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We previously looked at how the defensive position groups' and specialists' stats projected coming out of the bye week (week 7) and after week 12. How did they hold up over the final four weeks of the season?
As before, for reference I also included their 2012 stats and (for the specialists) pre-2013 career averages by way of comparison. All data is taken from NFL.com and Pro-Football-Reference.
Overall defensive stats
Tackles | Sacks | Sfty | PDef | Ints | TD | FFum | FumR | TD | |
2013 | 742 |
31 |
0 |
63 |
19 |
5 |
19 |
20 |
1 |
Projected (week 12) |
680 |
32 |
72 |
20 |
5 |
23 |
21 |
1 |
|
Projected (bye week) | 752 | 21 | 98 | 23 | 7 | 30 | 18 | 2 | |
2012 | 733 | 41 | 0 | 115 | 24 | 8 | 26 | 20 | 1 |
The defense maintained their improved sack rate (compared to the anaemic pass rush coming out of the bye week) and, as a whole, made more tackles in the final four games... their passes defended declined, though, which may reflect opposing teams taking advantage of the weak run defense by pounding the ball on the ground.
Defensive line
Tackles |
Sacks |
Sfty |
PDef |
Ints |
TD |
FFum |
FumR |
TD |
|
2013 | 127 |
21 |
0 | 11 |
2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0 |
Projected (week 12) | 133 |
22 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 7 |
||
Projected (bye week) | 114 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 11 | ||||
2012 | 149 | 38 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 0 |
The defensive line maintained their improved sack rate following the bye week, but dipped slightly in tackles contributed and passes defended. These may, of course, be a result of facing increased run plays. We'll get a clearer picture if we look at the second and third lines of defense.
Linebackers
Tackles |
Sacks |
Sfty |
PDef |
Ints |
TD |
FFum |
FumR |
TD |
|
2013 | 221 |
10 |
0 | 14 |
2 |
4 |
2 |
0 | |
Projected (week 12) | 223 |
9 |
17 |
3 | 5 |
||||
Projected (bye week) | 240 | 11 | 25 | 7 | 2 | ||||
2012 | 188 | 3 | 0 | 23 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
Lance Briggs was lost to injury going into the bye week, and his return at the end of the season was too late to pick up the unit, as a whole. The struggling group made a smaller percentage of the team's total tackles than was projected at the bye week.
Secondary
Tackles |
Sacks |
Sfty |
PDef |
Ints |
TD |
FFum |
FumR |
TD |
|
2013 | 336 |
0 | 0 | 37 |
15 |
0 |
9 | 1 | 0 |
Projected (week 12) | 316 |
0.5 | 39 |
15 | 4 | 11 | 1 | ||
Projected (bye week) | 306 | 48 | 23 | 7 | 14 | 2 | |||
2012 | 280 | 0 | 0 | 65 | 21 | 5 | 11 | 9 | 0 |
The secondary were called upon to make a higher and higher proportion of tackles as the season wore on, though their other defensive stats remained at moreorless the same level through the final four games of the season. Having your safeties be second and third on the team for tackles (behind James Anderson's team-leading 85 solo) isn't a good sign.
As important as the nickel back position is with so many offenses featuring three-wide sets, it's striking to note that Isaiah Frey, who replaced original choice Kelvin Hayden when the latter was lost for the season in training camp, wasn't credited with any stats other than tackles. The Bears will undoubtedly look for increased production from that position next season.
Kick returner: Devin Hester
Punt Rt |
Yds | TD | Lng | Y/Rt |
K/o Rt |
Yds |
TD |
Lng |
Y/Rt | APYd | |
2013 | 18 |
256 |
1 |
81T |
14.2 | 52 |
1,436 |
0 |
80 |
27.6 |
1,792 |
Projected (week 12) | 20 |
223 |
11.1 |
48 |
1,353 | 28.2 | 1,576 | ||||
Projected (bye week) | 21 |
274 |
2 |
13.0 |
48 |
1,406 |
29.3 | 1,680 |
|||
2012 | 40 |
331 |
0 |
44 |
8.3 |
24 |
621 |
0 |
40 |
25.9 |
1,200 |
Career avg | 35.1 | 426.4 | 1.7 | 89T | 12.1 | 24.3 | 581.1 |
0.7 | 98T | 23.9 | 1,007.6 |
Hester was unable to get the 20th punt/KO TD return to take him clear of the record he shares with Deion Sanders, but he seemed to be increasingly productive in the return game late in the season; being removed from WR duties may have helped in that. He's a free agent and it remains to be seen if the Bears value him enough to devote a roster spot to a pure returner, or if Lovie Smith can lure him to Tampa Bay.
Kicker: Robbie Gould
FG att | FGM | Lng | Blk | Pct | |
2013 | 29 |
26 |
58 | 0 | 89.7 |
Projected (week 12) | 32 |
28 |
87.5 | ||
Projected (bye week) | 30 | 27 | 90.0 | ||
2012 | 25 | 21 | 54 | 2 | 84.0 |
Career avg | 30.4 | 26 | 57 | 1.25 | 85.6 |
Robbie Gould had another solid season and the Bears rewarded him with a new contract. No complaints here.
Punter: Adam Podlesh
Punts | Yds | Net Yds | Lng | Avg | Net Avg | Blk | OOB | Dn | In 20 | TB | FC | Ret | RetY | TD | |
2013 | 68 |
2,763 | 2,612 | 65 | 40.6 | 37.9 | 1 | 11 | 15 | 27 | 2 | 25 | 15 | 111 | 0 |
Projected (week 12) | 73 |
3,052 | 2,880 | 41.8 | 39.5 | 1 | 13 |
16 |
31 |
1 |
27 |
16 |
145 |
||
Projected (bye week) | 66 | 2,889 | 2,670 | 43.8 | 40.5 | 11 | 18 | 30 | 2 | 23 | 11 | 174 | |||
2012 | 81 | 3,399 | 3,195 | 64 | 42.0 | 39.4 | 0 | 7 | 18 | 34 | 6 | 25 | 25 | 84 | 0 |
Career avg | 66.5 | 2,842.2 | 2,576.7 | 76 | 42.7 | 38.7 | 0 | 5.8 | 10.2 | 21.7 | 3.8 | 16.5 | 29.2 | 168.8 | 0 |
The Bears punted at a slightly decreased rate after the bye week, and overall Podlesh was called upon 13 fewer times than in the Ticefense. It's noticeable that his gross and net averages declined as the season progressed; with the Bears set to bring a couple of young, cheap punters to camp who might be more than just camp legs (including the son of '85 Bears kicker Kevin Butler), it's fair to ask if his roster spot may be under pressure.
Long snapper: Patrick Mannelly
Awesomeness | |
2013 | Awesome |
Projected (week 12) | Awesome |
Projected (bye week) | Awesome |
2012 | Awesome |
Career avg | Awesome |
The Pat Man has yet to decide if he's returning to extend his franchise record of games played for the Bears, but his 2013 campaign was up to his usual standard.
Did anything catch your eye?
(Article pic in hi-res.)