3. Are Chicago Bears’ special teams an issue?
With a win, the small misses and issues get swept under the rug. However, when it is week three, you know that they are going to come back up and become important topics again. One of these issues may be special teams.
If the Texans won in Chicago, you could easily point to special teams as the difference. On the touchdown drive that caused Houston to go up 14-10, the team started their drive in plus territory thanks to a 31-yard punt return for Desmond King. The play wound up netting Chicago just 25 yards.
Lovie Smith also got the Chicago Bears sleeping by converting a fake punt. These were two momentum-changing plays for the Texans on special teams.
The punt return group has been an issue as well.
Through 3 games, the Bears have 3 punt returns for 1 yard. Opponents are averaging 47.7 yards per punt against them, with a net gain of 47.6 yards after factoring in returns.
— Johnathan Wood (@Johnathan_Wood1) September 26, 2022
Meanwhile, Chicago is averaging 46.9 yards/punt, but only 41.6 net after returns. Big difference.
As highlighted in the tweet above, the special teams has done next to nothing in the return game, but have not been as strong on the backend. This issue did not kill them on Sunday, but they are losing small edges with poor special team play.
This will need to be resolved because they are not going to keep running up against teams like Houston, who will forgive them for these mistakes. The fact that every unit seems to be impacted is not helping the cause.