ESPN: Bears make postseason run in 2024 NFL season simulation

ESPN’s Seth Walder chose a random single simulation of the 2024 NFL season to offer some projections of how the year ahead could look, and for Chicago Bears fans, it isn’t all that bad. In fact, it’s really exciting.

Walder noted that he chose simulation No. 515—one of the 20,000 Football Power Index simulations—as the basis for this exercise. And if No. 515 hits? The Bears will be a playoff team.

Yep, in Caleb Williams’ first season as a pro, the Chicago Bears (in this simulation) win ten games and earn the No. 7 seed in the NFC. Better yet? They win their first-round playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles before losing to the Detroit Lions (that one stings) in the divisional round.

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“The “Hard Knocks” hype was real — rookie quarterback Caleb Williams immediately brought electricity to the Chicago Bears” offense,” Walder wrote. “Williams finished this season as a top-five fantasy quarterback, and wide receiver DJ Moore exceeded 1,300 receiving yards, helping make up for a defense that couldn’t carry over the momentum it had to end the 2023 season. This resulted in high-scoring, back-and-forth affairs that not only added to Williams” lore but also generated a 10-7 record that allowed Chicago to sneak into the playoffs as the No. 7 seed in the NFC.”

Williams, a top-five fantasy QB? Moore over 1,300 receiving yards? Yes, please!

It’s been a long time since there was this much excitement around the Chicago Bears, and it’s not just human excitement, apparently. Even the machines agree: The Bears have a chance to make some serious noise in 2024.