The Chicago Bears moved to 10-4 and clinched their 11 Divisional title in the Super Bowl era.
Week 15 and Matt Nagy was all smiles on the sidelines as his team clinched the NFC North Division. The Bears first-year head coach looked on has his team defeated bitter rivals, the Green Bay Packers 24-14. Few would have predicted at the start of the season that the Bears would be in the thick of the Super Bowl conversation. As week seven closed out, the Bears were playing .500 football. However, their season gathered enough momentum to wrap up the divisional title with two games to spare.
It’s never a good way to start a new football season with a loss. That’s exactly what happened to the Bears after Randall Cobb’s 75-yard touchdown reception overturned a 23-17 deficit to seal a win for the Packers. Both teams have since had different fortunes and their respective seasons have taken different directions.
A Winning Season -The Wait is Over
The city of Chicago has had to wait patiently for a winning football season, their first since 2012 when the Bears finished 10-6. This is the first playoff appearance for the Bears since 2010. This season has been a complete contrast to the previous four.
#DaBears are NFC NORTH CHAMPS!
🐻⬇️! pic.twitter.com/Myunj5Ol92
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) December 16, 2018
Upgrading the Defense
The 2018 NFL season has been super exciting and the Bears have enjoyed their time in the spotlight. The Week 14 match up against the Los Angeles Rams indicates how far the Bears have improved under Nagy and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.The Rams were smothered by Fangio’s inspirational defence on Prime Time TV. Holding a high-octane offense to two field goals should not be underestimated.
The 2018 defence has been compared to the Super Bowl winning team of 1985. Khalil Mack’s trade could be one of the most pivotal of the 2018 season. Mack has 11 sacks on the season. Cornerback Kyle Fuller and Free Safety Eddie Jackson have been making plays all season. In week 15, Jackson brought Aaron Rodgers’ streak of 402 passes without an interception to a halt.
Coach Nagy confirms Eddie Jackson has a right ankle sprain. Says the team expects to know more in 24-48 hours.
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) December 16, 2018
The Road Ahead
The Bears have two road trips against the San Francisco 49ers and the Minnesota Vikings. The current NFL playoff projections has the Vikings playing the Bears at Soldier Field. Expect lots of changes by both head coaches in week 17, especially if that playoff scenario comes to fruition.
The Bears could well face the Rams once again in the Conference Championship. It will be a monumental achievement if the Bears can reach the Super Bowl. Their defence has played like champions in recent weeks. Can Mitchell Trubisky and the offence step it up a gear? Trubisky, a top-five draft pick is heading to the playoffs in his second season. The city of Chicago could witness another homecoming of the Vince Lombardi trophy in February.
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