Shane Waldron's next task: Fixing a Bears first-quarter offense that's among the NFL's worst
Pete Carroll, Bears offensive coordinator Shane Waldron’s former boss, used to preach that games are won in the fourth quarter, not the first.
But can’t you lose games in the first quarter?
“Can’t lose any game in the first quarter,” Waldron said with a smile Thursday.
If you could, the Bears would be winless. They’ve had perhaps the worst first-quarter offense in the NFL this season — enough of a concern that Waldron discussed the need for a fast start with his players this week.
In the first quarter, the Bears:
† Rank second-to-last in the NFL in points, ahead of only the scoreless Eagles.
† Are last with 2.67 yards per play.
† Are last with 2.7 yards per pass and 28th with 3.0 yards per carry.
† Rank second-to-last with nine first downs.
† Rank 26th in passer rating (75.0).
“You want to start fast, but like every single game, the mantra is always going to be, ‘Keep playing football,’ ’’ Waldron said. “Because you can’t always control how the beginning of the game ends.”
The Bears can try. Typically, the first 15 plays an offense runs in each game are scripted during the week.
“We always want to start fast,” Waldron said. “That’s our goal. That’s what we’re looking to do. But I [keep] that forward-thinking mindset, as well, in-game, just like it happens during the week. If something doesn’t go right in the first quarter, let’s learn from it and move forward. But always, the goal is going to be to start fast, put points up and try to play with a lead in the game.”
On Sunday, they did. After leading for only 7:28 over the first three games, the Bears took a second-quarter lead against the Rams and never gave it back.
Waldron now needs to strike even earlier. He has done it before — in 2023, the Seahawks ranked 11th in first-quarter scoring. The Bears were 20th.
Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams is one reason for the slow starts — he’s facing every team’s defense for the first time in his life. He won’t play the same team for the second time in his career until Dec. 19.
The Bears, then, have to help him with a stout running game and a clean pre-snap operation. After having no first-quarter offensive penalties in their first two games, the Bears had four the last two weeks. Sixteen of the 46 offensive plays they’ve run in the first quarter have gone for zero or negative yards.
“Eliminating the negative plays in the first half, so we don’t feel like we’re playing behind the sticks,” Waldron said. “Along with the run game, as we start to get that going, those are all things to me that end up leading to a faster start.
“Knowing that attention to detail right from the jump from a mental aspect — all the stuff that we can eliminate before any physical activity even occurs is a point of emphasis this week.”
The good news: The Bears are tied for second in points scored in the fourth quarter.
“Regardless of what the score is in the first half or anything like that, all of our games have come down to the wire,” Williams said. “Understanding that, I cannot turn the ball over and [have to] find a way to get those extra points, those extra three points, those extra seven.”
The points count the same in the first quarter.
“Just finding that way to be locked in right from the jump,” Waldron said, “so we can have a positive four-quarter outcome.”