The easy narrative for the Bears is running the ball and good defense is the best way to get a win. However, the last two games where the Bears had a high level of success in the running game hasn’t translated into a win.
Sunday, the Bears rushed for 170 yards against San Francisco, the second time they’ve rushed for at least 170 yards this season. In both games the Bears finished with a loss.
Bears in games with 40+ rush plays (regular season):
— Christopher Kamka (@ckamka) December 7, 2015
0-3 last 3 games
70-3 previous 73 gameshttps://t.co/LZjNk8UIKk
The other loss came in the first week of the season against Green Bay in what would be 31-23 loss. The Bears rushed for 189 yards with Matt Forte getting 141 by himself.
On the other side of the ledger, the games the Bears have won have featured significantly less rushing yards. Only once have the Bears rushed for more than 110 yards in a win, with two wins coming in games with less than 100 yards on the ground.
Ironically, the unusual correlation between rushing yards and wins comes in a season where the Bears have had success with three different running backs. They have also struggled to keep any of their top receivers healthy and on the field.
Stats via Pro Football Reference