Three reasons Bears fans should be thankful for 2019

The Bears' 2019 season hasn't gone as planned. At 5-6 and with barely a pulse left in their playoff chances, a season that was supposed to be defined by a Super Bowl run has become one of the most disappointing in recent franchise history.

But that doesn't mean Bears fans don't have anything to be thankful for this year. Let's face it, no season ever goes as planned. Take last year's Bears as an example. Even the most die-hard fan never would've predicted an NFC North title and a playoff berth in Year 1 under coach Matt Nagy.

Sometimes the unexpected is good; sometimes it's bad.

But here are three reasons (one on offense, one on defense and one big-picture view) why Bears fans should be thankful this season.

Offense

Chicago's offense has been pretty terrible in 2019. Quarterback Mitch Trubisky hasn't developed into the franchise player he was supposed to be, the offensive line has devolved into a unit that suddenly needs a bunch of repairs, and the running game has been virtually non-existent.

But amidst all the offense's dysfunction, wide receiver Allen Robinson remains.

Robinson is one of the most under-appreciated players in the NFL and deserves to be praised like the league's top pass-catchers. Sure, he doesn't post the kind of statistics that Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas does, but he also doesn't have the benefit of catching passes from future Hall-of-Famer Drew Brees and a backup with starter's ability, Teddy Bridgewater. 

Trubisky and Chase Daniel have combined to throw for 2,293 yards, while Brees and Bridgewater have totaled 2,977. If Robinson had the benefit of accurate passes thrown his way, as well as a similar volume as Thomas (Thomas has 30 more targets), he'd be just as productive. He's averaging 12.1 yards per catch while Thomas is averaging 11.9.

I'm not saying Robinson is as good as Thomas. But I am saying he deserves to be in the discussion among the league's elite pass-catchers. And in today's NFL, offenses can't function at their maximum level without a receiver of Robinson's caliber. He's a true building block moving forward and someone Bears fans need to make sure they appreciate.

Robinson enters Week 13 with 63 catches, 764 yards and four touchdowns.

Defense

The Bears defense, in general, is one of the NFL's best. There are several reasons why ranging from Akiem Hicks to Eddie Jackson to Danny Trevathan. But there's one truly special talent who Bears fans need to make sure they appreciate while he's in Chicago: Khalil Mack.

Mack is a generational player. And while that word has been thrown around too freely toward players who have a few dominant seasons, it's applicable to Mack, who has the kind of overwhelming talent that would rule in any era of football.

It's true that he hasn't had the kind of second season in Chicago that fans were expecting. In fact, I thought he'd push for 20 sacks this year. He'll fall way short of that number. He might fail to reach double-digit sacks for the first time since his rookie year (2014); he has just 6.5 sacks through 11 games.

Don't let the stats fool you.

Mack is the Bears' highest-graded player, per Pro Football Focus (90.0). And despite not registering lofty sack totals in 2019, he's still the second-highest-graded edge defender in the NFL behind only Nick Bosa (49ers).

The fact Mack is grading so well in what feels like a down season is clear and convincing evidence of just how great he is. Bears fans expect more, yet he's better than almost every player at his position this year.

Chicago is lucky to have him.

Big picture

The old adage "it could always be worse" really applies to the Bears in 2019. The team's failure to meet expectations has rendered the season a disappointment, but is it really?

Chicago wasn't supposed to be as good as they were in 2018. The turnaround wasn't supposed to happen that fast. They were coming off four straight seasons of five wins or less and GM Ryan Pace was moving onto his second head coach.

Trubisky was only entering his second season in the NFL, Nagy his first as a head coach. If the Bears won seven games in 2018, it would've been a success. Instead, they won 12 and set unreasonable expectations for 2019.

If Bears fans were told prior to Matt Nagy's hire that their new head coach and young quarterback would have this team back to .500 football in less than two full seasons, they would've signed up for it immediately. This is where Chicago is supposed to be in their rebuild. They're supposed to be 6-6 after Week 13 and still alive for the playoffs. It's logical growth from where they were in 2017.

What isn't logical and what didn't make sense was 2018. The 12 wins. The NFC North crown. That was a bizarre anomaly that was a fun ride for everyone, but it wasn't sustainable.

And remember: The Bears ARE hovering around .500. They could end the season at 9-7, which, excluding last year, would be their second-best record since 2011.

Chicago isn't in dire straits like the Washington Redskins or Cincinnati Bengals. Those fanbases have legitimate reasons to feel suffocated by their teams' inability to improve year after year.

Instead, the Bears are where they should be, even if it isn't quite where the fans want them to be after last season. Eventually, they'll get there. And years like 2019's ups and downs will make that success as sweet as any Thanksgiving dessert.