Post by AlexM on Apr 4, 2019 10:18:22 GMT -6
bearswire.usatoday.com
by Alyssa Barbieri
The Bears landed at No. 6 in ESPN’s NFL Power Rankings, where only five other teams, all that made the playoffs last season, sit in front of them (the Saints, Rams, Patriots, Chiefs, and Chargers.)
Here are some thoughts from Jeff Dickerson who covers the Bears for ESPN:
Three-words-or-less description: Farewell, Vic Fangio. The Bears have a championship-caliber defense, but venerable coordinator Vic Fangio departed in the offseason to coach the Denver Broncos. Chicago returns the majority of last season’s defense — notable newcomers include safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and nickelback Buster Skrine — but can the unit function as efficiently under new defensive boss Chuck Pagano? Fangio’s loss is likely more significant for the Bears than the decision to trade running back Jordan Howard to Philadelphia.
Three-words-or-less description: Farewell, Vic Fangio. The Bears have a championship-caliber defense, but venerable coordinator Vic Fangio departed in the offseason to coach the Denver Broncos. Chicago returns the majority of last season’s defense — notable newcomers include safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix and nickelback Buster Skrine — but can the unit function as efficiently under new defensive boss Chuck Pagano? Fangio’s loss is likely more significant for the Bears than the decision to trade running back Jordan Howard to Philadelphia.
Packers and Vikings come in at No. 14 and 15, respectively, while the Lions land at No. 23.
While they lost Vic Fangio to a head coaching job in Denver, the core of the Bears’ dominant defense remains intact, losing just two key pieces in Bryce Callahan and Adrian Amos, which they addressed with the signings of Skrine and Clinton-Dix.
