Debunking 2024 NFL myths: Chiefs, 49ers, Lamar Jackson, more - ESPN

After 12 weeks of the 2024 NFL season, we know everything, right? We've grasped which teams are legit Super Bowl contenders and which teams are already focused on rebuilding this offseason. We're absolutely 100% positive about new trends, breakout stars and disappointing units.

But what if these assumptions are wrong? What if there's much more to the story than the common narrative?

We paired Aaron Schatz and Seth Walder to bust 10 myths about some of the top teams, players and trends in the league. Is the running game actually back? How has Lamar Jackson improved? And are the conspiracy theorists right about the referees favoring the Chiefs in close games?

Let's debunk 10 myths, starting with the blame for the Bears' offensive woes:

There's plenty of blame to go around with the offense floundering, but the offensive line might be getting the most mention. Injuries are part of the issue, as the Bears lost starting tackles Braxton Jones and Darnell Wright to knee injuries in recent weeks and then guard Teven Jenkins (ankle) went down in Week 10. They have also given up the most sacks in the league (41).

Why it's a myth: Sacks are as much a quarterback stat as they are an offensive line stat — perhaps even more of a quarterback stat. Despite all those sacks, the Bears rank 17th in ESPN's pass block win rate (59.3%) and 21st in pass block losses (114).

According to FTN Data charting, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams has the second-highest time to pressure in the league (2.7 seconds). The issue is less that his offensive line is folding immediately after the snap and more that he is making his own pressure by holding onto the ball too long.

Whether to blame that on Williams or departed offensive coordinator Shane Waldron is