The Chicago Bears have plenty of problems going on with their team. Not all of them can be measured by facts and stats, but some can.
Sitting at 1-4 on the season, there are a number of statistical categories from all three phases that help explain exactly why this team is in its sorry state. Some of them are obvious. Others a little more complicated. Yet all have the same thing in common. They aren’t good.
OFFENSE
Points Per Game
The most straightforward and easy to understand stat there is when it comes to offensive football. How many points is the team scoring from week to week. So far this season the Atlanta Falcons lead all teams at a whopping 35 points per game. Currently six of the teams ranked in the top 10 of this category boast winning records. The Bears? They’re averaging a total of 17 points per game. That is good for 30th in the NFL. The 23 points they scored against the Colts was their highest of the season, and it came against a defense that had been allowing 29.6 per game.
Time of Possession
Some people think time of possession is overrated. It’s worth noting that two of the past four teams to reach the Super Bowl have ranked in the top 5 of this category during their respective seasons. Being able to keep the ball and systematically wear down an opposing defense and control the tempo of a game is a legitimate commodity. Last year they ranked 8th overall, holding the ball for 52.4% of their games. They went 6-10. This season they’re sitting at 28th overall, holding it for just 45% of games. Current odds favor them finishing with a worse record.