The Chicago Bears have unveiled their offensive player of the year, defensive player of the year, offensive rookie of the year, and defensive rookie of the year.
OPOY - Malcom Pressley
Pressley had by far his best season to date, rushing for 1,544 yards and 23 touchdowns while averaging 6.2 yards a carry, the third best in the league of running backs with at least 100 carries. He also caught 43 balls for 508 yards and 4 touchdowns, showing off his dual threat ability. His biggest contributions were when Rubin was hurt, allowing Pressley to step into center stage. Pressley proved that last year was not a fluke, and the Bears hope he will continue to produce like this for a long time.
DPOY - Danny Trevathan
A case could be made for many players. Su'a Cravens had three defensive touchdowns, Leonard Floyd tied for the league high in tackles for loss, and Pernell Mcphee and Everson Griffen had 16.5 and 14.0 sacks respectively. However, Trevathan proved once again that he is the heart of the defense. He had 7 interceptions, the most on the team by three, and had 16 tackles for loss. His spirit and heart helped lead this defense, earning him this award.
OROY - Jacoby Shabazz
When the Bears signed Jacoby Shabazz from free agency, they saw him as a temporary replacement. When Devin Clinton was healthy, they planned to let him go again. However, Shabazz showed that he had something to bring to the table as well. In a short 10 games where he was usually not on the field, Shabazz tallied an impressive 23 catches for 404 yards and 7 touchdowns. Though the stats were not exactly top-tier, the rookie has certainly made a bit of room for himself in a strong receiving core.
DPOY - London Smiley
The Bears drafted Smiley with the hopes that he would blossom and help the Bears pass coverage become stronger. Smiley, although he got hurt and missed a few weeks midway through the season, tallied 3 interceptions, and had 7 pass deflections. Smiley, a fast lockdown corner, will certainly look to aid the Bears as they adapt the man coverage aspect for years to come.
Case Keenum has been given the difficult task of replacing Josh Rubin, a promising young star and MVP frontrunner, for four weeks. In his first game, Keenum was good but not perfect. Though he did throw two interceptions, he also threw three touchdowns and had a 115.4 passer rating.
Both defenses had trouble stopping the opposing offenses if they weren't forcing quick punts or turnovers. And with just over three minutes remaining, the Bears kicker clanked a chip shot field goal that would have put them up by 8 off the goalpost, giving the Packers a new hope.
They began driving, and the Bears seemed helpless to stop them. That was, until Adrian Amos took over. With the two minute warning approaching, Amos read a corner route perfectly and picked it off. He then proceeded to take off down the sideline, dodging and escaping would-be tacklers until he eventually reached the end zone. The 97 yard pick-six sealed the win for the Bears, and they are now 11-3. The Bears will be hoping for a Falcons win over the Buccaneers, as that would put them in the best position to compete for a first round bye.
After a first half that saw the Bears only score three points while missing many scoring opportunities, the Bears came out in the second half with a new fire in their hearts. They trounced the Vikings, winning 42-17, which greatly improved their odds of becoming division champions.
Rubin had a stellar day as he threw for 4 touchdowns and 425, and had a near perfect passer rating. Malcolm Pressley struggled early, but he, like the rest of the team, caught fire in the second half. He finished with 19 rushes for 117 yards and a touchdown, while netting an impressive 54 total yards after contact.
The biggest story for the Bears was: How would Jeff Janis play as a replacement for Alshon Jeffery? Janis came in replacing Jefferey, who went 6 yards over the limit in a CPU game and was suspended one game. Janis responded by having the best game of any Bears receiver this year, grabbing 12 balls for 297 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Bears are strongly considering a starting position for Janis.
The defense had another stellar performance, forcing 6 interceptions, which they capatilized on. Will Hill grabbed his fifth of the year, improving an already fantastic breakout year.
The Bears are now rolling with a strong 4 game winning streak, scoring at least 36 games in all four and allowing no more than 17. Their most recent game. against the Panthers, was the most impressive. Rubin threw for over 400 yards and 5 touchdowns as he strengthened his case for MVP.
The defense also came to play, as they got 6 total interceptions with Will Hill III grabbing three and Harmon Kluwe getting his first interception of his young career. On the offensive side, Pressley had an off week, but still rushed for 76 yards. However, he made up for it by grabbing a receiving touchdown.
Emmanuel Sanders caught 8 balls for 200 yards and a touchdown, while Alshon Jeffery caught 5 for 144 yards and 3 touchdowns, embarrassing Leon Sandcastle. Kevin White also caught 6 for 91 yards.
With a bye week next week, the Bears will look to continue getting better and keep their momentum going.
After a disapointing 1-2 start which included a 2 and 3 point loss, the Bears seemed poised to have another top 10 draft pick. However, the Bears responded with 2 red-hot weeks, scoring 81 total points while allowing only 23. Although Rubin threw 2 interceptions against the 2-2 49ers, he also threw for 366 yards and 2 touchdowns. Malcolm Pressley continued his stellar sophomore season, rushing for 93 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. The defense has begun to show signs of life, as they allowed only 282 yards, while getting two interceptions, including a pick-6 by Danny Trevathan. Next week, the Bears play the 0-5 Dolphins, where they will look to continue their hot streak.