Bears Turn Preseason Doubts Into Fuel at 6-2

Chicago’s strong start has overturned predictions that the team would slide in 2026. Before the season, analysts pointed to last year’s unusually favorable turnover margin, close wins and a tougher schedule as reasons the Bears might regress. Some also questioned the defense, the offensive line after center Drew Dalman’s retirement, and the receiving group.

The Bears’ improvement, in this telling, reflects more than the good fortune that helped them win last season. With Ben Johnson in his second year, they have not needed the same string of dramatic late comebacks, while Williams has continued to develop. Center Garrett Bradbury has played solidly, Rome Odunze has looked healthier, and Kalif Raymond has contributed, the column argued.

Williams acknowledged that players hear the outside criticism. Speaking on ESPN after Monday night’s game, he said the team’s weekly priority was staying focused on the work in front of it, rather than reacting to changing public expectations. The Bears had been cast as a leading regression candidate; now, he said, attention was shifting toward bigger ambitions.

At 6-2, Chicago heads toward its Sunday night matchup with Tampa Bay amid growing praise. ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky called the team frightening, while Mina Kimes suggested only Josh Allen might currently rank ahead of Williams. The Bears’ next challenge is to maintain their form as expectations rise.