The Sun-Times’ Patrick Finley sorts through some of the Bears’ biggest questions of the offseason:
The most notable thing to come out the Bears’ schedule was …
They open against the Lions and then don’t play another NFC North opponent until Week 10. The Bears play five divisional games in their final seven contests — last year, by comparison, they played three. The NFC North race won’t start until the third Sunday in November.
What will the Bears’ record be in 2020?
Whomever predicted the Bears to win three games all season was wrong; they might be 3-0 after opening against the Lions, Giants and Falcons, who combined to win 14 games last season. But the schedule gets harder from that point on, making 9-7 a likely finish.
Which game would you most hate to see canceled?
Any game after the league has actually begun play. Having to pause the season after beginning it would be much more damaging — psychologically and practically — than merely delaying its start.
Who will start more games: Nick Foles or Mitch Trubisky?
Trubisky — which goes against history. Of the eight other first-round quarterbacks to ever have their fifth-year options declined, no one still playing for his original team was made the regular starter in Year 5. Despite his postseason heroism, though, Foles hasn’t proven to be a steady regular-season quarterback. He’s started more than half his team’s games in only one of his past six seasons.
At which position do the Bears still need help?
Quarterback is the biggest organizational concern until someone proves otherwise. The Bears’ 2020 starter will have to win the job during the preseason and their 2021 starter might not even be on the roster. Quarterback answers won’t be available until March — sorry, Cam Newton fans.
Which non-quarterback is under the most pressure this season?
Receiver Allen Robinson — unless the Bears pay him soon. Before the season starts, the Bears will try to negotiate a contract extension to pay Robinson like one of the best eight or so receivers in the game. If they can’t get it done, though, Robinson will enter the last year of his contract with the potential to make himself richer than any Bears player this side of Khalil Mack — or he’ll get franchise tagged for 2021.
Who wins the NFC North?
The Packers won 13 games and finished as NFC runners-up last year despite having a point differential of only plus-63. They’ll be a trendy pick to regress, but give me a motivated Aaron Rodgers and a franchise that’s won the division six of the past 10 seasons.
