It’s hard to believe the Bears were talking Super Bowl at this time last year. Winning a championship was all that mattered. Running back Tarik Cohen even mused about a dynasty.
The bar has been lowered in 2020. A lot.
Now, with the team reporting Tuesday ton Halas Hall to begin coronavirus testing and conditioning, the goal is just to make the playoffs and hope that’s enough to save jobs. That’s familiar ground for a team that has reached the postseason only eight times in the last three decades.
The scenario creates a lot of pressure for general manager Ryan Pace, coach Matt Nagy, quarterback Mitch Trubisky and some others facing a make-or-break season, but the good news is the playoffs are a realistic target.