Sep 7, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; A detailed view of the Chicago Bears helmet during the first quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
Last year the Chicago Bears were awful, there just isn’t a nice way to say it. For Bears fans, it was one of the most difficult and disappointing seasons to sit through in years. There was not an ounce of continuity, zero togetherness, a lack of passion and no Bear Pride. They were bad on both offense and defense resulting in a sad 5-11 record and a complete overhaul of the coaching staff.
The promising high-flying offense that the Bears were expected to become in 2014 never took form. It was a major let down, as fans were extra hyped up and optimistic on what seemed like a roster with the potential to make a run at a NFC North crown.
They struggled to score even against weak defenses, averaging just 19.9 points per game ranked 23rd in the league. On the other side of the ball the defense couldn’t stop anyone, they gave up an average of 27.6 points per game ranked 30th in the league.
Teams ran wild on the field week after week virtually untouched. The secondary was cringe worthy by allowing even the most mediocre quarterbacks to look like superstars as they shredded them rather easily.
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Fortunately, a new regime has come to the Windy City. It is filled with coaches like John Fox, Adam Gase and Vic Fangio all of whom have division titles and conference championships on their resume. Head coach John Fox will establish a locker room that understands the importance of the team playing as a single unit and operating together to achieve one goal, which is a championship.
It’s certain that Coach Fox and his staff will have a game plan ready every week that puts each member of the team in the best position to succeed. But the success is not all up to the coaches, it rest on the shoulders of the players. Each player will have to take everything that they have practiced and translate that onto the field on Sundays. In the past, they have struggled to do this.
It will be up to the players to understand the importance of doing their job effectively and taking every opportunity to be a difference maker. The NFC is a tough conference. Therefore, the Bears must hit the ground running week one, a slow start is not an option.
Key role players will need to step up this year to have any hope of a postseason. With that said, let’s take a look at the ten most important players for the 2015 season.
Next: 10. Winning the Line of Scrimmage is Important