The Chicago Bears' 2023 season is now in the books. The team finished with a 7-10 record and missed the playoffs for the third consecutive year.
However, it wasn't all bad. Several players took steps forward and there finally seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel. As the team heads into the offseason, several questions are floating around. For starters, did Justin Fields do enough to hold on to the quarterback job? Will Matt Eberflus get another season in charge?
We should get answers soon enough. For now, let's go over a few positives and a few negatives from this rollercoaster season.
Positive: The defense took a major step forward
In 2022, the Chicago Bears were 29th in yards allowed per game. In 2023, the unit finished 12th in the category. In 2022, only the Houston Texans had a worse run defense than the Bears. However, this season, the Bears were 1st in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game.
The Bears also improved after the addition of Montez Sweat. The pass rusher had 6 sacks in 9 games for the Bears and cemented himself as a key piece of the future. Considering defense is Matt Eberflus' specialty, it's encouraging to see this leap forward. If Eberflus keeps his job, it will be because this unit improved tremendously.