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Monday meanderings: It’s not every day you see a team outgained on offense 459-258 and still win. Then again, it’s not every day a team has an interception return for a touchdown and a fumble recovery for a touchdown in the same game. And, of course, it’s not evey day you play a Sunday night game. Or force five turnovers while not committing any yourself. And there in 70 words or less, you have the essence of the Chicago Bears’ 40-23 victory against the Steelers in Pttsburgh.
What’s better than a 3-0 team? A 3-0 team with cheerleaders.
* The Bears are 3-0 and remain alone atop the NFC North. Meaning no one in he hisory of football — organized, disorganized or otherwise — has a better winning percentge than first-year Bears coach Marc Trestman (you have no idea how long it took the research department around here to look that up).
* Speaking of looking up things, thanks to some fantastic calculation by the statistical analysis department at elliottharris.com, it has been determined that Steelers receiver Antonio Brown had nine catches for 196 yards, which is 37 more yards than Bears quarterback Jay Cutler threw for. And, yes, the statistical analysis department had to take its shoes and socks off to compute that.
* Bears running back Matt Forte had 16 carries for 87 yards and an impressive 5.4 yards-per-carry average. He had a long run of 55 yards. Meaning on his 15 other carries 32 yards, he averaged a depressing 2.1 yards. In case anyone wants to look at a possible problem on the offense.
* Cutler completed 20 of 30 passes for 159 yards. He had a long conpletion of 41 yards. Meaning he averaged 6.2 yards per completion on his 19 others. Before anyone wants to be concerned about that, he did not toss an interception and came through with some key completions. Meaning he should get a pass on any heavy criticism this week.
* Bears receiver Brandon Marshall had five catches for 52 yards, including a long of 41. Meaning on his four other catches, he averaged 5.2 yards per reception. In case anyone wants to look at a possble problem on offense.
* The Steelers had five receivers with catches of 22 yards or more. In case anyone wants to look at a possible problem on defense.
* The reality in assessing teams is not to make too much out of statistics — other than games won or lost. In case anyone wants to take a deep breath, exhale and enjoy the reality that the Bears have accomplished.
* Speaking of accomplishments, the Chicago Sky reached a goal of making the WNBA playoffs for the first time in franchise history. Next goal presumably will be to win a postseason game. By losing 79-57 Sunday to the Indiana Fever in Indianapolis, the Sky was elminated in two games. Not that anything longer than a best-of-three series necessarily would have produced a different result. The Fever played like the defending WNBA champion. Center Sylvia Fowles led the Sky — which shot 29.8 from the field — with 14 points and 14 rebounds. Elena Delle Donne, the 2013 unanimous rookie of the year, had 10 points on 2-of-11 shooting for the Sky, which went 24-10 during the regular season to capture the Eastern Conferencw title. Meaning Sky fans are enjoying (if that’s the right verb) am improved level of disappointment (if that’s not oxymoronish).
* Speaking of the Sky, Fever coach Lin Dunn was doing that after advancing to thesecond round: “They’re going to be a team to deal with in the future.” A possibility that the Sky, its fans and the WNBA will have to deal with in the present.
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