3 NFC North Stats that emphasize the Chicago Bears' work is just getting started

1. All 4 NFC North teams rank in the top 7 for takeaways and turnover differential

Per statmuse, all 4 teams in the NFC North excel in taking the ball away. The Packers are currently in first with 17 takeaways across their first 6 games, with the Bears and Vikings tied for second with 13. However, it's worth noting that the Vikings have played one fewer game than the Bears and Packers. Detroit trails behind the pack with 10 takeaways by their defense, putting them in 7th place in the NFL.

In 2023, 6 of the top 10 teams in takeaways were playoff-bound
[FootballDB]. The Chicago Bears finished 5th last year in takeaways, which spurred them on to a 5-3 finish to close out their season, but were unable to parlay that defensive turnaround into a postseason berth.

Another related indication of team success is turnover differential, a measure of how good a team's defense is at taking the ball away and the team's offense at protecting the ball. So far in 2024, all four NFC North teams rank in the top 7 in this category - with the Packers in first, Bears and Lions tied for fifth, and the Vikings in 7th.

In 2023, six of the top 10 teams in turnover differential made the playoffs, again highlighting the importance of winning the turnover battle - an attribute that the NFC North has excelled at in the early stage of the season [FootballDB].

As the Chicago Bears advance into the later parts of their season against divisional foes, they will be facing teams similar to their own in terms of ability to take the ball away and then protect it. These games will all be decided in the margins and by a handful of plays, further emphasizing why the Bears must continue to maintain their current level of discipline in protecting the ball and sustaining the current takeaway output generated by the defense.