The Chicago Bears should not be in the position they are. People still don’t grasp how crazy it is that this team holds the #1 overall pick in the 2023 draft. Start with what happened during the season. They played in eight games that were decided by one score. Chicago was 1-7 in those games. If they had literally won one more of those games, they wouldn’t be picking #1. That how close it was from their point of view. Yet the craziness somehow ramped up to 11 on the final Sunday of the regular season.
The Bears did their part by losing to Minnesota. They then had to see if the Houston Texans, boasting the worst record in the NFL, could somehow win a game on the road in Indianapolis. At two different points, Houston led 17-7 and 24-14. However, two bad interceptions by Davis Mills saw the Colts capitalize to go up 31-24. Everybody thought the Texans were done. Then Mills created mayhem with a final drive that included two 4th and long conversions for a first down and a touchdown. Following a two-point conversion, Houston held on in the final seconds to escape 32-31.
Rodger Sherman of The Ringer helped put in perspective how improbable what had just happened was.
The Chicago Bears needed divine intervention and they got it.
Good luck is not something associated with the Bears in recent years—quite the opposite. Most people still have the Double Doink burned into their memories. Fans have waited and wondered when something might finally break their way. Landing the #1 pick in the NFL draft is undoubtedly one such way. Here are some fun numbers. Since 1970, there have been 53 #1 picks. No fewer than 34 made at least one Pro Bowl in their careers. Seven of them are enshrined in the Hall of Fame. Ten helped a team they played for win a Super Bowl championship.
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
If the Chicago Bears do end up picking somebody with it, the odds are favorable that they’ll end up with at least a really good player, if not a superstar. There is an equally strong possibility they trade the pick for a massive haul, giving Ryan Poles loads of flexibility to remake the roster however he wants. The leverage that pick holds is monumental. This is a moment that could fundamentally alter the trajectory of the entire franchise. It comes down to what Poles does with it.
Val, Bob,
Seriously I’ve been a Bear fan since way before you were born. I can tell by your comments you know very little about Lovie. While I’m so glad we got the #1 pick imagine how some of his players think that he cost them the #1 pick. Lovie thought of himself not his players.
Gator Joe…
We fired him after a 10-6 season. He’s still one of my all time fav coaches. got the short end of the stick several times.
Lovie might be the first coach to be immediately fired for winning a game.
Kjmerk, whether or not Lovie Smith intentionally screwed the Texans draft position or not is irrelevant. It’s still a miracle they actually pulled off those plays in the final drive.
Kjmerk…you are just jealous. What team are you really supporting….the packers?