Welcome to SB Nation Reacts — a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the offseason, we send 32 polls to plugged in fans from each team. Bears fans, sign up HERE to join SB Nation Reacts!
We’re all fans — short for fanatic — so it’s understandable when we over-hype our favorite team in the offseason.
We all do it to some extent.
Sure there are a few naysayers that balance the hopeful out with their constant negativity, but some of those guys are just doing a contrarian bit. Deep down they’re just waiting for something to latch onto to get just as excited as the rest of us.
When looking at the over/under win totals for NFL teams, would you believe that most fans think their team is going over?
Shocking, I know.
Only two of the NFL SB Nation Reacts’ fan polls had voters agreeing with the under. Fans of the Carolina Panthers and fans of the Los Angeles Chargers, two teams that have moved on from their long time starting quarterbacks, are the only fanbases that believe their team will under-perform in 2020.
Every other team’s fans are taking the over, including us fans of the Chicago Bears.
The Bears went 8-8 a year ago, so 9% of our SB Nation Reacts’ voters are either expecting this team to regress for a second consecutive year under head coach Matt Nagy, or they’re expecting the other three teams in the NFC North to whip up on them pretty good. Nagy has yet to lose to the Detroit Lions or the Minnesota Vikings during his two years in Chicago, but he’s 1-3 against the Green Bay Packers.
The Packers are coming off a 13 win season and a trip to the NFC Championship game, so it’s understandable that not one of their fans went with the under here. Having one of the best quarterbacks of this generation also helps their confidence level out.
Then again, several NFL experts are picking the Packers as a team likely to regress after seemingly overachieving a year ago.
Another team the experts are tabbing as a regression candidate is the Vikings, who went 10-6 last year and won a wildcard game. The Vikes have a tough start to their schedule, plus take a look at their win totals under head coach Mike Zimmer; 7, 11, 8, 13, 8, and then last year’s 10.
A dip back down to 7 or 8 wins would fit the trend.
But if you’re looking for a trend, did you realize the last three NFC North winners have been different teams? So, that obviously means that 2020 is the Lions turn to take the division, and it must have something to do with so many of their fans taking the over.
Detroit has acquired some talent through the draft in recent years, but if they get off to a slow start, I wonder if head coach Matt Patricia can hold them together after going from 6 to 3 wins in his first two years on the job.
That week one game against the Bears could be a real tone setter in this strange season.
Which one these fanbases are most delusional?
Let us know in the comment section!
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