Snap counts, stats and more: Chicago Bears were gashed on the ground

All statistics and snap counts are taken directly from the NFL's Game Statistic and Information System.

The 2016 Chicago Bears are a try-hard bunch of players. They’ve fought for 60 minutes in just about every game this season, but they’ve ultimately come up short. Injuries, lack of turnovers, coaching decisions, inability to get the big stop on defense and an inability to make the big play on offense are all just symptoms of a bad team. At the root of all their troubles is a general lack of talent.

I’m not sating the team is completely devoid of talent, because there are a handful of high quality building blocks on this team, but there’s simply not enough. They need one more solid offseason of talent acquisitions to push the current group of players to get better, or to push them down the depth chart.

In their 30-27 loss to the Green Bay Packers, the turnovers absolutely killed them. They lost the turnover battle 4-0, with the last 3 miscues leading directly to 17 Packer points. Green Bay also had the edge in time of possession, 32:47 to 27:13.

Total yards were close, with the Bears falling short 449 to 451, but Green Bay nearly doubled the Bears in average yards per play, 9.8 to 5.0. The Bears did have the edge in first downs 29 to 20 and Chicago was also slightly better in 3rd down conversions 3 for 8 (38%) to Green Bay’s 3 for 10 (30%).

The Packers were penalized more than the Bears, 8 for 64 yards to 6 for 40.

Now on to the snap counts and individual stats for the Bears

All snap counts will be in the ‘Player - total offensive/defensive snaps (percentage) - total special teams snaps (percentage)' format.

Quarterback

M Barkley - 66 (100%)

Fans that are so adamant to claim that Matt Barkley can’t be in the mix to start next year must not know their NFL history. Sure, it’s unlikely that the Bears have stumbled on their starting QB in a 26 year old, former 4th round draft pick on his 3rd team, but it’s not impossible.

At the very least Barkley’s performance has earned the restricted free agent a contract offer this offseason. He’ll be back in camp and it’ll be on him to win the job in 2017.

Against the Packers yesterday, all he did was throw for the most ever yards by a Bears’ QB against them in the history of the rivalry. He was 30 of 43 for 362 yards, with 2 touchdown passes and 3 interceptions, with an 81.7 passer rating. He also lost a fumble when he was sacked by Julius Peppers.

Offensive Line

J Sitton - 66 (100%) - 5 (17%)

T Larsen - 66 (100%) - 5 (17%)

B Massie - 66 (100%) - 5 (17%)

C Leno - 66 (100%) - 5 (17%)

C Whitehair - 66 (100%)

E Kush - 1 (2%) - 5 (17%)

Barkley had a relatively clean pocket to throw from all day long as the Green Bay Packers had only one sack and one quarterback hit. Chicago’s running game averaged 5 yards per carry and the Pack had no tackles for loss.

Ted Larsen was hit with 2 penalties for a false start.

Running Backs

J Howard - 49 (74%)

J Langford - 10 (15%)

K Carey - 7 (11%) - 6 (21%)

P Lasike - 2 (3%)

Jordan Howard had 17 carries for 90 yards (5.3ypc) and a TD. He was targeted 4 times in the passing game, catching all 4 for 23 yards. On the season the rookie has 1,059 yards and a 5.0 average.

Jeremy Langford had 1 catch, on his only target, for an 18 yard gain, and he had 1 run for 4 yards.

Ka’Deem Carey had 1 rush for 1 yard.

Wide Receivers

A Jeffery - 61 (92%)

C Meredith - 57 (86%)

D Thompson - 47 (71%) - 6 (21%)

J Bellamy - 17 (26%) - 18 (62%)

D Braverman - 1 (2%)

I’m really starting to like Cameron Meredith. He’s developed into a hands catcher, his route running seems crisper and his ball security has greatly improved. He secures the ball and immediately looks to get yards after the catch. I’m not sure what his eventual ceiling is, but for now he’s become a legitimate starting NFL wide out. Against the Packers he was targeted 13 times, making 9 catches for 104 yards. On the season he’s up to 53 receptions for 692 yards.

Deonte Thompson had a career day with 8 grabs, on 10 targets, for 110 yards. He added 4 kickoff returns for 87 yards.

Josh Bellamy has become one of my favorite Bears because even though he has some deficiencies as an NFL wide out, he’s out there giving his all every chance he gets. He was targeted three times in the passing game, making 1 catch for a 10 yard TD that he bullied his way into the endzone for. He hustled down on a punt to down the ball at the 1 and he had a tackle on a kickoff.

A returning Alshon Jeffery had 6 catches for 89 yards and a TD. Barkley ended up going his way 9 times after a slow start.

Daniel Braverman had 1 target on his one official play.

Tight Ends

D Brown - 53 (80%) - 10 (34%)

L Paulsen - 13 (20%) - 11 (38%)

B Braunecker - 12 (18%) - 8 (28%)

Daniel Brown had 1 catch for 8 yards, he was targeted twice.

Logan Paulsen was flagged for a hold.

Special Teams

These players only appeared in the 3rd phase

C Edison - 5 1(7%)

C Jones - 24 (83%)

S McManis - 24 (83%)

J Anderson - 17 (59%)

C Barth - 11 (38%)

D Hall - 10 (34%)

P Scales - 8 (28%)

P O'Donnell - 7 (24%)

Christian Jones and Johnathan Anderson each assisted on a tackle and Sherrick McManis had a tackle.

Conner Barth made all three extra points and both field goals. Patrick O’Donnell had 2 punts for 88 yards with the 1 inside the 20.

Deiondre' Hall was hit with an illegal block above the waist penalty, but I’ll tell you what he didn’t do, he didn’t get any reps in on defense. Why in the Hell can’t the Bears find some playing time for the rookie instead of Tracy Porter?

Cornerbacks

C LeBlanc - 60 (98%) - 4 (14%)

T Porter - 60 (98%)

D Hurst - 48 (79%) - 12 (41%)

I’ll reiterate my last point since I’m in the cornerback section now. With only three wins on the season, it’s idiotic to not get rookie Deiondre' Hall some defensive playing time. Hall could play a series or two for both Porter and Cre’Von LeBlanc, with LeBlanc sliding inside to nickle.

Porter was hit with a defensive holding penalty to go along with his 3 tackles. LeBlanc led the team with 7 tackles and he had a pass defended.

Demontre Hurst had 4 tackles, a sack, a TFL, a QBH and a tackle on special teams.

Safeties

D Bush - 60 (98%) - 4 (14%)

A Amos - 59 (97%) - 12 (41%)

C Prosinski - 7 (11%) - 24 (83%)

H Jones-Quartey - 1 (2%) - 12 (41%)

Deon Bush and Adrian Amos had 5 tackles apiece, with Bush adding a PD. Harold Jones-Quartey had a special teams tackle.

And speaking of the safeties, where was one on that last second bomb to Jordy Nelson?

Linebackers

N Kwiatkoski - 61 (100%) - 2 (7%)

J Timu - 53 (87%) - 6 (21%)

L Floyd - 49 (80%)

W Young - 34 (56%)

P McPhee - 32 (52%) - 6 (21%)

S Acho - 7 (11%) - 24 (83%)

John Timu had 6 tackles and 2 TFL. Nick Kwiatkoski had 5 tackles and 1 TFL.

Pernell McPhee probably had his best game of the season with 3 tackles, 2 sacks, 3 TFL, and 2 QBHs.

Willie Young had a tackle and Sam Acho had a tackle on special teams.

Rookie Leonard Floyd didn’t scratch the stat sheet.

Defensive Line

A Hicks - 56 (92%) - 6 (21%)

M Unrein - 32 (52%) - 6 (21%)

C Washington - 23 (38%)

C Wilson - 17 (28%) - 11 (38%)

J Bullard - 12 (20%)

Akiem Hicks had a sack negated by a penalty, and he was flagged himself for a roughing the passer. He did end up with 2 QBHs and a tackle.

C.J. Wilson had 3 tackles, a sack, a TFl and a QBH.

None of the other d-linemen popped up on the stat sheet.

The entire defensive performance was pretty bad, with numerous missed tackles, bad angles, failure to contain or maintain gap integrity, all leading to the Packers rushing for 226 yards with a 9.8 average per carry. Packer QB Aaron Rodgers threw for 252 yards and an 87.0 passer rating.

And with all that bad, this Bears team still had a chance to win the game.

What a weird season.

What are your thoughts on the numbers this week?