How Penalties Nearly Changed the Bears vs Panthers Game
The Chicago Bears put on one of the dominant season-opening performances of the weekend. The Bears won 59-37, a 22-point victory over last year's NFC South Champions. It was not a perfect start to the game, though.
During the first half, the Bears incurred 9 penalties out of the 12 total penalties. Only 3 of the 9 penalties were committed by the defense, but Carolina was given multiple second chances to get back into the game as a result. That is why at halftime, they were only down a touchdown despite the performance the offense had.
Why this Matters
In a shootout game like this one, penalties can cause dramatic shifts of momentum in the game. Depending on the severity of the penalty can determine whether or not your opponent gets a reset on downs. That also means your defense stays on the field longer, which is not ideal for a shootout situation.
If your defense becomes too tired from being out on the field for too long, that gives your opponent a much better chance to come back. If the penalties had not been cleaned up like they were in the second half, the Bears could have lost the game.
Luckily, this did not happen to the Bears. And while the Bears offense committed double the penalties the defense committed, the impact of penalties from the defense hurt more.
Key 1st Half Penalties
Roughing the Passer - Dayo Odeyingbo with around 13 minutes remaining in the first quarter. It was 2nd and 7 at the Bears 28 yard line. The result after the penalty was a touchdown.
Illegal use of Hands - Dayo Odeyingbo, with around 9 and a half minutes remaining in the 2nd quarter. It was 2nd and goal at the Bears 4 yard line, and since it was so close to the goal line, the penalty was half the distance of the goal. But two plays later, Carolina scores their third touchdown.
Defensive Offsides - J Brooks with a little more than 5 minutes left. This one was the first play of the kickoff, 1st and 10 at Carolina's 26 yard line. The result was a field goal, the last points Carolina put up in the 1st half.
Impact of the Penalties
After each of these three penalties, the result was points in favor of Carolina. Adding up the total points from these first-half defensive penalties, Chicago gave up 17 points.
Could Carolina still have scored all 17 points even without these penalties? The way the game was going, Carolina absolutely could have scored those points anyway because of how both offenses were operating.
With the first two penalties, though, the chances of scoring would have decreased significantly.
If the first penalty had not happened, instead of first-and-goal at Chicago's two-yard line, it would have been 3rd-and-7. A 3rd and long situation that could have resulted in a punt if the penalty wasn't picked up.
The second penalty was on the Bears 4 yard line, 2nd and goal, so Carolina could have scored either a field goal or touchdown. The Panthers received a penalty of their own, an illegal shift, after the illegal use of the hands call that set them back 5 yards. The Bears could have forced a field goal instead of giving up a touchdown.
Summary
These penalty situations, or the possibility of not having these penalties, are hypothetical and show a best-case scenario. In a football game, there are no guarantees of an outcome. But committing fewer penalties is something the Bears can improve on going forward."
Not every game is going to be a shootout like this one was either, increasing the importance of decreasing the amount of penalties per game. Penalties equal mistakes that the opponent can automatically capitalize on. It gives your opponent a way back into the game.
Despite the penalties, Chicago played a great game, and the Bears' offense just gave fans a reason to believe. Hopefully, the penalties are cleaned up, or at the very least, don't happen in critical situations in the game against the Vikings and onward.
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