Silvy: The time for talking is over. Time for the Bears to prove they can win

Projection season is over. It’s time for the Bears to prove it.

Super Bears, Super Spring. Monsters of May. Outstanding OTA’s.

Let the predictions conclude and production commence.

No more top-100 lists. No more compliments about creating a culture.

The most talked about Bears offseason is finally in the rearview mirror.

• From discussions of whether general manager Ryan Poles would lose the locker room if he dares to trade away team leader Justin Fields to talk about Caleb Williams being elected team captain and a can’t-miss prospect.

• From DJ Moore needing help at wide receiver to the Bears loading up with it’s best trio of offensive playmakers in team history (on paper) to Moore getting paid.

• From the Bears telling the NFL world they had zero interest in doing any behind-the-scenes reality shows to the “Hard Knocks, A Training Camp with the Chicago Bears” finale airing Tuesday.

It was fun while it lasted, but as Poles proclaimed in the “Hard Knocks” finale, “It’s time to win.”

Nothing. Else. Matters.

Before we pronounce the Bears’ rebuild at the finish line, they must prove it out of the season’s starting gate. Nobody said it better than Jaylon Johnson, who continues to do everything right since he got paid.

“I’m done buying into the hype, honestly,” Johnson said.

Johnson recalls last year’s opener, a beautiful day when 61,500 Bears fans also were ready to usher in the dawn of a new day. The Packers were in town, and it was their turn to go into a rebuild with Aaron Rodgers having joined the Jets. Yet, after all the talk of the 2023 offseason, the Bears couldn’t walk the walk. The Packers were an instant contender, while the Bears’ losing streak ultimately grew to 14 games by the end of September. The season was only a month old, and the debates were raging about firing the coach and drafting a new quarterback.

Think about this Bears fans: When was the last time we simply enjoyed the ebbs and flows of a full football season without thinking about the draft before the season ended or developing young players because there’s nothing left to play for?

And that’s why this opener is so important. Young teams need confidence and belief. Sunday is a home game. The Bears are 4.5-point favorites against a Tennessee Titans team with a rookie coach and an inexperienced QB.

If the Bears don’t win this one, talk of the “same old Bears” returns, good tidings from the offseason disappear, and a tough Week 2 game in Houston on national TV quickly will amp up the pressure.

The Bears are 7-10 in openers since their last Super Bowl appearance. In 2010, the season the Bears last won a playoff game, they took the opener and went 3-0 in September. The last season the Bears won the division in 2018, a 3-1 September fueled belief to a 12-4 season. Getting out of the gate with a win is more than just being 1-0.

Over the last eight games of the season, the Bears play their entire division schedule, have a road game vs. NFC favorite San Francisco and play a post-Christmas game at Soldier Field against the Seahawks. I’m hoping for a 4-4 record over that stretch. If I want the Bears to hit 10 wins and make the playoffs, they’ve got to go 6-3 to begin the season, and that starts by winning the opener.

So put me down for a 27-19 home opener victory against the Titans and a 10-7 record. Caleb Williams throws for 3,850 yards and 28 touchdowns on the season. My out-on-a-limb prediction is D’Andre Swift leads the Bears in total yards from scrimmage with over 1,000 yards rushing and 500 yards receiving.

Now I’ll follow my own advice and stop with the predictions. This is what we waited for since January.

It’s time to play football

It’s time to win.

• Marc Silverman shares his opinions on the Bears weekly for Shaw Local. Tune in and listen to the “Waddle & Silvy” show weekdays from 2 to 6 p.m. on ESPN 1000.