Why Are the Chicago Bears Winless at Home in 2014?
Published by Zach Kruse on October 21, 2014
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are winless over three tries at home this season, and no one associated with the team could provide a precise or detailed reason why following Chicago’s 27-14 loss to the Miami Dolphins in Week 7.
“There shouldn’t be a difference,” head coach Marc Trestman told reporters. “We should be playing better at home. We should be able to utilize this facility and our fans. We didn’t get it done collectively.”
“I don’t know,” quarterback Jay Cutler told reporters. “There’s a lot of things going on right now.”
The head coach and quarterback might not have a clear idea why the Bears are 0-3 at Soldier Field in 2014, but the tape from the three games certainly does. A number of obvious problems permeate from all three of the losses.
Essentially, when a team can’t stop or rush a quarterback and can’t protect the football on offense or take away the football on defense, the “home-field advantage” is pretty much thrown out the window.
For those very reasons, the Bears have been outscored 88 to 51 at home this season, including back-to-back losses by 10 or more points. Chicago is now one of three teams—joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Oakland Raiders, owners of a 1-11 combined record in 2014—without a home win this season.
Here is an in-depth look at how everything has gone so wrong for the Bears at Soldier Field in 2014:
Can’t Stop Any Level of QB
The Bears have played three quarterbacks at home this season: EJ Manuel of the Buffalo Bills, the very definition of a below-average starting quarterback (he’s since been benched in favor of Kyle Orton); Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers, one of the few elite quarterbacks in the game; and Ryan Tannehill of the Dolphins, a statistically average starter in the NFL.
Chicago has basically received a taste of all three levels of quarterback quality at home, and they’ve mostly failed to stop any of the three.
Manuel completed 16 of 22 passes for 171 yards, one touchdown and one interception (91.7 passer rating). He also ran for a score.
Rodgers torched the Bears for 302 yards and four touchdowns. His passer rating in the 38-17 win was 151.2.
Tannehill started Sunday’s contest with 14 straight completions. He ended 25-of-32 passing for 272 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions—good for a passer rating of 123.6. He also ran for 48 yards, including a 30-yard scamper off the read-option to convert a 4th-and-1 situation in the second half.
Overall, the Bears have allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 76.8 percent of their passes for 9.1 yards per attempt, seven touchdowns and just one interception in Chicago this season. Those quarterbacks have a passer rating of 127.7, while also rushing for 75 yards and a touchdown.
Bottom line: It is very difficult to win in the modern NFL when opposing quarterbacks are allowed to play so efficiently.
The upcoming schedule does Chicago no favors; red-hot Tom Brady (nine touchdowns, zero interceptions, 118.8 passer rating over the last three weeks) is up next, while a visit to Green Bay to once again face Rodgers looms after the bye week.
Can’t Rush the Quarterback
The Bears will continue to get scorched by opposing quarterbacks if the defense’s pass rush does not find some semblance of consistency.
According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Manuel, Rodgers and Tannehill dropped back to pass 92 times against the Bears. Chicago’s defense delivered pressure on just 23 of those plays, or 25 percent of the time, for an average of just over seven per game. On the road, the Bears have gotten pressure on 34.3 percent of dropbacks, while averaging almost 15 pressures a contest.
The three quarterbacks to visit Chicago were mostly undisturbed.
Manuel was sacked once and hit three other times. Rodgers ran out of bounds for a sack but otherwise wasn’t hit. Tannehill took four sacks—including 3.5 from defensive tackle Jeremiah Ratliff—but he was comfortable in the pocket for most of the afternoon.
Here are the pockets Tannehill threw from on each of his touchdown passes Sunday:
There isn’t a Bears defender within four yards of Tannehill on the first. On his second, Tannehill was able to go through his entire progression before completing to receiver Mike Wallance under zero pressure.
When pressure isn’t applied in the NFL, quarterbacks of all makes and models can slice up a defense.
Manuel completed 81.3 percent of his passes, averaged 9.1 yards per attempt and had a passer rating of 126.8 over his 18 pressureless dropbacks in Week 1. Rodgers threw all four of his touchdowns against no pressure in Week 4. And on Sunday, Tannehill completed 23 of 27 passes (85.2 percent) and threw two touchdowns without any disruption from the pass rush.
When not under pressure at Soldier Field, opposing quarterbacks have a combined passer rating of 139.2 this season. If the Bears want to change that eyesore of a number, the expensive pass rush will have to start delivering.
Can’t Protect the Football
Turnovers remain one of the best ways to judge any football team, but it’s an especially useful factor when dissecting the Bears.
Chicago has 12 giveaways over its four losses, including eight over the three home losses. Meanwhile, the offense has just one turnover during the three wins. It can sound over-simplistic at times, but turnovers usually tell the story for the Bears.
The Bills had three takeaways in the season opener, including two interceptions of Cutler. Brandon Marshall‘s fumble in the second quarter set up a Buffalo field goal, while Cutler’s two picks were converted into 10 points. His final interception killed a potential game-winning scoring drive and allowed the Bills to go ahead late in the fourth quarter.
Turnovers turned a potential shootout in Week 4 into a blowout win for the Packers. After scoring on the first three possessions of the game, Chicago started the second half with back-to-back giveaways (both Cutler interceptions), and a 21-17 game at halftime quickly devolved into a 38-17 laugher. The Packers scored touchdowns after each Cutler interception in the second half.
On Sunday, the Dolphins quickly marched in for a score following Cutler’s first-half interception. Later, any hope for a comeback was put to bed when defensive end Cam Wake scored a strip-sack of Cutler and tight end Dante Rosario lost a fumble on back-to-back possessions to open the fourth quarter.
Eight turnovers in three home games have led to 37 points. And wouldn’t you know it, the Bears have been outscored by 37 points at Soldier Field in 2014. Turnovers almost always tell the story for Chicago.
Can’t Take Away the Football
As important as giveaways have been to the Chicago offense, takeaways remain equally important to the Bears defense.
Over four road games, the Bears have 11 takeaways. At home, Chicago has just one—an interception of Manuel way back in Week 1. Both the Packers and Dolphins played turnover-free football at Soldier Field.
Who knows where the Bears would be right now without the takeaways on the road.
Two Kyle Fuller interceptions in San Francisco helped propel Chicago’s unlikely come-from-behind win over the 49ers. The Bears left the Bay Area with four total takeaways, including two in the first half that kept the game close (Chicago trailed 17-0 and 20-7).
In New York, the Bears received a pick-six from safety Ryan Mundy on the second play from scrimmage, and Fuller also intercepted quarterback Geno Smith in the red zone to halt a Jets‘ scoring march. Chicago won by a 27-19 scoreline. The defense scored seven points and saved at least three, providing the winning margin.
Without those two wins—both of which wouldn’t have happened if not for the takeaway—the Bears would be sitting at 1-6 right now.
Not getting a turnover against Rodgers and the Packers is somewhat understandable, given Rodgers’ historic ability to protect the football. Green Bay has just four turnovers all season.
However, the Bills have 11 giveaways this season, including 10 over their last four games. The Dolphins also have 11. Miami has turned the ball over three or more times during three different weeks in 2014. Neither team can be considered “protective” of the football.
Yet the Bears picked off Manuel just once, and Tannehill escaped Chicago with only three passes that were even touched by a Bears defender. Neither offense lost a fumble.
It won’t get any easier for the Bears. The Patriots (five) and Packers (four) have combined for just nine turnovers this season. Beating Brady and Rodgers is difficult without the assist of takeaways.
The Bears simply haven’t played winning football at home in 2014. The best teams are able to protect the ball and disrupt the opposing quarterback, and through three home games, Chicago can’t claim to have accomplished either goal in any contest.
The Bears of 2014 will be defined by their ability to both avoid game-changing mistakes on offense and cause turnover plays on defense. Three straight home losses have only clarified that reality.
Zach Kruse covers the NFC North for Bleacher Report.
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