Chicago Bears Training camp countdown: Four days

While I'm trying to keep the countdown going on a positive note it is tough to do that when this team was absolute trash last season.

The Bears lost 11 games last season, not that you need me to remind you. They lost four games by three scores or more, including giving up 50 points in back to back games for the first time since your grandfather was still worried about contracting polio or a flu outbreak that could actually kill millions.

Needless to say the team stunk. But that is not the stat I will choose to represent four. I'll choose the slightly less bummer of a four: The four games the Bears lost last season by seven points or less.

While blowouts mean a team was never in a game or managed to make a lopsided score slightly less so late in the game when it was already out of reach, a one-score game means a team was in it until the very end but just didn't have a lot of breaks in their favor.

It doesn't help that the Bears' defense was a sieve last year.

The four games that Chicago dropped by one score were, in order: against the Bills (23-20 in OT), at Carolina (31-24), against the Lions (20-14) and at Minnesota (13-9).

In an ideal world the Bears would win more close games, in a better world the Bears would have been in more one-score games, win or lose. Being in only four one-score games is proof of just how frustrating last season was.

With better coaching, an improved defense and quarterback who actually isn't awful in one score games (Cutler's record in games with 0-7 margin? 31-23, .754 win percentage), will the Bears be in more close games this season? Will they be in a better position to win those games?

How many one score games do you think the Bears will be in this season?