Bear Digest

Bears Trail NFC North Teams in Power Rankings But for How Long?

The weekly power rankings continue pushing the Bears up toward the top 10 or into it even during their bye, but it's becoming apparent they'll be a staple near the top in the future.

Gene Chamberlain

The pass defense being played by the Bears, even without some starters available due to injury, is one of the reasons they're in or closing in on the top 10 in power rankings.
The pass defense being played by the Bears, even without some starters available due to injury, is one of the reasons they're in or closing in on the top 10 in power rankings. / Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images
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The tendency for skeptics is to consider the Bears the new Arizona Cardinals.

This might be doing a great injustice to what they've managed to accomplish under GM Ryan Poles and coach Matt Eberflus.

Remember, in 2019 the Cardinals had been buried behind the Seahawks, 49ers and Rams in the powerhouse NFC West and hired Kliff Kingsbury while drafting Kyler Murray. They suddenly leaped forward in 2021 to win 11 games and make the playoffs. The NFC West was a completely loaded division then, just like the NFC North now is.

However, the Cardinals quickly collapsed and Kingsbury got fired. Their defense was weak and their offensive line questionable. Murray suffered an injury and the team is trying to put it back together now.

These Bears are built differently in an extremely powerful division, as they've focused on putting in a defense brick by brick, and added the offensive line as they've gone along. It's Poles' area of expertise.


The power rankings this week praised their rise and point out how difficult their division is. It's true, as the other three NFC North teams are top five or six in all polls while the Bears are between eighth and 14th.

But the Bears are built to last and not fade away as so many other Bears teams have. Marcus Mosher of The 33rd Team said it best.

"The Bears might still be a year away, but this is a talented team that has been built the right way," Mosher wrote.

This week's power rankings:

SI.com: 12th

Conor Orr stressed the overall dominance of the Bears defense with top-6 rankings in yards, scoring, takeaways and first downs allowed but pointed out one other fact and that's how they are 12th in scoring now.

"In many other divisions they would be in first place," Orr wrote.

Maybe a few other divisions but definitely not all of them.

CBS Sports: 8th

Pete Prisco continues to have the Bears in his top 10 and moved them up one spot during their bye.

"The Bears offense really got it going before the bye, so they have to hope it can continue to grow," Prisco wrote.

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NBC/Pro Football Talk: 14th

Mike Florio calls this a huge week for the Bears, who remained in place in his poll during the bye.

"The biggest test for Caleb Williams is coming in Washington," he wrote.

Washington will test their defense. Williams has faced tougher defenses. Tennessee and Houston are 1-2 in defense and Williams had to play them in his first two NFL games. Washington is 15th and gave up 30 or more to Tampa Bay, Cincinnati and Baltimore. They're above average on defense.

Yahoo Sports: 12th

Up two spots and Frank Schwab praised the play of Cole Kmet, who is having what could be a Pro Bowl season. However, his comment that Shane Waldron had Kmet playing behind Gerald Everett in the opener isn't entirely accurate. They just used more personnel packages with the "move" tight end than they did the "Y" or in-line tight end in it. That, in itself, really was stupid.

ESPN: 14th

They moved up two spots and focused in the rankings. Beat reporter Courtney Cronin accurately portrayed Gervon Dexter as the team's top "young riser" with five sacks after taking over the 3-technique spot from Justin Jones. Dexter even helped shut down the run last game against a good running attack, which had been the one flaw in his game.

The Sporting News: 11th

They moved up three spots while being idle and Vinnie Iyer said they needed a break. At least it's true the for the defense, because as he pointed out about the offense, "...it might have cooled off a red-hot Caleb Williams."

USA Today: 12th

Up two spots and Nate Davis underscored the ridiculous passer rating of QBs when they try to attack cornerback Jaylon Johnson. "Among defenders targeted at least 20 times, quarterbacks have a league-low 20.8 passer rating against him."

The 33rd Team: 11th

Mosher has them up two spots and on the verge of the top 10, and points out it was "...a tough week for Chicago, with the Lions and Packers pulling out wins." True enough. They could have been ahead of the Packers if Green Bay didn't drive for the game-winning field goal against Houston, and could have been tied with the Lions if they hadn't rallied to beat Minnesota in a back-and-forth game.

Twitter: BearsOnSI

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.