After yet another exhilarating victory, the Bears’ 7-3 start under rookie head coach Ben Johnson keeps evoking memories of previous glory in the post-Mike Ditka era. To wit:
• The uncanny, fantastic finishes in victories against the Raiders, Commanders, Bengals, Giants and Vikings have been reminiscent of the miraculous 2001 season, which was highlighted by Mike Brown’s back-to-back game-ending pick-sixes.
• The feel-good energy and rejuvenation under Johnson and an opportunistic defense leading the NFL in takeaways are similar to Matt Nagy’s rookie season of 2018, the last time the Bears were 7-3 after 10 games.