NFL Power Rankings, Week 5: Bears are laughing stock of the league

It’s not a good time to be a Chicago Bears fan. The prospect of having the first two picks in the 2024 NFL Draft is great, but it’ll be a while until we know for sure if the Bears will have a once-in-a-generation chance at restocking the talent cupboard.

Until then, the Bears are 0-4. They blew a 21-point lead to the Denver Broncos last Sunday, a meltdown that cemented their place as the worst team in the NFL.

Week 5’s NFL Power Rankings further prove how poorly the media thinks of the Chicago Bears. In ESPN’s updated rankings, the Bears check in at No. 32.

“The Bears have two sacks in four games and have pressured opposing quarterbacks on 22% of dropbacks, which ranks 32nd,” ESPN’s Courtney Cronin wrote. “Chicago’s defense is slightly more aggressive and opportunistic in generating pressure after coach Matt Eberflus assumed defensive playcalling duties in Week 2, but it hasn’t resulted in increased production. Eberflus said the Bears would have to start sending five or six rushers if they struggle to get pressure with their four defensive linemen, and while Chicago did see an uptick in blitzes against Denver (27.6%), that strategy was one the Broncos were able to adjust to in the second half. The Bears” D-line has six new players from a year ago, yet the upgrade in talent has not improved the team’s ability to get to the quarterback.”

The Bears deserve this ranking. They’re terrible. There’s no other way to put it. The defense ranks 31st in points allowed. They’re 29th in passing yards allowed and are dead last in sacks with only two in four games.

Embarrassing.

Barring a miraculous midseason turnaround, big changes are expected at Halas Hall this offseason. Coach Matt Eberflus is a dead man walking, and GM Ryan Poles might be on life support. Even Justin Fields” future is murky, especially if the Chicago Bears end up in a position to draft Caleb Williams.

Those are all issues that will work themselves out over the next few months. For now, Chicago Bears fans are once again left to root for draft positioning instead of wins on the field. And we’re only in the first week of October.

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