Explaining why the Chicago Bears can’t seem to win games consistently over the past decade comes from a variety of factors. Health is one. Lack of talent is another. Bad coaching. All have left their mark on the organization at various intervals. However, if you want an overarching theme that seems to encompass it all, look no further than a recent stat that came up. Every NFL team was listed by how many games with less than 200 yards passing they’ve had over the past two seasons. Some surprising members were among the top 10 like Pittsburgh, New England, Baltimore, and Atlanta. A few years ago, that would’ve been inconceivable.
Yet none of them could hold a candle to the Bears, who sat comfortably on top with a whopping 28 games. Keep in mind they played 34 games total over the past two seasons. That means a staggering 82.35% of them ended with fewer than 200 yards passing.
For those curious, Justin Fields was responsible for 18 of those games. If you’re still wondering why the Bears opted to move on from him, this stat is a perfect reminder. The harsh truth is he couldn’t move the ball through the air.
That is the nature of the modern NFL. If you can’t throw the football with any consistency, you’re not going to win enough games. Over the past five seasons, only two of 25 teams who finished in the bottom five passing managed to make the playoffs. Both times, it was the Baltimore Ravens, greatly aided by Lamar Jackson’s unique rushing ability. Every other team failed. GM Ryan Poles understands this league. If you can’t throw the ball consistently, you won’t ever challenge for a championship.
It was never a coincidence he chose to invest heavily at wide receiver this off-season while also drafting Caleb Williams at quarterback. Never mind the fact they hired Shane Waldron as offensive coordinator, who crafted a dynamic passing attack in Seattle. Running the ball remains important, but these Chicago Bears have to get with the times. That means passing more often. One can only hope they start racking up more games that eclipse the 200-yard mark.
