Chicago Bears earn bold Chris Cowherd playoff prediction

What Chicago Bears must do to make playoffs 

While Cowherd didn’t elaborate on his playoff prediction, the Bears’ path looks pretty clear. To put it into simplest terms, there must be massive growth on both sides of the ball. But going from No. 10 overall pick to playoff contender was always going to be a difficult task, even with Johnson in the fold.

The head coach will provide a massive boost on offense, however. Chicago was dreadful in 2024, ranking dead last in total offense by averaging just 284.6 yards per game. Johnson’s former team, the Detroit Lions, on the other hand, ranked second by averaging 409.5 YPG. It will take time for the Bears to truly take offensive form. But if they adapt how Johnson and the franchise are hoping, Chicago’s offense will be vastly improved from the 2024 edition for the foreseeable future.

When Johnson crafted his staff, he wanted a mix of veterans and fresh voices. One of those veterans is defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. The longtime coach is one of the most respected defensive minds in the NFL. He will be a key figure for Johnson to lean on as he enters his first season as an NFL head coach.

Allen will be tasked with helping fix a defense that ranked 27th in total defense, allowing 354.3 YPG in 2024. They were brutal against the run, ranking 28th by allowing 136.3 YPG. Chicago has made plenty of additions such as defensive lineman Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo. But it’ll be up to Allen to ensure all the defensive puzzle pieces fit together.

The fact the Bears are being considered playoff contenders is telling. It shows that some around the league actually believe in Chicago’s revival, which is a good sign for the near future. However, it also means the expectations are only getting heftier. The more Chicago is in the preseason playoff conversation, the harsher the flack will be if they do not reach that goal.

Ultimately, Johnson and staff are looking to set the foundation for success in year one. With the Bears going through so many rough seasons, they at least want to shine the light at the end of the tunnel. However, fans won’t accept another losing season. Chicago may not be Super Bowl contenders in 2025, but if they aren’t at least in the playoff hunt, the boo birds will come out again at Soldier Field.