NFL Power Rankings 2011: Bears Will Struggle to Reach Postseason

It's hard to remember that the Bears actually made the NFC Championship game last year. Not only did they make it, but they hosted it.

Now, they aren't bad. Chicago has a great defense. That always seems to be the case in Chicago, so that's nothing new.

But there is uncertainty on defense now, as star linebacker Lance Briggs is saying that he wants to be traded. Yes, we've been down this road with Briggs, but doesn't mean we should dismiss the problem.

We've been down this road, the Bears have had a hard time. Remember that after they lost Super Bowl XLI following the 2006 season, the Bears missed the playoffs every year until last year.

That's when Briggs made his original trade demand.

Am I saying that they will miss the playoffs because of Briggs' demands? No, I am not, but it's worth noting that when we've been down this road, the Bears struggled.

Also, if it's happened a few times in five years, it's probably a sign that the player needs to be moved.

But on the other side of the ball, Chicago is a mess. Jay Cutler is interception prone. He's talented, but Cutler hasn't grown out of the problems that are common to rookie quarterbacks.

At some point, he needs to manage the game and lead the team better than he has.

To do that, he'll need to be protected. Let's be nice and call the Bears offensive line questionable.

The NFC is also deep, and it's not inconceivable that all four teams in the NFC North will compete for a playoff spot. When you consider that, the Bears are far from a lock for the playoffs.

Making a prediction right now, look for the Bears to go 9-7 and miss the playoffs.

Too many unique things went right for them last year, leaving too many questions this year.

2011 NFL Power Rankings
1. Green Bay Packers
2. New England Patriots
3. Pittsburgh Steelers
4. New Orleans Saints
5. Philadelphia Eagles
6. Baltimore Ravens
7. Atlanta Falcons
8. San Diego Chargers
9. New York Jets
10. Kansas City Chiefs
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
12. Houston Texans
13. Indianapolis Colts
14. New York Giants
15. Dallas Cowboys
16. Chicago Bears
17. Detroit Lions
18. St. Louis Rams
19. Minnesota Vikings
20. Arizona Cardinals
21. Denver Broncos
22. Seattle Seahawks
23. Miami Dolphins
24. Cleveland Browns
25. Jacksonville Jaguars
26. San Francisco 49ers
27. Tennessee Titans
28. Buffalo Bills
29. Oakland Raiders
30. Washington Redskins
31. Carolina Panthers
32. Cincinnati Bengals