Super Bowl lessons the Bears could use to make their own run
As the NFL season shuts down, the Bears sit in a place they rarely occupy — the role of actual Super Bowl contender.
That's on paper, at least. There are plenty of one-year wonder seasons in franchise history. But if the Bears are going to ride the Ben Johnson-Caleb Williams momentum to the top, 2026 is the year to do it.
There are a few things to learn from Seattle's decisive Super Bowl victory over New England. For starters, the NFC has dominated the last two big games, so the path will be difficult. There's already speculation about Bears at Seahawks on the opening Thursday of next season. No better matchup to see where you stand.
The really obvious lesson Sunday was the Bears need to get much better on defense. It seemed safe to say this year's Bears weren't quite ready for the big stage, but they could be hopping on the springboard, ready to leap.
How much better do they need to get on defense? Honestly, quite a lot. The Bears ranked 29th in total yards allowed, while Seattle was sixth.
Teams ranked in the 20s in total defense have won Super Bowls. Here's the breakdown since 2000: Five Super Bowl champs have led the NFL in defense; 10 have finished in the top five; 16 out of 26 were in the top 10.
Five Super Bowl winners ranked in the 20s. The worst was the 2011 New York Giants at 27th. They made up the difference by finishing third in sacks and seventh in turnover percentage.
The Bears were sort of on the right track, leading the league in turnovers, but were 22nd in sacks. Somehow, they need to improve the pass rush while using their limited available funds to either re-sign free agent safeties Kevin Byard and Jaquon Brisker, or find replacements.
The defense should be better next season if Kyler Gordon and Jaylon Johnson are full-speed, but that's assuming good health everywhere else, which usually doesn't work out. The thing that's going to push the Bears toward the top is drafting well. They've got to come up with at least two defensive players in April who can contribute positively as rookies.
Another issue we've been watching was Super Bowl relevant — who will be the next great NFL quarterback?
There's always someone who comes along and wins at least three Super Bowls. The path runs from Bart Starr to Terry Bradshaw to Joe Montana, Troy Aikman, Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes. The answer could still be none of the above. There was that gap between Aikman and Brady, filled by a Denver mini-dynasty and an aging John Elway. The next great QB may still be in high school.
At this moment in time, New England's Drake Maye, chosen two picks after Williams, is not the one. Yeah, he had a great year and nearly won MVP, but against good defenses in the playoffs, he did not pass the eye test. One difference on Sunday was Seattle's Sam Darnold showing better escapability against a ferocious pass rush, and we know that's Williams' specialty.
If Darnold wins again, that would certainly break the mold since he's playing for his fifth NFL team. A Seahawks repeat likely depends more on whether teams figure out coach Mike Macdonald's “blitzers from everywhere” style of defense.
Besides, being a great Super Bowl quarterback is a collaboration between coach, QB, weapons and availability. The Bears are in great shape there, with Johnson's strong offensive mind heading into a second year head coach, and a potential long run with Williams, Colston Loveland, Rome Odunze and Luther Burden playing together.
Another reason to believe in Williams is how few hits he's taken, while not missing a start over two seasons. Williams took 24 sacks and ran the ball 77 times this season. Maye was at 47 sacks and 103 rushes.
This could turn into a freezing cold take by next year, but the Bears should feel good about having Williams under center.