Who's To Blame For Bears' Offensive Issues?

The Chicago Bears continue to struggle mightily on offense, losing 21-16 to the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. Heading into Monday Night Football, the Bears offense is averaging 12.67 points per contest (when you exclude defensive touchdowns) and a 30th-ranked 249.3 yards per game. There's plenty of blame to go around, from the early-season play of rookie quarterback Caleb Williams to a disastrous offensive line to the questionable appointment of offensive coordinator Shane Waldron.

Williams completed 33-of-52 passing attempts for 363 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions, and one fumble lost in Week 3. He was also sacked on four occasions, bringing that total to 13 through three weeks. It was a better, yet still erratic performance by Williams. Despite the big numbers, he committed three total turnovers, and his Expected Points Added (EPA) per play was a below-average -0.06 and -3.4 overall, per RBSDM.

There were certainly some positives for Williams and the Bears’ young nucleus. Sunday was a breakout game for Williams and rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze, who recorded six receptions for 112 yards and one touchdown. Odunze’s touchdown occurred in a critical moment that narrowed Indianapolis’ fourth-quarter lead to five.

The offensive line has been borderline preventative. Williams’ lost fumble occurred on a max protection that concluded with a strip sack. The Bears entered Week 3 with a 30th-ranked pass-block win rate (PBWR), according to ESPN Stats & Info. That number could actually get worse once the data is updated on Tuesday morning.

It will open up general manager Ryan Poles to criticism for failing to achieve more in the offseason. The starting five offensive linemen have combined to allow 34 pressures through three contests. Leading the pack is sophomore right tackle Darnell Wright with nine. Wright hasn’t taken the sophomore step forward that was expected of him yet.

Their ineffectiveness also directly leads to the Bears’ failure to run the football. The Bears currently rank 30th in rushing yards per contest at 72.7. D’Andre Swift, who was signed to a lucrative three-year contract in free agency, has totaled 68 rushing yards in three games and is averaging 1.8 yards per carry.

From a coaching staff perspective, Waldron has been highly suspect. Williams dropped back 57 times against the league's 32nd-ranked run defense. Waldron's ground attack managed 63 net rushing yards, again, versus the league's worst run defense. The Bears never trailed by more than 11 points and yet still failed to establish an efficient rushing attack.

Waldron's play-calling has been consistently questionable. In a crucial moment with the Bears trailing 7-0 near halftime, Bears head coach Matt Eberflus was faced with 4th-and-1. The play call? A speed option. About five Colts defenders gained penetration and three Bears offensive linemen ended up on the ground. Bears center Coleman Shelton publicly criticized the play call during his post-game presser.

The Bears entered the fourth quarter down 14-3 with just one offensive touchdown through 11 quarters of football. They also rank second-worst in the NFL in generating explosive plays and EPA per play, according to Football Insights.

The Bears’ offense is a complete trainwreck through three contests. They're overly reliant on Williams. Williams isn't being afforded proper opportunities to grow as a rookie who can rely on support from his run game, and his offensive line is arguably the worst in the entire league. Waldron hasn't located workarounds for their shortcomings and directly contributes to the lackluster results.

The Bears’ offense needs to find solutions, fast.