Chicago Bears Red Zone Efficiency

by Adam T on Oct 7, 2009 9:27 AM CDT

This post is sponsored by Comcast's NFL RedZone.

So while trying to decide how best to compose a sponsored post and have some actual content in it, I decided to take a hint from the product being sponsored. So I am going to comb through how well the Bears did in the Red Zone both from a defensive and offensive side of the ball.

When I had this idea I didn't expect that we'd be involved in a game that had 72 points, with virtually every scoring drive entered the red zone.

The Bears have a 44% Red Zone efficiency rating coming into this came. That is 21st in the league.

Offense

1st Quarter - 10:02 after a Forte 61-yard run. 3 plays, Cutler TD.

2nd Quarter - 13:45 after a 25-yard pass to Earl Bennett putting the Bears on the Detroit 10 yard line. 2 plays. Cutler to Kellen Davis for the TD

2nd Quarter - 12:37 after a Tommie Harris interception put the Bears on the Detroit 8-yard line. The Bears went for a FG until a penalty on the Lions moved them closer and they went for it. 4 plays, Cutler to Greg Olsen for the TD.

3rd Quarter - 5:40 after a fumble recovery put the Bears on the Detroit 19-yard line. 5 plays. Robbie Gould 22-yard FG.

4th Quarter - 2:49 after a pass to Kellen Davis for 18 yards put the Bears on the Detroit 19 yard line. 3 plays. Garrett Wolfe runs it in from 2 yards out for the TD.

5 Opportunities - 5 Scores: 4TDs and 1 FG

Defense

1st Quarter - After a bomb to Calvin Johnson got the Lions close and they slowly worked their way inside the 20. 5 plays. Kevin Smith 2 yard TD

1st Quarter - 5:21 after a 23 yard pass to Calvin Johnson puts the Lions on the Bears 14 yard line. 3 plays. 14-yard TD pass to Heller.

2nd Quarter - 1:51 after a 28 yard pass play to Pettigrew put the Lions on the Bears 15. 3 plays. Kevin Smith TD

4th Quarter - 10:40 3 plays. Jason Hanson 35 yard FG

4 Opportunities - 4 Scores: 3 TDs and 1 FG

From these numbers you can see that the Bears offense is getting it done and the defense is not, though the defense did get pretty stout after half time as the Lions only got within the 20 once in the last 2 quarters.

The Bears need to figure out how to start fast, if we get behind against better teams we aren't going to be able to stop them and come from behind.

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Comments

Comcast!!!

Big Business = Big $$$$

by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Oct 7, 2009 9:39 AM CDT reply actions

I was thinkin bout that, boss

And I disagree with you.

Last year, we always started off strong and couldn’t close. This year, we can’t start, but we’re making tons of adjustments at halftime and closing big-time. I’d rather have it where we can close at the end rather than starting strong.

I'M A MAN! I'M 23!

by ChiFan13 on Oct 7, 2009 9:58 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs

If it is a matter of one or the other, I agree

I’m just saying we can’t keep expecting to let the other team get off to lead and think we are always going to come back. Us learning to start fast doesn’t equal us forgetting how to close out.

Being Who You Thought We Were Since 2005!

by Adam T on Oct 7, 2009 10:52 AM CDT up reply actions

i would like to think

or hope i guess is a better word, that the slow starts is lovie figuring out how to call our newish d (bowman, manning, afalava love, roach and williams). like chifan said lovie is making the adjustments as the game goes on. maybe they will get closer to to calling it right from the beginning as the season wears on

by GtM on Oct 7, 2009 11:14 AM CDT up reply actions

I agree completely...

it’s good to see adjustments being made at halftime but it also makes me wonder about the pre-game preparation they’re doing (or not doing) that has them falling behind all the time. Like you, I really think as teams get better and more prepared for what we’re now capable of doing offensively or not doing defensively, it’s too much to expect that only playing half of a good game will be enough to get to the playoffs. That definitely won’t work if you do make the playoffs.

by BearFan611 on Oct 7, 2009 3:02 PM CDT up reply actions

I agree

I never thought Lovie and Co. was very good with halftime adjustments.

by Sam Householder on Oct 7, 2009 12:17 PM CDT up reply actions

It's all Cutler-Comebacks and red zone efficiency

Agree with you.

Lifelong Bears Fan and 30 years Broncos fan (no more). I’m afraid Cutler is going to get the blame for low production early in the game, and when we start losing.. When Cutler was in Denver the offense was rank number 1 in scoring in the first half. This is a Shanahan trait. Is our problem with Turner?

Also, our O-line and receivers are subpar. Cutler’s can’t roll out here. He’s having to throw 7 yard passes, and he’s been sacked 8 times!. He was sacked 12 times all of last year, throwing 40 passes a game down the field. He’s a rollout quarterback who is the best in the NFL going long (coaches poll and stats). He’s got 9 comebacks and game winning drives out of 41 games. This percentage is better than Manning, Rothlesberger, and Brady.

I think the Bears may be in trouble and people are going to blame Cutler. I’ve watched every snap of his career and also John Elway’s. Cutler is in the same league. But even Elway had lots of problems with Denver’s lack of talent. Cutler’s contract will be up shortly. Watch where Shanahan goes. They’ve got a father son relationship.

by sdw2is on Oct 7, 2009 12:35 PM CDT reply actions

Cutler’s contract will be up shortly. Watch where Shanahan goes. They’ve got a father son relationship.

I don’t care where Shanny goes, Jay isn’t going to follow.

You can't believe everything you read on the internet, that's how World War One got started.
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by Ditkavsworld on Oct 7, 2009 2:22 PM CDT up reply actions

Unless

in the unlikely event we can the Lovester, and Shanny ends up here

"I'm sorry Josh, I'm with Chicago now, you need to stop calling me" -JerBear50 as Jay Cutler

by BearNecessities on Oct 7, 2009 3:17 PM CDT up reply actions

If Lovie gets the boot and Shanny comes here

that would be Shanny following Jay. So his premeise would still be wrong, then I can say ha ha you’re wrong, wrong, wrong, wroooooooong….

by Ditkavsworld on Oct 7, 2009 10:24 PM CDT up reply actions

Bears Organization TERRIBLE!

The Chicago Bears are the worse organization in the NFL – This there any chance at all that Virginia McCaskey and her idiot husband Mike McCaskey will sell this team to some one who knows what they are doing. I think that this organization is TERRIBLE! – Ron Turner needs to go back to Pop Warner or maybe HS to learn how to call an offense. Jerry A. (Jerry No judge of talent) is possible the worse GM in the history of the NFL. Give up draft choices for Cutler and now Gaines Adams! Please tell me that there is hope that these people will go away soon and this team will be SOLD to some one who know football! Awful! They were lucky to beat the lowly Browns today. They were in the RED ZONE several times and because of Ron Turner’ inability to call decent Ofense plays they failed to score or just got 3 field goals. Yikes I could call better plays and I know nothing about football. Poor Papa Bear Halas must be spinning in his grave seeing what a mess his idiot daughter has made of this organization. The problem with this team is the management has no idea what they are doing. CLEAN HOUSE – Lovie goes first!

by Rodger H on Nov 1, 2009 8:16 PM CST reply actions