The Chicago Bears will miss the playoffs in 2019, despite some thinking they were Super Bowl bound. Mitchell Tribusky regressed in 2019 but not all of it was his undoing. The offensive line and tight end position were the biggest weaknesses of the team in 2019.
In 2018, the Chicago Bears went 12-4 before losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in the first weekend of the playoffs. Fast forward a year later and the team will not be in the playoffs. Was last year’s team a fluke?
Even after the team was eliminated from the playoffs, Las Vegas oddmakers believed that the Bears were 12-to-1 odds to make it to the Super Bowl. That was tied for fifth with the L.A. Chargers, who will miss the playoffs as well in 2019.
Tribusky regressed in 2019 as evident by some important stats. In 2018, Tribusky had a 2-1 TD to interception ratio, 24 TD’s and 12 INTS, whereas in 2019 he has recorded just 17 TD’s and 10 picks. One of the big issues with the offense has been quarterback sacks. Tribusky has been sacked 34 times this year compared to 24 in 2018. That speaks to the offensive line issue to protect the quarterback. Tom Brady can be your QB but if he doesn’t have the offensive line to protect him, he will be average.
One of the important parts of the offensive line has been Kyle Long, but he was put on injured reserve earlier this year. His time in Chicago may be over as he is due to make too much money in 2020. The team has awarded some big contracts to the offensive line including Charles Leno Jr., who signed a four-year $38 million extension in 2017. Leno was guilty of more accepted penalties than any other player on the Bears in 2019, 12 for nearly 100 yards. How many times did those penalties take the team back on drives? Too many times it looked as if something was cooking but penalties have been a symptom of the Bears offensive struggles.
Despite Tribusky being a lightning rod for when the Bears look bad, he isn’t as bad as some believe. The biggest sore spot the team that needs to be fixed in the offseason is the offensive line. However, as mentioned earlier, a few of them were given big contracts in recent years, which will hamper their ability to overhaul the protection blanket for Tribusky.
Many thought 2018 was a rebuilding year with little expectations, but they surprised many and that led to higher expectations in 2019, which were a little unrealistic. After the first game against the Packers, the signs were there that the expectations to make the Super Bowl were too much. When the Bears went over a month without winning a single game, that was the moment where I knew the playoffs were not going to be a reality.
Some thought the Packers were regressing after last season with Aaron Rodgers in his mid 30’s but the Packers have shown to make life difficult for the offense as the Bears can attest to. The league adapted to the 2018 Bears and figured out how to beat them. Injuries on the defense, such as Akeim Hicks, can not be understated when it comes to stopping the rushing game.
With 2019 wrapping up today, the Chicago Bears have their work cut out for them next year if they plan on proving this year was the fluke and 2018 is the norm. What do you think? Are the Bears headed for more mediocrity or did luck not go their way this year?