Offensive statistics through 4 weeks

[Bears4Ever_34]

A quarter of the season is already over. Lets take a look at the offensive and defensive statistics through the first 4 games of the season. I'll split the offense and defense into two threads so this post doesn't get too crazy long.

 

First, we'll take a look at the offense as a whole, and then the QB play.

 

*Please note that this discussion is about what you have seen through 4 games, what you like, what you don't like etc..

 

2013 Bears (4 games)

 

Total Offense (Yards/Game): 12th (352.2 yds/gm)

PPG: 3rd (31.8 ppg)

Yards per play: 12th (5.6)

1st downs per game: 21st (18.5)

3rd down percentage: 21st (35%)

Penalties: 26th (which is good) (15)

Turnovers: 5th (+5)

Rush Yards/Game: 16th (111.5)

Yards/Rush: 9th (4.5)

 

Now lets compare these statistics to last year's club.. Granted this is 16 games compared to 4.

 

2012 Bears (16 games)

 

Total Offense: 28th (310.6 yds/gm)

PPG: 16th (23.4 ppg)

Yards per play: 28th (5.0)

1st downs per game: 24th (18.2)

3rd down percentage: 22nd (36%)

Penalties: 16th

Turnovers: 2nd (+20)

 

Let's take a look at the QB play, and where Cutler ranks among his peers and his past history..

 

QB Rating: 18th (85.1)

TD passes: 3rd (tied with 3 others)

INT: 4th (tied with 2 others) 6

Completion percentage: 10th (64.2%)

Yards per game: 19th 252.5 yds/gm

Sacks: 4th (6)

QB hits: 16th (20)

 

- Right now he's playing slightly above his career avg QB rating of 84.1

- His completion % is at the highest of his career

- The interception % of 4.1 is the 2nd worst of his career since his 1st season here when it was 4.7%

- He's averaging the 2nd most yards/gm of his career since 07

- He's been hit and sacked less than at any point in his Bears career

 

The Good:

 

- I like the fact that the quarterback protection is clearly better

- I like the fact that the Bears are one of the most disciplined offenses in football, as far as penalties go. Very few pre-snap penalties is refreshing.

- They are actually getting a play called in on time!

- The ball distribution is miles better than last year with Marshall. Jeffery and Bennett have both stepped up.

 

The Bad:

 

- Despite being 3rd in ppg, had it not been for the early defensive Td's in the first 3 games, and the garbage time TD's in the 4th quarter of the Lions game, the offense hasn't really done a great job of generating points on their own. At least not to my expectations.

 

- The Quarterback play hasn't been thaaaat much of an improvement, yet. The 4th quarter thing is great, but he was doing that last year. The mechanical flaws have been kept in check until yesterday, and the interception % is way too high again. Even higher than last year. Again, it's only been 4 games, but this is by far thee biggest concern I've ever had with Cutler, and it doesn't seem like it's getting any better. The total implosion games are the ones that Trestman has to be able to get through to Cutler on.

 

 

Overall thoughts:

 

- The offense, in general, has been a mixed bag of good and bad. They are still far away from being among the elite, but it is early. They are very much an old school west coast offense. Not as much innovation as I thought I'd see, but maybe that's still coming.

 

- Teams now have tape on Trestman. We've already begun to see the adjustments defenses have made against the Bears in the last two games. Both Detroit and Pittsburgh sat on the short routes all game long, and dared Cutler to beat them with the deep ball. How will Trestman adjust to this?

 

- I am surprised we haven't seen more no-huddle. We seem to be more of a ball-control offense rather than one that likes to control the tempo.

 

- The run game has been generating at least one big explosive play a game, but where are the stretch zone plays? I thought this was a staple for any West Coast offense? Forte needs to be given more opportunities to run outside as opposed to between the tackles.

 

- I don't understand why Joe Anderson and Marquess Wilson haven't been given opportunities to make plays on offense. As much as the addition of Bennett has helped, they still could use more weapons out there catching passes from Cutler so the bracket coverage on Marshall isn't as effective.

[DABEARSDABOMB]

Statistically we led the league in 3rd down conversion percentage entering today's game. With a new staff, I expected to have a bad game or two and this was it. They will have a lot more good games and the offense will get better. I am fully on board with what we are trying to do offensively and am very impressed with how Cutler has matured and how he is handling adversity this year (and just his overall presence).

[adam]

Technically you cannot discount any stats during any game. Everything counts. If the Bears get that onside kick at the end and drive down and score, then all the stats count?

 

Overall thoughts:

 

- The offense, in general, has been a mixed bag of good and bad. They are still far away from being among the elite, but it is early. They are very much an old school west coast offense. Not as much innovation as I thought I'd see, but maybe that's still coming.

 

- Teams now have tape on Trestman. We've already begun to see the adjustments defenses have made against the Bears in the last two games. Both Detroit and Pittsburgh sat on the short routes all game long, and dared Cutler to beat them with the deep ball. How will Trestman adjust to this?

 

- I am surprised we haven't seen more no-huddle. We seem to be more of a ball-control offense rather than one that likes to control the tempo.

 

- The run game has been generating at least one big explosive play a game, but where are the stretch zone plays? I thought this was a staple for any West Coast offense? Forte needs to be given more opportunities to run outside as opposed to between the tackles.

 

- I don't understand why Joe Anderson and Marquess Wilson haven't been given opportunities to make plays on offense. As much as the addition of Bennett has helped, they still could use more weapons out there catching passes from Cutler so the bracket coverage on Marshall isn't as effective.

 

I agree that I would like to see more no-huddle, and would like to see Anderson or Wilson in the mix. Even to just give an open backfield set with 4 or 5 Wideouts. Especially on a 1st Down, teams would have to call a timeout or risk having a LB on a WR split out wide.

[AZ54]

Regarding the offense and other teams adapting to what we are doing, I agree they are sitting on the short routes. In terms of looking for the diversity of plays I think it is still headed our way. I still some direction of players on where to line up as they come out of the huddle.

 

We've just had two away games one against our first 3-4 defense...really the standard when it comes to the 3-4 in terms of mixing up coverages and blitzes. The second away game was against a team with the best DT combo in the game and was in a loud dome. We still have two rookies on the line as well as four new players on the line in a new scheme. Those were not the games to be adding a lot of new twists to our offense.

 

We split our road games, now we return home and it's time to add to the mix.