Bears' Approach Earns Higher Marks

A loss normally knocks teams down in power rankings, but when it comes with forward passes like it did for the Bears anything is possible.

It's not common for teams to lose and move up in power rankings, particularly teams from the lower regions of said polls.

When you've take football back a few decades or more with caveman playing style and suddenly develop a passing game, it is apparently possible.

The Bears have joined the 2020s in the NFL with Justin Fields' last two games as a passer. Whether it continues remains to be seen.

At least for now, though, some power rankings are impressed by the fact they are throwing forward passes to the point where they have elevated the Bears despite a loss to Minnesota.

Here are this week's power rankings.

Sports Illustrated: 26th

Conor Orr praised Matt Eberflus while elevating the Bears three spots in the poll despite losing by a touchdown.

"If you would have told me that five weeks into the season, Matt Eberflus would have only a minus-20 point differential and a top-15 team in terms of points allowed, I would consider mailing in my ballot for coach of the year now," Orr wrote. 

NFL.Com: 29th

Dan Hanzus of NFL.com put it succinctly for everyone as the Bears moved up one spot in the poll despite a loss.

"Sometimes a loss can feel like a win," Hanzus wrote.

ESPN: 27th

ESPN moved the Bears up one spot despite losing but posted playoff chances just to make everyone realize what this improvement being shown now means. The Bears have a 1.6% chance to make the playoffs and a 0.2% chance to win the NFC North.

CBS Sports: 28th

Apparently showing "signs of life," as it was put by Pete Prisco, is insufficient for elevation. The Bears moved down three spots. 

Fox Sports: 29th

Like CBS, Fox moved the Bears down but only one spot. And David Helman took the same tact. "Signs of life!" he wrote. "The Bears aren't good, but this was a performance you could at least evaluate."

USA Today: 28th

The Bears moved up a healthy three spots and Nate Davis pointed out how they have overachieved. 

The Sporting News: 25th

They dropped two, but probably had been ranked a little too high. "The Bears' offense keeps showing a little more life with Justin Fields, David Montgomery and Darnell Mooney with each passing week of run-heavy game plans," Vinnie Iyer wrote. 

Yahoo Sports: 29th

Frank Schwab dropped them one space and took them on a trip back in time while noting at least last week was more up to date than previous games. "It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to keep playing a style better suited in 1962," Schwab wrote.

The Ringer: 30th

The Ringer finally moved them up one spot even in a loss. "Justin Fields has looked like a competent starter over the past two games," Austin Gayle wrote.

NBC Sports/PFT: 26th

While 26th is down three spots, they were probably overrated. Mike Florio with the comical and truthful approach. "Someone should have told them the game wasn’t over once they erased a 21-3 deficit and took the lead.

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