The 2018 Bears were among the NFL’s least-penalized teams, only being whistled 114 times (which ranked as the league’s ninth-lowest total). But through three games in 2019, only four teams have committed more penalties than the Bears’ 33.
A few reasons exist for that uptick in sloppiness. The Bears have already had nine offensive holding flags thrown a year after having just 13 in the entire regular season. But the NFL had a significant increase in holding penalties in Weeks 1 and 2, so it wasn’t just the Bears being victimized by those whistles.
There’s something more bizarre going on here. Through three weeks of the regular season, officials have flagged players for illegal use of hands 24 times league-wide. Seven of those fouls were charged to players on the Bears.
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Cornerback Prince Amukamara was flagged for illegal use of hands three times, including twice on Monday night against Washington (one of them wiped out an apparent Khalil Mack forced fumble, which was recovered by Danny Trevathan). Left tackle Charles Leno committed two, while right guard Kyle Long and Mack were charged with one apiece.
Long offered an interesting explanation for why those fouls happened so much in the Bears' first three games.
“Usually in years past if you touch a guy accidentally in the face, they’re going to walk up to you — the ref will tell both of you, hey, be careful with that,” Long said. “Instead, now, a flag comes out. I’m sure that same sentiment is echoed throughout a multitude of position battles and penalty calls.”
Only four other teams had multiple illegal hands to the face flags thrown against them in the first three weeks of the season (the Vikings, Jets, Steelers and Buccaneers).
NFL
The Bears were only flagged for illegal use of hands twice in 2018, and only three teams last season were flagged for it seven or more times (Pittsburgh with 7, Minnesota with 8, Detroit with 9). But that was over 16 games, not three.
And it’s not like this is exclusive to offensive linemen, either. Officials seems to be flagging any contact that moves an opposing player’s helmet, no matter how light.
So what gives? Is this a bizarre early-season trend that won’t sustain itself throughout 2019? Probably — or, at least for the Bears, hopefully. This team is aware of it, at least.
But if you’re wondering why the Bears’ penalty numbers have been so ugly early in the season, all that contact their players are making with opposing players’ helmets — again, no matter how light — seems to be a big reason why.
“You have to keep your hands down,” coach Matt Nagy said. “It’s something that’s a point of emphasis, and we’ve had them. The issue with that is that it kills the rhythm (on offense). All of a sudden you get something going, now it’s first-and-20. First-and-20s are hard. You’ve got to fight back to get into that third-and-manageable. And you’ve got to have that good first-down play.
“But we’ve had more than we probably should. Harry (Hiestand, the Bears’ offensive line coach) does an amazing job at teaching and coaching fundamentals with those guys. So if they have one or two of them here through the first three weeks, they’ve got to practice it so when they get in the game it’s not egregious or not really clear and obvious.”
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