Some teams might fade into the background of the NFL landscape during their bye week. Not the Chicago Bears.
Ben Johnson's squad has become the talk of the league after an electric first half of the season. After making a splash trade for Jeffery Simmons, the Bears have forced themselves into Super Bowl conversations.
Some analysts still have questions, though. As Chicago kicks its feet up for the weekend, let's take a look at the questions that are still waiting to be answered in the final eight weeks of the regular season.
Just how high can Caleb Williams rise?
"Bears coaches stress that their quarterbackâs springboard to becoming one of the best in the game will depend on his continued willingness to be pushed outside his comfort zone with the new concepts and responsibilities they heap on him each week." (Dan Wiederer of The Athletic)
Caleb Williams has graduated. He's no longer a young, promising quarterback who's just coming along. He's knocking on the door of the NFL's elite, and he's about ready to kick it down.
For what it's worth, we're ready to list him among the league's top QBs. Williams ranked fifth in FanSided's midseason quarterback rankings, though he did fall in the "high-end QB1" tier rather than the "truly elite" tier.
As Dan Wiederer of The Athletic noted, Williams himself will decide his ceiling. He has already grown so much this season, especially as a pocket passer. While he's known for his magical ability to extend plays, Williams currently ranks fifth in EPA per play from a clean pocket, per SumerSports.
Will he be able to add new layers to his game in the final eight weeks of the regular season? If he answers with a definitive "yes," Williams will take his place among the elite quarterbacks in the NFL.
Can the Bears hold up against playoff-caliber opponents?
"Most Bears games during the back half of the season will carry the intensity of playoff matchups." (Courtney Cronin, ESPN)
As if giving the defending Super Bowl champs a shellacking in primetime wasn't enough, some analysts are still wondering whether the Bears' dominance will translate to games against playoff-caliber opponents.
ESPN's Courtney Cronin doesn't doubt Chicago's ability to hold up in big games, but she's keeping a close eye on their matchups with the Detroit Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills, and Green Bay Packers.
It's hard to blame her for taking a "wait and see" approach. The seven teams that the Bears have beaten have a combined record of 23-39 through Week 9. Their two losses have come against the only two six-win teams they've played.
To truly solidify themselves as elite, the Bears will need to take down a couple more contenders. Yes, they made a statement with their win over the Seattle Seahawks. But Super Bowl stories aren't written with one statement.
Will the Bears establish themselves as the best team in the NFL?
"I'm going to have to think about this one, actually. What happens to the No. 1 team on a bye week? Maybe the door is open for Buffalo to force their way to the top." (Tom Brady)
Tom Brady himself is asking questions about the Bears at their bye week. The seven-time Super Bowl Champ knows a thing or two about winning teams, and he sees one in Chicago. He placed Johnson's squad atop his weekly power rankings on FOX Sports, but he did so with a bit of a caveat: they could lose the spot before they play another game.
Cronin's gauntlet of playoff opponents will serve as a proving ground. If the Bears can win all or even most of their upcoming games against current division leaders, analysts won't have many more reasons to doubt them.
Critics are naturally going to be more hesitant to accept an up-and-coming team supplanting the traditional powers of the league. Like it or not, Chicago has to prove their standing more definitively than a team like the San Francisco 49ers or the Buffalo Bills.
Another signature win or two, and Brady won't have to add any qualifiers when he ranks the Bears first in the league.
Add us as a preferred source on Google