October 31, 2007
Turnover ratio giving Bears little chance to win
By Larry Mayer
LAKE FOREST, Ill. – There are several reasons the Bears have stumbled to a 3-5 record, but there is no greater culprit than turnovers.
The defending NFC champions are tied with the Houston Texans for 30th in the NFL with a minus-10 turnover ratio. None of the 10 teams in the league that have a turnover ratio of minus-four or worse has a winning record.
“You just look at the turnovers alone, and that can beat you any week,” said coach Lovie Smith. “Our formula is ball security and taking the ball away on the defensive side of the football and we haven’t been able to do that.”
After leading the NFL with 44 takeaways on 24 interceptions and 20 fumble recoveries last season, the Bears have generated just 13 takeaways on five interceptions and eight fumble recoveries in their first eight games this year.
The Bears are on pace for just 10 interceptions, which would be one more than the team record set in 2002 for the fewest picks in a season in franchise history.
The Bears scored 143 points off turnovers last season with seven touchdowns and eight field goals. This year, they’ve tallied just 13 points off turnovers with one TD and two field goals. Chicago’s defense scored three TDs in 2006 but has been blanked so far this season.
The only time the Bears have scored a touchdown following a takeaway this season came Oct. 7 in Green Bay when Brian Griese tossed a 19-yard TD pass to rookie tight end Greg Olsen one play after middle linebacker Brian Urlacher had intercepted a Brett Favre pass over the middle.
After producing 21 takeaways on the opponent’s side of the 50-yard line last year, the Bears have done so only three times this season—and twice it led to points.
Offensively, the Bears are tied with the St. Louis Rams with an NFL-high 16 interceptions—no other team has thrown more than 12. Both Chicago quarterbacks have averaged two picks per game—with Griese throwing 10 in five starts and Grossman tossing six in three outings.
Griese’s seven interceptions in two games against the Detroit Lions are more than 16 teams—exactly half of the league—have thrown all season.
FULL STORY
Turnover ratio giving Bears little chance to win - Chicago Bears
Turnover ratio giving Bears little chance to win
Turnover ratio giving Bears little chance to win
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