagy and play caller Bill Lazor.

I’m also curious what some national analysts have to say about the officiating in last nights game.

Here’s what some of the power rankers have said about the Bears this week.

Yahoo Sports has it like this.

23. Chicago Bears (3-6, LW: 23)

Usually when you complain that the officials took a game away from your favorite team, you’re exaggerating. I’ll allow Bears fans to say it after Monday. That was a miserably officiated game, and the peak was the Cassius Marsh taunting call that gave the Steelers three points. The NFL has no idea how much its customer base hates the emphasis on the taunting calls.

Athlon Sports actually moved the Bears up this week!

21. Chicago Bears

Last week: 24

That Monday nighter might have been the best Justin Fields has looked… since playing Clemson last season at Ohio State? The ending was literally just short of a win in typical Bears fashion but the improvement out of the QB position has plenty of fans excited about the long-term future.

Pro Football Network has the Bears at 26.

The Bears’ offensive line might rival the worst in the league. That does not bode well against teams constructed like the Pittsburgh Steelers. Justin Fields is a QB best suited for intermediate and downfield passing concepts at this point in his career.

Unfortunately, Chicago’s defense has also struggled as of late. Since Week 6, only the Jets have been worse defensively. With the ineptitude of the offense already well-known, the Bears can’t afford their defense to get any worse.

Chicago should have beaten the Steelers. Pittsburgh didn’t move the ball well, and the penalty differential was hilariously bad. Justin Fields wasn’t perfect, but he made some big-time throws and had a nice run on third-and-1 in the last drive to secure the lead for the Bears. He’s shown a ton of resiliency in the past two weeks.

CBS Sports dropped the Bears 1 spot to 26th overall.

They lost to the Steelers, but the good news is Justin Fields played well in the second half. He did some really good things.

ESPN moved the Bears down down 2 to 25.

Bold second-half prediction: QB Justin Fields will pass for 300-plus yards in three games.

Fact, the Bears have one of the worst passing attacks in the NFL. However, I suspect Fields is about to begin throwing the ball with greater efficiency. The rookie is steadily improving each week, and is getting a better feel for the weapons he has on offense. Look for Fields to end the year on a high note, even if the Bears struggle to make the playoffs. — Jeff Dickerson

Pro Football Talk has it like this.

25. Bears (3-6, No. 25): Justin Fields is starting to look like the real deal.

Bleacher Report dropped the Bears 1 to 26th.

There are no moral victories in the NFL.

Some will point to Monday’s two-point loss in Pittsburgh as a step in the right direction for the Chicago Bears. They trailed 20-6 in the final quarter only to come roaring back and briefly take the lead.

But, again, there are no moral victories in the NFL.

Rookie quarterback Justin Fields had easily his best game as a pro, throwing for 291 yards and adding another 45 on the ground. It was a good sign for the young signal-caller, to be sure.

But there are no moral victories in the NFL.

There were just too many turnovers, too many blown assignments defensively and way too many penalties. The Bears played well enough to win and then shot themselves in the foot. And at 3-6 entering the bye, Chicago’s playoff hopes are already on life support.

Good teams find a way to win games like this. Bad teams find a way to lose them.

The Bears are a bad team.

USA Today has it like this.

25. Bears (21): They largely outplayed Pittsburgh on Monday night, QB Justin Fields finally striking downfield effectively. Shame about those dozen flags against Chicago, though.

NFL.com moved the Bears up 1 spot to 23rd overall.

The outcome was disappointing, but there were still plenty of positives to take out of Monday’s 29-27 loss to the Steelers. Matt Nagy’s team kept its composure in a raucous road environment and continued to battle on a night when it felt like every call from officials went against them. Then there was the late go-ahead drive engineered by Justin Fields: A seven-play, 75-yard march that featured a 39-yard completion to Allen Robinson and a gorgeous touchdown pass to Darnell Mooney. Sean Desai’s defense was a discombobulated mess in the final Steelers drive that cost Chicago the game, but Fields’ heady performance was another indication the Bears finally have a young quarterback they can build around.

What are your thoughts on the power rankings this week?