The Chicago Bears could be repeating history. Just like in 2012, they could end up with a winning record and still fire a head coach popular with the players.
Despite dealing with injuries, the COVID virus, and a struggling offense that just couldn’t score, the Chicago Bears can still finish with a winning record. After starting out 5-1, they lost six games in a row. Now they’ve won two in a row, and have a tanking Jacksonville Jaguars on deck. Additionally, playing a Green Bay Packers team that might already have the top seed in the NFC wrapped up before the two teams play in Week 17, Chicago could finish the season with 9 wins. After all of their struggles, they may finish the season above the .500 mark.
That may or may not result in a playoff berth, however.
In addition to them winning the next two games, the Bears still need the Arizona Cardinals to lose a game. If the Cardinals lose a game, the Bears are in. It’s still a slim shot, but it’s better than it was a couple of weeks ago.
The Bears could repeat history
The Chicago Bears might be repeating history as they continue their march for a playoff spot. There are a number of similarities between the 2020 Bears and the version in 2012.
In 2012, the Bears were trying to improve upon an 8-8 record the previous season. Under head coach Lovie Smith, they raced out to a 7-1 record and all was going well. That was until they hit a skid in which they lost five of six games. That skid knocked them out of the playoffs. They had two more games, however, to get back in. They won those two games and finished 10-6. That wasn’t enough to get into the playoffs, though. As a result, the front office fired Smith.
The 2020 Bears came off the 2019 season in which they finished 8-8. They started out the season hot, going 5-1. They then lost six consecutive games, knocking them out of the playoffs. They’ve now won two consecutive games, with two more remaining.
The losing streak put head coach Matt Nagy on the hot seat. He may very well end up surviving, but he could also get fired while finishing with a winning record. Additionally, Smith was popular with his players, just like Nagy is popular with his players.
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Not making the playoffs despite having a winning record was ultimately the nail on the coffin for Smith. He led the team to the Super Bowl in the 2006 season, but in his nine seasons in Chicago, his Bears played in only six playoff games, winning just three.
Nagy started out his Chicago Bears career on a high note, finishing 12-4 and winning the NFC North in his first season. The Bears lost their only playoff game that year, though. Last year, they failed to make the playoffs. This season it looks as if they’ll miss again. He came in as an offensive guru, but with his offense finishing near the bottom in a lot of offensive categories, he might not survive, even if they make the playoffs.
The Bears need to emulate other seasons in order to succeed. How about repeating the feats of the 1985 Chicago Bears? Many felt that was the beginning of a dynasty yet the team never reached those heights in the 35 seasons since. In order to repeat that, the people in the front office needs to be fixed so they build a complete team and not just build a good defense.
