The Chicago Bears sit pretty at 7-2 and lead the NFC North, but the road ahead looks rough. This team wins despite itself, not because of a perfect plan. A look at the numbers from Yahoo Sports shows the cracks are already showing. The offense rolls with Caleb Williams, yet the defense needs to stay sharp. One bad mistake can cost a whole game in this division.
Penalties Are a Time Bomb
Self-inflicted wounds are the biggest worry for this squad right now. The Bears have committed eight or more penalties in six different games this season. They dropped 12 penalties on the Carolina Panthers in Week 1 and 10 against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 8. A late foul by Zavion Thomas against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers changed the flow of that recent 27-24 win. Yahoo Sports notes that these errors could catch up to Chicago fast. The team cannot afford to be undisciplined when the schedule gets hard. Winning early masks the problem, but the math will not lie forever.
The Run Game Stalls Without Monangai
Chicago had the best rushing attack in the NFL through the first seven weeks, but that run ended with an injury. Kyle Monangai missed the last five games, and the ground game fell off a cliff. That number dropped to just 105 yards per game in Weeks 5-8 without him. Roschon Johnson stepped up to help, but the average is still too low for a contender. Monangai is scheduled to play in Week 11 versus the Saints, which is positive news. His return could fix the balance the offense needs to win close games.
Secondary Struggles and Micah’s Take
The defense has a glaring hole in the secondary that opponents will attack all year. Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love shredded this unit for 367 passing yards and two long touchdowns in Week 5. The injuries and poor play from veterans make this a major concern. Micah Parsons weighed in on the trade for Jeffery Simmons and the state of the division. On his show, “The Edge with Micah Parsons,” he said, “Adding another monster like that into the NFC North is unwarranted.” Parsons believes the AFC North is not even close to the NFC North in quality. With every team in Chicago’s division holding six wins, the Bears are right on top. The Packers and Parsons will face off on Christmas day at Soldier Field.
