The Chicago Bears' 4-3 record at this point in the season isn't a bad thing. Many were lukewarm on the team at best, uncertain about quarterback Caleb Williams, the running game, or the pass rush. Yet head coach Ben Johnson has managed to push the team to this point despite a 0-2 start. Amidst all of this, it feels like the Bears have been fighting against the current. In this case, it's the referees. New data just came out. According to NFLPenalties.com, the Chicago Bears have been flagged 64 times this season, which is the second-most in the NFL per game, behind only the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Here is where it gets crazy. Their opponents have only been flagged 36 times in that same span, which is the second-lowest per-game count. As of now, the Bears have -279 net yards of penalties. Not only is that the most in the league, it's more than the second and third-highest totals combined. If you were wondering if referees have been intentionally targeting the Bears with questionable calls this season, this data should help illustrate your point. Outliers like this aren't supposed to exist.
The Chicago Bears need to clean things up.
Head coach Ben Johnson has said as much, even calling out team leaders for not holding teammates accountable. Even so, it feels like the refs are on a crusade to punish the Chicago Bears every chance they get. So many of the flags thrown this year have been soft at best. It is hard to win under such conditions. The Bears have already submitted multiple complaints to the league office regarding this matter. While the NFL won't punish the referees or reverse the call, they have acknowledged that some were not accurate. It is infuriating. Sadly, the only thing for the Bears to do is keep playing. They've proven they can win despite the refs. Maybe it can serve as some sort of twisted rallying cry.
