Now that the NFL season of 2023 has over, Ryan Poles and the Chicago Bears are focusing on assembling their roster for the 2024 season. The Bears, who finished 7-10 in 2022, increased their win total by four games. Even though Chicago finished last in the NFC North, there were enough positive developments on both sides of the ball for supporters to feel optimistic about the upcoming season.
“You cannot claim to be blind to the differences if you take a close look at where we came from and where we are now. We’re moving forward quite quickly. We’re approaching it correctly. It’s based on a strong foundation, Poles stated at the team’s news conference at the end of the season.
The offensive output of the Bears increased by two points from 19.2 points per game to 21.2 points per game this season. Chicago’s biggest improvement was on the defensive end. The Bears’ scoring defense, which allowed 27.2 points per game in 2022—the lowest in the league—was reduced to 22.3 points per game in 2023. They also led the NFL in interceptions (22). Chicago’s “D” also increased its sack total by one, concluding with thirty after accumulating only twenty in 2022.Here are five significant events from the Bears’ 2023 season, including some encouraging moments on offense even if there was more to be pleased about on the defensive end of the ball.
The arrival of defensive tackle Montez Sweat strengthened Chicago’s defense, making this the pivotal point of the 2023 season. Even though Sweat played his first game with the Bears in Week 9 against the New Orleans Saints, by the end of the season he had led the team in sacks (6.5). Sweat was so dominant in 2023 that he led the Commanders in sacks as well.
Through their first eight games of the previous season, the Bears recorded just 10 sacks, five of which came in a single game. The team scored 20 points in the next nine games after Sweat joined the team. Two multi-sack games were had by Chicago’s defense in the first nine weeks of the campaign. Over seven multi-sack games, the group
throughout its final eight games. Sweat’s influence in Halas Hall is known as the “Tez Effect.”
Regarding Sweat, Poles remarked, “You wanna talk about being a multiplier—a multiplier on the field.” He was helpful to the defense as a whole, and we discussed this with our guys during the year as we conducted departure interviews. I believe you could suddenly tell that everyone had a little more swagger when players like that were added. I believe the back end was impacted. Interceptions increased, as you witnessed. We won more games than you watched. There’s the Tez Effect. “If Chicago hadn’t opened the season against the Green Bay Packers looking like a big, unimpressive, unprepared dud, just think of how different the season would have felt.
Following an offseason that saw the Bears revamp their offensive line with rookie Darnell Wright, veteran Nate Davis, and new receiver DJ Moore, the team lost 38–20 at Soldier Field after being thoroughly outclassed at home.
Moore saw just two targets entire season, the fewest he has ever received. Meanwhile, the Green Bay defense confused the Bears by sacking quarterback Justin Fields five times. Despite the fact that Packers linebacker Quay Walker returned a Fields interception 37 yards for a touchdown, Chicago’s defense made no plays that would have changed the outcome of the game.
The season would have started better if the Bears had shown up and at least played with competition. even if they hadn’t won. However, when they play the Packers, they never seem to be able to get together.
Regarding his team’s failure to defeat the Packers, Poles stated, “We’re just not there yet, and we’ve gotta continue to get to a get to a point where we take that next step and continue to add players and put ourselves in that position.” “But yeah, I know how much that means to this city and this team, and we’ve gotta take the steps necessary to get that done.”
I hope they make those moves during the off-season.
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