Whatever happens with the Bears today, they have nowhere to go but up. Hamstrung by 9 sacks, they finished with only 47 total yards of offense last week in their loss at Cleveland.

Only eight times in the Super Bowl era has a team finished with fewer total yards of offense. That includes only two teams in the last 40 years (the expansion Browns in their first game, and Cleveland again in 2004, in a blowout loss at Buffalo.

Two teams have finished with negative total yards in a game (in the Super Bowl era): the Seahawks, losing 24-0 in the Kingdome against a Rams team that went on to play in the Super Bowl. And the 1967 Denver Broncos, losing 51-0 at Oakland (against another team that went on to play in the Super Bowl).

Of the 11 teams that have finished with fewer than 50 yards, the expansion Houston Texans are the most unusual. They managed to win their game at Pittsburgh, and by 18 points. Despite that setback, the Steelers won the inaugural AFC North title that year.

As for the 2021 Bears, I wouldn’t be surprised if they bounced back and finished with above-average overall numbers today. The Lions have a lesser defense, and Chicago has consistently moved the ball against them in recent years – the Bears have gone 5-1 against them over the last three years.

Overall in the Super Bowl era, 98 teams have finished with fewer than 100 total yards of offense in games.

TEAMS FINISHING WITH FEWER THAN 100 YARDS
YearTeamOppResultPlyYds
1979SeattleLARL 0-2435-7
1967Denverat OAKL 0-5147-5
1981ChicagoDETL 7-235424
2004Clevelandat BUFL 7-374626
1966Denverat HOUL 7-453726
1976Green Bayat CINL 7-285436
1999ClevelandPITL 0-432840
1976Atlantaat SFL 0-156544
2021Chicagoat CLEL 6-264247
2002Houstonat PITW 24-64047
1971BuffaloBALL 0-434149
2000Clevelandat JACL 0-484253
1989PittsburghCLEL 0-514553
1982New EnglandNYJL 7-314457
1967Atlantaat GBL 0-235058
1988DetroitMINL 0-233360
1975Atlantaat MINL 0-384460
1975New OrleansMINL 7-205360
1971ClevelandDENL 0-274660
1992Seattleat DALL 0-274862
1973Green Bayat DETL 0-344663
1973Green Bayat LARL 7-244163
1971Buffaloat MINL 0-194564
1988Seattleat NEL 7-134165
1985Tampa Bayat GBL 0-214165
1971Chicagoat DENL 3-65966
2010Kansas Cityat SDL 0-314167
1973Atlantaat LARL 0-313370
1969San Diegoat DENL 0-135670
2009Cincinnatiat NYJL 0-374072
1976N.Y. JetsCINL 3-426472
1978Atlantaat LARL 0-104773
1973Buffaloat MIAL 6-275976
2008OaklandATLL 0-243477
1977Tampa BayATLL 0-174778
1966Pittsburghat STLL 3-65478
1983PhiladelphiaNYGL 0-234079
1973Chicagoat DETL 7-404979
1980New OrleansSTLL 7-403180
1979Kansas Cityat TBL 0-33880
1970Bostonat NYJL 3-174380
1966PhiladelphiaDALW 24-234980
1976Atlantaat LARL 0-594981
1974HoustonDALL 0-105281
1992Denverat PHIL 0-304082
1973New Orleansat SFL 0-404982
1969BostonKANL 0-314182
1973Houstonat PITL 7-334283
1971Cincinnatiat HOUL 6-106083
1967BostonOAKL 14-486583
1981Green Bayat NYJL 3-285784
1974PittsburghHOUL 10-134984
1972New OrleansSFL 2-375684
2009Tampa BayNYGL 0-243686
1977Baltimoreat NEL 3-174686
1969Pittsburghat CHIL 7-385286
1992SeattlePHIL 17-20(OT)6087
1971MinnesotaGBW 3-04587
1982Baltimoreat BUFL 0-203888
1980Miamiat NEL 0-346088
1976San FranciscoLARL 3-236188
2018WashingtonPHIL 0-244489
1995Seattleat KANL 3-265489
1991Philadelphiaat WASL 0-234289
1988Detroitat MINL 17-444189
1976Tampa Bayat BALL 17-424789
1972HoustonOAKL 0-345189
1968Buffaloat HOUL 6-356489
1991DallasPHIL 0-245090
1982New Orleansat ATLL 0-356091
1972Chicagoat MINL 10-234391
1992Chicagoat DALL 14-274092
1979New Englandat DENL 10-455792
1978Tampa Bayat CHIL 3-144392
1977New Orleansat DETL 19-234592
1997Oaklandat KANL 0-303993
1975San DiegoOAKL 0-64793
2000Cincinnatiat BALL 0-374494
1992New EnglandINDL 0-66094
1982Pittsburghat BUFL 0-135094
1966ChicagoGBL 0-175594
2000Dallasat TENL 0-315395
1992CincinnatiDETL 13-195195
1987CincinnatiCLEL 0-343895
1976New Orleansat SFL 3-335195
1967Chicagoat PITL 13-413595
2003San Diegoat DENL 8-374096
1995Arizonaat CARL 7-274496
1980New OrleansLARL 7-275496
1969ChicagoDETL 3-205896
1969L.A. Ramsat DETL 0-283496
1977San Franciscoat ATLW 10-35597
1967Atlantaat SFL 7-384897
2006OaklandPITW 20-134998
2006TennesseeJACW 24-173498
1973Green BayCHIL 17-315298
1992Indianapolisat SDL 0-264899

Statistics compiled using search tools at Pro-Football-Reference.com

—Ian Allan