The Chicago Bears are gearing up for the start of the 2022 NFL season against the San Francisco 49ers, which kicks off a new regime under head coach Matt Eberflus and general manager Ryan Poles.
There’s not a lot of confidence in what this team can accomplish in 2022, which has a lot to do with the roster turnover and questions about Justin Fields’ supporting cast at receiver and the offensive line.
Can the Bears shock everyone with a winning record? Probably not. But can they surprise everyone by winning more than they expect them to? Perhaps. Our Bears Wire staff shares their predictions for Chicago’s 2022 season.
Alyssa Barbieri
No one is expecting the Bears to shock the world here en route to the playoffs. But I also think people are underestimating this team heading into the 2022 season. A lot of people are jumping on the 3-win Bears bandwagon for no reason other than they’ve heard others talk about how bad Chicago will be or taking the roster turnover as some kind of massive flaw. But when you go position-by-position, the Bears might’ve gotten worse at maybe two positions (receiver and interior defensive line). Elsewhere, they’ve gotten better or remained stagnant (yes, even the offensive line).
Granted, Chicago only won six games last season. But the argument isn’t about whether the Bears are contenders. It’s merely that they’re not on pace for just three wins. Especially with a favorable schedule against winnable teams (including the Texans, Giants, Commanders, Falcons, Jets and two games against the Lions).
But the x-factor here is head coach Matt Eberflus, who has revamped the culture in Chicago and his players have bought in. The H.I.T.S. principle has done its job, at least in the preseason. Sure, there’s a lot of overreaction to the preseason. But it’s less about their 3-0 record and more about execution. The Bears hustled on every play, they played with intensity, they took the ball away, they played smart football and didn’t commit a lot of penalties. Plus, we saw the potential of some young, exciting players on this team. I expect this team to be competitive in every game, unlike the Matt Nagy era, which could lead to some surprising victories.
Let’s face it, at this point, there’s a lot of optimism surrounding a team. That could certainly change when the season finally gets going. But seven wins isn’t screaming optimism. Even with this team.
Record Prediction: 7-10
Brendan Sugrue
For months, I had the Bears pegged to win six games and finish near the bottom of the league given their rebuilding roster and uncertainty at various positions. But I’ve fallen into the offseason trap of overvaluing a team following the preseason and buying into the hype, even if it’s ever so slightly.
Head coach Matt Eberflus has instilled an identity in this team and players have slowly but surely bought in. This is going to be a competitive team that will scratch and claw their way in every game they play. They’re going to be a hard out which should lead to a couple of surprising wins. The roster still isn’t great from top to bottom, but if quarterback Justin Fields and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy jell together, they can mask a lot of deficiencies.
Preseason isn’t the best indicator of success for an upcoming NFL season, but I saw a team that grew each game both offensively and defensively. I see the Bears winning seven games, with most of them coming before December thanks to a soft schedule. But they won’t have the firepower to finish the season strong against some of their upper echelon opponents.
Record Prediction: 7-10
Ryan Fedrau
The Bears did have an impressive preseason, but there’s a lot of work to be done. I see them winning anywhere from 4-7 games, so I’ve landed on 5-12. I don’t think they’ll be blown out a lot this year, Chicago will have many close games this season.
With the heart this team has shown in just three preseason games under Matt Eberflus, it’s hard to see them not be competitive, even with a bad record. I think this season is a learning experience, and next offseason they spend money and turn this thing around quickly.
Record Prediction: 5-12
Nate Atkins
I bet the Bears over-6.5 wins, so this one hurts to write. But I’m looking at the schedule, and right now, only six wins stand out — Texans, Giants, Commanders, Jets, and split with Lions and Vikings.
The Bears have one of the easier schedules in the NFL but are running lean on offense and defense, and their lack of depth is a cause for concern. However, with this new offense, the team will run early and often, giving them a chance to stay in every game.
With the right amount of luck, the Bears may have more walk-off wins than heartbreakers. Fans will remember 2001, when Jim Miller led the Bears to a 13-3 record, winning eight games by less than a touchdown. The offensive coordinator leaned on the run (the Bears were 7th in total rushing attempts), and rookie Anthony Thomas won rookie of the year with nearly 20 carries per game.
Record Prediction: 6-11
Jarrett Bailey
This may come off as the worst case scenario coming to life, but there just isn’t enough talent on the roster to make me believe that the Bears will surprise anyone this season. The offensive line is suspect, the receiving room is arguably the worst in the NFL, and the defense is a far cry from the unit of 2018 that won a division title. Plus, the Packers aren’t going anywhere, and the Vikings and Lions both look like they will be better in 2022.
Justin Fields has all the potential to be a star, but he can’t do it alone. Best case scenario this is a five win team that shows progression in the final month of the year. Worst case scenario, Fields’ growth is stunted and the Bears own the No. 1 overall pick.
Record Prediction: 3-14
