Official 2026 NFC North Thread

[Asian62150]

Originally Posted by Grid

Packers just dropped back to back games to the Bears last season. Bears just won 3 of the last 4 match-ups. All flukes?

And if Caleb just throws an earlier or better ball, Bears might have taken 4 of the past 4. Don't forget the first Bears-Packers game in 2024 was also decided by a blocked FG. So we're not far from the Bears winning the last 5.

Of course, you can argue for the Packers the other way, too.

All that to say, it's difficult to win in the NFL. At this level, it's lazy to say anyone has "fluke" wins. It takes so much preparation to even get to the point where one or two plays can determine the outcome.

I don't know if the Bears will dominate GB moving forward, but I think the games will be close and exciting for the foreseeable future.

[hairysasquatch]

Originally Posted by Asian62150

And if Caleb just throws an earlier or better ball, Bears might have taken 4 of the past 4. Don't forget the first Bears-Packers game in 2024 was also decided by a blocked FG. So we're not far from the Bears winning the last 5.

Of course, you can argue for the Packers the other way, too.

All that to say, it's difficult to win in the NFL. At this level, it's lazy to say anyone has "fluke" wins. It takes so much preparation to even get to the point where one or two plays can determine the outcome.

I don't know if the Bears will dominate GB moving forward, but I think the games will be close and exciting for the foreseeable future.

That's one way to look at games decided in the last couple of minutes, I guess.

It's not so much that TYPE of victory as the NUMBER of them that the Bears enjoyed last season that constitutes the "fluke" aspect - nearly all the proverbial bounces went their way. At some point, that will regress to the mean.

[Asian62150]

Originally Posted by hairysasquatch

That's one way to look at games decided in the last couple of minutes, I guess.

It's not so much that TYPE of victory as the NUMBER of them that the Bears enjoyed last season that constitutes the "fluke" aspect - nearly all the proverbial bounces went their way. At some point, that will regress to the mean.

Sure, but I can tell you that for the better part of the past decade, those proverbial bounces didn't go our way. I didn't see a lot of progression to the mean over that dismal span. I didn't hear anyone say "surely the ball will bounce the Bears way this time!"

Maybe the Bears don't have 7 come from behind victories next year, but Caleb is incredibly clutch and I think he'll give us a fighting chance in many games.

Between the Bears takeaways and Caleb's magic, I actually think Caleb's magic is more sustainable.

[jhuch]

Originally Posted by Grid

Not Iowa to be the Bettendorf Bears.

I think we can handle that.

[Grid]

Originally Posted by Asian62150

Sure, but I can tell you that for the better part of the past decade, those proverbial bounces didn't go our way. I didn't see a lot of progression to the mean over that dismal span. I didn't hear anyone say "surely the ball will bounce the Bears way this time!"

Maybe the Bears don't have 7 come from behind victories next year, but Caleb is incredibly clutch and I think he'll give us a fighting chance in many games.

Between the Bears takeaways and Caleb's magic, I actually think Caleb's magic is more sustainable.

Yup. Players didn't have the right mindset in years past. Thats on leadership. If they thought they were out of a game, they typically were. BJ has them believing they can run through walls and beat anyone.

The Bears didn't win all those close games on pure luck. It wasnt a fluke. They knew they could win, and they did. But all those games were a sloppy young team, that was devastated on D with injuries. And an Offense that was not only new to each other. With 1st year Bears Thuney, Ozzie, Jonah, Dalman, LBIII, OZ, Monangai and Loveland on O alone. But also learning an entirely new playbook.

The Bears pushed past all of that to win. It wouldn't make any sense to say, they won when they weren't supposed to. And now they wont win when they should. Being year two with all that experience now in place. And a deep playbook made deeper.

Thats why all these 2026 Power rankings have the Bears in their Top 10. Not just based on what they did. But on how they kept getting better as the season went on, and should be even better yet.

[Asian62150]

Originally Posted by Grid

Yup. Players didn't have the right mindset in years past. Thats on leadership. If they thought they were out of a game, they typically were. BJ has them believing they can run through walls and beat anyone.

The Bears didn't win all those close games on pure luck. It wasnt a fluke. They knew they could win, and they did. But all those games were a sloppy young team, that was devastated on D with injuries. And an Offense that was not only new to each other. With 1st year Bears Thuney, Ozzie, Jonah, Dalman, LBIII, OZ, Monangai and Loveland on O alone. But also learning an entirely new playbook.

The Bears pushed past all of that to win. It wouldn't make any sense to say, they won when they weren't supposed to. And now they wont win when they should. Being year two with all that experience now in place. And a deep playbook made deeper.

Thats why all these 2026 Power rankings have the Bears in their Top 10. Not just based on what they did. But on how they kept getting better as the season went on, and should be even better yet.

Can't wait to see what Y2 looks like with OTAs, training camp, etc...

Just need to hope that Poles and Co. can find some good defensive players in this year's draft. His track record has been spotty at best on the side of the ball.

[Grid]

Originally Posted by Asian62150

Can't wait to see what Y2 looks like with OTAs, training camp, etc...

Just need to hope that Poles and Co. can find some good defensive players in this year's draft. His track record has been spotty at best on the side of the ball.

To be fair to Poles, his track record on D isn't as bad as it seems. And the misses are mostly 6th or 7th rounders that were always a coin flip.

2025 he needed to get the players BJ needed to make his O work. The entire draft was mostly on offense. Cant say what Shemar Turner is. He got hurt early. And the only other 2 picks on D (4th and 5th rounders) were either hurt, or sat out the season.

2024 he only took one player on D. And Austin Booker looks great for a 5th rounder.

2023 he took 3 players on D in the first 6 picks. Gervon Dexter is legit. Stevenson is good. Pickens looks to be a bust.

2022 in his first draft (no 1st round picks) he took Kyler Gordon & Briskar, both very good. Gordo just signed his extension. Briskar might see a 2nd contract as well. Dom Robinson in the 5th looks to be a bust. And then no other players on D until the 7th round, where Hicks is just a depth piece.

34 players drafted. 17 O. 15 D. 2 ST. It is a fairly balanced draft process. And most of the top 3 round picks, were hits. Unlike the Bears of the past, where they whiffed at the top and did well towards the bottom of the draft.

[hairysasquatch]

The Bears of Hammond, IN.

[oldgoldy97]

It’s not like the Bears added to the reason to go to Chicago.

Yes, I said reason. Singular.

[Siberian13]

Originally Posted by hairysasquatch

The Bears of Hammond, IN.

I remember gambling at the Horseshoe there. What a crime infested crap hole of an area. Gary too

[Grid]

Originally Posted by hairysasquatch

The Bears of Hammond, IN.

Bears practice, hold camp, and have headquarters in the state of IL. Chicago proper just hosted 8-9 games each season for them. All other team work was done in Lake Forrest IL. Not Chicago.

No different than the Lions in Allen Park, Michigan. Or the Vikings in Eagan, Minnesota.

There are no plans at all for the Bears to move HQ to Hammond. But if they do build a stadium there (Wolf Lake). They might move HQ from Lake Forrest IL to the Arlington Heights IL site.

8-9 homes games across state lines, the same as the Giants, Jets, Commanders and soon Chiefs. Welcome to todays NFL. Not every city that started with a franchise 50-100 years ago, is capable to hold a stadium in the modern world.

Detroit got lucky! 1.5MIL people moved out from the 1950s. Lots of space! Chicago metro went from 4.5MIL in the 1950's to nearly 10MIL now. We are running out of space...

[lionsfan20]

Originally Posted by Grid

Bears practice, hold camp, and have headquarters in the state of IL. Chicago proper just hosted 8-9 games each season for them. All other team work was done in Lake Forrest IL. Not Chicago.

No different than the Lions in Allen Park, Michigan. Or the Vikings in Eagan, Minnesota.

There are no plans at all for the Bears to move HQ to Hammond. But if they do build a stadium there (Wolf Lake). They might move HQ from Lake Forrest IL to the Arlington Heights IL site.

8-9 homes games across state lines, the same as the Giants, Jets, Commanders and soon Chiefs. Welcome to todays NFL. Not every city that started with a franchise 50-100 years ago, is capable to hold a stadium in the modern world.

Detroit got lucky! 1.5MIL people moved out from the 1950s. Lots of space! Chicago metro went from 4.5MIL in the 1950's to nearly 10MIL now. We are running out of space...

Lol nice try. All those examples are in the same state. Just admit Chicago is a craphole and Bears are going to Indiana to get out of that liberal hell hole.

[hairysasquatch]

Originally Posted by lionsfan20

Lol nice try. All those examples are in the same state. Just admit Chicago is a craphole and Bears are going to Indiana to get out of that liberal hell hole.

I will refrain comment on Chicago to simply state that Hammond, IN, is in neither Chicago nor Illinois.

[Asian62150]

I won't believe Bears are moving out of state until they actually break ground somewhere beside Chicago/Arlington Heights.

[packman80]

Just wait until Iowa says we will pay for the entire stadium and you get the Des Moines Bears.

[Asian62150]

Originally Posted by packman80

Just wait until Iowa says we will pay for the entire stadium and you get the Des Moines Bears.

While I think the Bears are staying in IL, they find themselves in this situation partially because their owners are some of the poorest in the NFL.

[hairysasquatch]

Bears fans beginning to resign themselves to reality, it appears. Hammond, here we come!

[cnewby]

Hammond, Illinois, right?

[packman80]

The Hammond Bears sponsored by Hamms Beer with new Bears mascot!

[packman80]

Originally Posted by Asian62150

While I think the Bears are staying in IL, they find themselves in this situation partially because their owners are some of the poorest in the NFL.

Nah they just play the game like every owner in any sport does. Which city and state will give me the most money to build. Though to be fair with the Bears they are only asking infrastructure be paid by the city and state while they cover the stadium costs. Why should the team pay for that when the city and state and businesses around the stadium will benefit from the stadium being there.

[Grid]

Originally Posted by Asian62150

While I think the Bears are staying in IL, they find themselves in this situation partially because their owners are some of the poorest in the NFL.

Yes to both. For sure, they would rather stay in IL and build in Arlington. Odds are, that is what will happen anyway. But, and here is the big but none of the main stream media is reporting...

Bears have $2BIL to build the stadium. They told IL they don't need any money for that, just help with infrastructure. To the tune of $850MIL.

But, what in the world is $2BIL buying? Certainly not a new modern stadium. SoFi cost over $5BIL. What will the Bears buy with less than half that? And even that $2BIL they have will have half of it borrowed. The are too poor, and too many, to cough up $2-3BIL more.

In comes Hammond, offering a free stadium.

[Grid]

Originally Posted by lionsfan20

Lol nice try. All those examples are in the same state. Just admit Chicago is a craphole and Bears are going to Indiana to get out of that liberal hell hole.

No clue what any of this means. You quoted me saying the Bears might play 8 games in Indiana, while still having their practice facility, training camp and HQ in the state of Illinois. And I pointed out the Lions and Vikings also do all of that, outside of the city whose name they hold.

Right now, the Bears play those 8 games a year in the "liberal hell hole" that is Chicago proper. But still spend 95% of their time in Lake Forrest IL. And none of that will change, if home games are across state lines.

Sorry if you didn't know Lake Forest and Chicago were in the same state. I see you are in Nebraska, so I wont make fun of your poor geographical education. Its hard to see whats past the cornstalks.

[hairysasquatch]

TIL the Bears are run by comparative poors.

[cnewby]

Oh wow, he still doesn't understand the difference.

[packman80]

Read when and if the Bears leave Solider Field that Chicago will spend $630 million on it to update the stadium and infrastructure around it so can be used for concerts and other events. They still owe $500 million on the last renovation over 20 years ago. Then state claims it’s broken can’t help the Bears but can spend over 600 million to update a stadium that will be only used for concerts and events? Lot of genius people running that city and state.