The Chicago Bears failed to score an opening drive touchdown during the 2024 NFL season.
It was one of the reasons why the Bears’ offense struggled last season during Caleb Williams' first year in the NFL. Although the offense this season under Ben Johnson is still trying to find its footing, the Bears have improved on their first drives.
Johnson’s offense is two for two through the first two weeks of the season with touchdown drives. Against the Vikings in Week 1, Williams ran for a nine-yard score. A week later in Detroit, Williams found a wide-open Rome Odunze for a 28-yard touchdown reception.
Bears' offensive coordinator Declan Doyle was asked about the team’s success on the first drive of games and what has created those results.
“I think our guys have come out and shown up on those first drives in both games,” Doyle said. “Played up to our standard on both of those and were able to come away with points. It’s something that, really, we’d love to build off of. Obviously, you want to start fast, and then you want to be able to keep that momentum going. Been able to do that twice and our guys do a good job of being prepared and being ready for the plan. A lot of times those plays are pre-scripted out. They know what’s coming, so we’re able to prepare for that and really anticipate what we’re going to see. But we’ve done a good job the last couple of weeks of getting points on that first drive.”
While the Bears are perfect on the opening drive, there is still another three and a half quarters to play
Those pre-scripted plays have worked for the Bears, but outside of the opening drives, the offense has been inconsistent. The Bears have just 24 points on 22 drives (excluding two end-of-half kneel downs).
Doyle was asked for his thoughts on why the offensive output hasn’t been as successful after the first drive of the game.
“I mean, you look at both weeks, we’ve kind of shot ourselves in the foot with either penalties or mistakes,” Doye said. “That’s something that we’re working really hard to clean up because, obviously, that can’t happen. We come out of the half last week, and we false start on the first play. Immediately, you’re putting yourself behind the sticks, and now you’re playing catch-up football. It’s something that, really, across the board, it’s getting cleaned up fundamentally, every single day our habits, how we practice, every part of that. We’re really not giving an inch in any way. That’s the message and that’s the standard we’re trying to live up to.”
According to NFL Penalties.com, the Bears have the third-most against yards in the NFL at 177.
Read more: Ben Johnson says exactly what Bears need to be a ‘championship-caliber’ team
Limiting penalties will help the Bears create more consistency on offense, but this Week 3 matchup with the Cowboys will truly tell if the message and standard Doyle mentioned is resonating with the Bears’ offense as they look to create more drives that end in touchdowns as the game continues after the first drive.