Chicago Bears 2014 Season Preview and Predictions

Bears 2014 Schedule and Predictions

Week 1: Bills – W

Week 2: @49ers – L

Week 3: @Jets – W

Week 4: Packers – W

Week 5: @Panthers – L

Week 6: @ Falcons – W

Week 7: Dolphins – W

Week 8: @Patriots – L

Week 9: Bye

Week 10: @Packers – L

Week 11: Vikings – W

Week 12: Buccaneers – W

Week 13: @Lions – L

Week 14: Cowboys – W

Week 15: Saints – L

Week 16: Lions – W

Week 17: @Vikings – W

Record: 10 -6, Wildcard

Playoffs – Loss to Saints in wildcard round.

Prediction Summary – The Bears break their 3 year playoff drought, but end up losing on the road to the Saints in the wildcard round. Overall the season is a success with another top 5 offense and a defense that isn’t great but improved over last season (21st in the league).

Jay Cutler has his best year as a Bear (4,000 yards, 32 TDs), Forte, Marshall, and Jeffery all come close to matching their 2013 output, and Martellus Bennett has his best season yet (75, 900, 8) and makes his first Pro Bowl.

On defense Lamarr Houston has a breakout season with 11 sacks and a Pro Bowl appearance, while Jared Allen is effective in spurts but finishes with just 8 sacks. At linebacker, Shea McClellin is a bust, but Jon Bostic emerges as a solid starter at OLB and finishes second on the team in tackles behind Lance Briggs. Charles Tillman has one more solid season and forces 8 turnovers (4 INTs, 4 forced fumbles). By the end of the season, rookies Will Sutton, Kyle Fuller, and Ego Ferguson are all playing valuable minutes, but Brock Vereen is not.

The Bears special teams are a problem all season and give up 3 TD returns without returning any themselves.

That wraps up my Bears predictions for the 2014 season. Feel free to rip me in the comments if you disagree. Keep checking BearGoggleson for Bears coverage and our weekly predictions, analysis and recaps. Go Bears!