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Game Recap: Bears Overpower Lions With 37-13 Win

14th November 2011 by under Game Recap     

The Bears forced six takeaways for the first time since 1995, as they cruised to a 37-13 victory over NFC North foe Detroit.

Two forced fumbles by defensive end Julius Peppers and cornerback Tim Jennings set the tone for the rest of the game in windy Chicago.

The Bears scored 24 of their 37 points off of turnovers.

Lions QB Matthew Stafford came into the game throwing four interceptions all season long, but doubled his total on Sunday.

Major Wright and Charles Tillman each had interception returns for touchdowns. While, Tim Jennings and reserve cornerback Corey Graham each reeled in interceptions.

Don’t forget about Devin Hester’s great day in the return game. He ran back three punts, two were almost brought back to the house, while one went for a 82-yard score.

The Bears only needed 12 first downs and 216 yards on offense to come away with the victory. Jay Cutler completed nine of his 18 passes attempted.

Matt Forte and Marion Barber carried the ball 31 times together for about 91 yards.

The way the defense was playing, the Bears offense didn’t need to do much besides waste the time off the clock.

Six turnovers won’t come every week, but the Bears can build off the momentum during their four-game winning streak.

The game got out of hand at certain times. The Lions seemed to be frustrated and once again defensive Ndamukong Suh showed how dirty of a player he was.

He ripped Cutler’s helmet off in the first half and later he pushed Cutler down well after a play was over. Neither of those dirty plays by Suh were called as penalties.

D.J. Moore was ejected from the game and whistled for a 15-yard penalty for his shove of Matthew Stafford. Stafford threw an interception to Tim Jennings and brought Moore down by the helmet on Jennings return.

Stafford wasn’t called for a penalty, but he should have been called for something. In his defense he doesn’t usually tackle, but it was a dirty play and the league needs to notice plays like that in the future.

Moore was just defending his body, Stafford could have severely hurt the Bears undersized cornerback. Luckily, the penalty didn’t affect the momentum of the game, the Bears were able to continue their strong play.

Lions rookie defensive tackle Nick Fairley led with his helmet on a 15-yard roughing the passer call late in the second half  and should be fined.

The Bears got more calls on what were being called “dirty plays” in this game. Linebacker Lance Briggs shouldered Lions receiver Calvin Johnson and was whistled for a 15-yard unnecessary roughness call.

The referees didn’t lose control, but they seemed to get some of these dirty calls completely wrong.

Look for the league to warn both teams and the referees in charge of this game on future calls.

Fines will be given out, that’s is for sure.

Jake Perper is the owner and head writer for Bearsbacker.com. He is also the Chicago Bears writer for NFLTouchdown.com. Follow him on Twitter, @Bearsbacker and on Facebook for up to the minute news about the Bears.

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Game Recap: Bears Improve To 5-3, Edge Eagles 30-24

8th November 2011 by under Game Recap     

The Bears improved to 5-3 after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 30-24 on Monday Night Football.

The defense contained Michael Vick all night long, improving to 4-0 all-time against him when he starts.

The Bears offense started off fast driving down the field and finishing it off with a five-yard touchdown pass to TE Matt Spaeth.

Taking a 7-0 lead into the second quarter, they added to the lead with 51-yard field goal from Robbie Gould.

The Eagles finally got on the board with roughly two minutes left in the first half with a field goal from rookie kicker Alex Henery.

The Bears offense got the ball and started to drive down the field, but made a huge mistake.

RB Matt Forte caught a screen pass and lost the ball, and Eagles linebacker Brian Rolle took full advantage by returning it 22 yards for a touchdown.

The fumble by Forte was his first since Week 7 of last season. The Eagles’ defensive score tied the game at 10, but the Bears took advantage of an Eagles’ mistake with less than a minute left in the half.

The last two minutes of the half were hectic to say the least, but speedy return man DeSean Jackson got the ball stripped from him by Bears special teams ace Corey Graham on a punt return.

That mishap set the Bears up for an easy score, Marion Barber was able to run the ball in from the 2-yard line to put the Bears up 17-10.

The score was very controversial however. Eagles DE Jason Babin was called for roughing the passer on a 3rd-and-goal, but after the flag was picked up the replay showed he was innocent.

Bears right guard Chris Spencer pushed Babin into Cutler and it looked like Cutler faked the below-the-waist hit that the refs called Babin for. The Bears took advantage of that mistake by the referees and took a one-touchdown lead into halftime.

The Bears contained Michael Vick and LeSean McCoy for the most part in the first half, but the second half started off pretty solid for the Eagles.

Vick led his offense down the field and backup running back Ronnie Brown punched the ball in the end zone from the 4-yard line. Roughly three minutes later, Eagles running back LeSean McCoy scampered into an end zone again moving them up by seven points, 24-17.

The reason they were able to score so quickly was because Bears running back Matt Forte fumbled a second time. He was initially ruled down, but the call was overturned after a challenge by the Eagles.

The game was 24-20 at the end of the third quarter. The Bears put together arguably their best drive of the season which ended with Jay Cutler finding wide receiver Earl Bennett in the back of the end zone for a five-yard touchdown.

Bennett returned to the field for the first time since Week 2 and he put together a great performance. He reeled in five passes for 95 yards and caught the go-ahead touchdown. He was a key target for Cutler on third down all night long.

The Eagles started to drive down the field after that but their drive stalled. They looked to be punting on 4th-and-8, when rookie punter Chas Henry threw a pass to special teams player Colt Anderson.

The pass was short and the Eagles turned the ball over on downs. The Bears drove down the field and put a field goal on the board with about four minutes left in the game. With the score 30-24, the Eagles put together an impressive drive.

On 4th-and-10 from the Bears’ 39, Vick dropped back and found a wide open Jeremy Maclin, but he fell short of the first down mark. The pass was a little too high for Maclin to get up field.

The Bears took over, but were forced to punt after not being able to run for a first down. The Eagles had one last shot with nine seconds left, but Vick couldn’t heave it 67 yards for the go-ahead touchdown.

Final Thoughts:

Coming into the game as eight-point favorites, the Eagles seemed sure to win, but the Bears outplayed them in every area of the game.

Devin Hester was contained on special teams, but didn’t make the mistake that Eagles return man DeSean Jackson did, fumbling the ball.

The Bears’ pass rush provided more hits on Eagles QB Mike Vick compared to the Eagles’ pass rush on Jay Cutler. Cutler wasn’t sacked a single time last night by a vicious defensive line.

Jay Cutler was able to post a 98.6 QB rating in this game, while Vick posted a 60.5 QB rating.

Cutler has been sacked only six times the past four games. RB Matt Forte averaged 5.5 yards per carry, while rushing for 133 yards.

Linebacker Brian Urlacher led all Bears defenders in tackles with 10, while safety Major Wright made his first career interception. The interception came off of Lance Briggs’s hands early in the first half.

Bears cornerbacks Tim Jennings and Charles Tillman contained the Eagles’ speedy receivers Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson.

D.J. Moore keeps making plays, nearly picking off a pass in the second half.

What’s next?

The Bears will play their next two games at home. This Sunday however, is against NFC North rival Detroit, who sits one game ahead at 6-2. Consistency needs to be shown on Sunday for the Bears to keep their three-game winning streak going.

Jake Perper is the owner and head writer for Bearsbacker.com. He is also the Chicago Bears writer for NFLTouchdown.com. Follow him on Twitter, @Bearsbacker and on Facebook for up to the minute news about the Bears.

 

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Game Recap: Bears Improve To 4-3 In London

24th October 2011 by under Game Recap     

Jet lag wasn’t evident for the Chicago Bears in London as they beat the Buccaneers 24-18 to improve to 4-3 on the season.

Oddly enough, 4-3 is the same record the Bears had at this point last season.

Matt Forte again proved why he is an “elite” runner, who deserves a big contract. Forte ran the ball 25 times for 145 yards and one touchdown.

He became the first player since Priest Holmes in 2004, to reach 1,000 yards from scrimmage in the first seven games of the season.

Even Marion Barber put together a solid game on the ground. He ran six times for 39 yards and one touchdown.

However, he couldn’t come up with a Jay Cutler screen pass in the fourth quarter that was tipped in the air and picked off by Bucs safety Tanard Jackson.

This mishap led to a touchdown by the Bucs. This cut the Bears lead to only 10 points.

Interceptions by safety Chris Conte and linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs helped the Bears keep the lead and run the clock early and often in the game. An interception by D.J. Moore with 27 seconds with the score at 24-18 sealed the deal in London.

Chris Harris was back in the starting lineup after Major Wright injured his hip in practice, and nearly had an interception in the first half.

Kicker Robbie Gould missed his first field goal of 41 yards, his first miss all season, but made a 25-yarder with 1:55 left in the game. At 24-18, the Bears defense needed to make one final stand.

They made perhaps the biggest stand of the game. The defense looked like the vintage Chicago Bears defense.

The Bucs were forced to throw the ball after Earnest Graham exited the game in the first quarter with an Achilles injury.

Third-stringer Kregg Lumpkin, who had about four career rushes coming into the game was forced into action. He certainly didn’t help the Bucs offense one bit.

The Bears did what they needed to do win, play good defense. Lovie Smith preached creating turnovers all week long and the Bears came away with four on the day.

Roy Williams, Johnny Knox and Devin Hester led all receivers combining for 158 yards receiving.

Williams reeled in his first touchdown pass of the season with 7:49 remaining in the second quarter to put the Bears up 14-2. That touchdown grab made up for an ugly drop earlier in the half, where he laughed at how easy of a catch it could have been.

The Bears were dominating at times in this game. They looked like the Bears of perhaps last season, who played solid defense and ran the ball with success.

Jay Cutler may not have had his best game yesterday, but he played well enough for the Bears to win. Cutler needs to cut down throwing off his back foot, it almost turned the Bears win into a Bears loss.

What’s next?

The Bears have a bye week this week and don’t play until November 7th in Philadelphia on Monday Night Football. That gives the Bears roughly 15 days until that game will be played.

They will practice Tuesday and Wednesday this week. The next practice is scheduled for November 1st, so the Bears get a much needed break after playing three night games in a row.

Playoffs?

The NFC North looks like this after seven weeks: Packers (7-0), Lions (5-2), Bears (4-3), and Vikings (1-6).

The Bears don’t really have a realistic shot at winning the division, but the wild card is surely a possibility.

Two wins in a row for the Bears has surely helped their confidence and chances to make the playoffs.

Jake Perper is the owner and head writer for Bearsbacker.com. He is also the Chicago Bears writer for NFLTouchdown.com. Follow him on Twitter, @Bearsbacker for up to the minute news about the Bears.

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Game Recap: Bears Improve To .500 In Big Win Over Carolina

4th October 2011 by under Game Recap     

The Bears improved their record to 2-2 on Sunday after defeating the Carolina Panthers 34-29.

The Bears ran the ball for 224 yards, 205 coming from Matt Forte on perhaps his best game as a Bear.

Jay Cutler played game manager while throwing for 102 yards, however he did throw an ugly interception in the fourth quarter intended for backup TE Kris Adams.

The defense of the Bears couldn’t bring down Panthers rookie QB Cam Newton for a sack. They brought pressure many times, but he was able to dodge the heat.

However, the defense did affect his decisions enough to come away with the key stops at the end.

At the half, the Bears were leading 24-20, but it seemed like even with the interception return by D.J. Moore and the success in the running game with Matt Forte, the Panthers still had a chance.

The Panthers did have a chance, mainly because the Bears linebackers got gashed by DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. Those runs opened up the passing game, where Steve Smith once again burned the Bears like it was the 2005 playoffs.

Cam Newton is a different quarterback that is athletically gifted, you have to key in on him, if not he could escape for big chunks of yards with his feet. Newton was doing it with his arm because the Bears didn’t think he could.

With the score 34-23 under one minute to left in the game, it was pretty much over. The Bears defense allowed the Panthers to charge down the field and score a meaningless touchdown, which was scored by former Bear Greg Olsen. So, the final score appeared closer than it really was.

On a day where Devin Hester scored his 11th punt return touchdown, Matt Forte ran over 200 yards, D.J. Moore returned an interception for a touchdown and Jay Cutler threw only nine passes, you would have thought it would have been easier for them to put the game away early.

Up Next:

The Bears travel to Detroit next Monday night to take on the 4-0 Lions, how weird does that sound?

WR Calvin Johnson has eight touchdowns so far this season, two in each game, making him the first player to perform such a feat. Look for the Bears to continue to run the ball because Matt Forte has had some success against them in the past.

DE Julius Peppers was the player who separated Lions QB Matthew Stafford’s shoulder last season. Look for the Lions to key in on Peppers and perhaps whoever is matching up against Calvin Johnson on the outside.

Expect a good game between these two NFC North rivals.

For more news on Twitter, follow @Bearsbacker.

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Game Recap: Bears Fall To NFC North Rival Packers 27-17

26th September 2011 by under Game Recap     

The Chicago Bears have dropped two straight games and three straight to the rival Packers. But they survived a tough three-game stretch, coming out of it with a 1-2 record.

Many believed the Bears could’ve started the season 0-3 considering they took on three playoff teams from a year ago.

The Falcons, Saints and Packers, the three teams the Bears faced so far this season, combined for 34 wins a year ago, the most by the Bears’ first three opponents in franchise history.

It’s too early in the season to give up completely, but with the Packers and Lions 3-0, the Bears need to get things going. Maybe going back to basics could help them.

The Bears ran the ball 12 times for a miserable 13 yards in this game against the Packers. The 13 yards was the fewest in 59 years. In 1952, against the L.A. Rams, the Bears ran for a whopping one yard.

Running the ball was what led the Bears to a division title a year ago. It makes sense at times when you’re down a good amount to throw the ball, but establishing a running game is key. The offensive line could be to blame, but sometimes, you just got to stick with it. The better teams in the NFL can run and throw.

The Packers were the better team on this day, but they weren’t tremendously better. They won the time of possession battle by over 15 minutes and had more total yards by over 100. They had an effective run game, and they made the big play when they needed it.

The Bears, on the other hand, created turnovers, but made mistakes and didn’t capitalize on all of them. Charles Tillman had an interception taken back after the Bears were called for an offsides penalty.

Brian Urlacher picked off Aaron Rodgers with plenty of time in the fourth quarter for the Bears to come back. The Bears proceeded to go backwards on the drive and ended up having a 3rd-and-33 after a personal foul penalty by Devin Hester.

Not many teams will win games with 10 penalties for 70 yards and 12 rushes for 13 yards. Speaking of penalties, the Packers seemed to be favored at certain parts of the game by the referees.

Devin Hester looked to be interfered with in the third quarter by Charles Woodson, but the referees didn’t call anything. Johnny Knox was interfered with about two minutes left on a fourth down desperation throw by Jay Cutler, but again, there was no call by the referees.

Lastly, CB Corey Graham held the gunner Jarrett Bush on the trick punt return that Johnny Knox returned. It wasn’t that much contact to the fans’ eyes, but Graham fessed up after the game and said he held Bush.

The Bears defense is good enough to keep them in games, that is definitely a fact. The biggest problem on Sunday was Craig Steltz—he was beat multiple times by the athletic tight end, Jermichael Finley. Chris Harris is clearly needed back in this Bears secondary.

Earl Bennett is the most dependable Bears receiver, and he wasn’t able to go today. Cutler needs him out there on those long third downs they forced themselves in constantly.

Roy Williams isn’t up to speed with Jay Cutler, considering both interceptions came on passes to him, but he needs to make those catches in the red zone when it’s right in his hands. No excuses for a dropped pass in the end zone that’s what you get paid for.

The Bears need to find ways to minimize mistakes and make the most of their opportunities. The defense is keeping them in games late. The offensive line might have protected Cutler better this week, only allowing three sacks, but they’re not opening any lanes for Matt Forte in the running game.

Forte could get going next week against a Carolina Panthers defense that is without their two best linebackers. The Bears just simply need to work on discipline this week in practice.

The receivers aren’t helping Cutler out, the running game isn’t there and Cutler just isn’t making the best throws. Practice could fix some of those woes.

Green Bay does have a solid front seven on defense, but the Bears could have attacked them down the middle. The receivers dropped way too many balls, and again, the running game isn’t opening anything up. Defenses aren’t surprised when Cutler snaps the ball, they expect a throw.

Getting back to the run next week is what the Bears need to do, or they could quickly find themselves far behind in the NFC North standings.

For Bears news on Twitter, follow @Bearsbacker.

 

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Game Recap: Bears Collapse In Second Half, Fall 30-13 To New Orleans

19th September 2011 by under Game Recap     

The Bears were out hustled and out matched by the New Orleans on Sunday afternoon in the Superdome.

Confident and ready for a second straight matchup against an NFC South playoff team from a year ago, the Bears just simply didn’t deliver.

Jay Cutler was relentlessly hit in the second half. Coming into the game without WR Roy Williams, guard Lance Louis and safety Chris Harris clearly hurt them.

Losing WR Earl Bennett (bruised chest), S Major Wright (head) and RT Gabe Carimi (knee) throughout the game didn’t help much either.

Go blame Jay Cutler if you want, but it wasn’t his fault the offensive line gave him no time to throw and the receivers couldn’t get any separation.

Without receivers Williams and Bennett, the Bears were stuck with Johnny Knox, Devin Hester and undrafted rookie Dane Sanzenbacher, who are all listed at 6’0″ and under. Sam Hurd was the only receiver taller, but he is mainly used for special teams and was also healing from an injury.

Bennett is the most dependable receiver on the team and Williams is a big target Cutler needs at times, so without them the fast undersized receivers (Knox, Hester and Sanzenbacher) failed to get much separation. Hester was often double teamed during this game.

Cutler wasn’t as efficient as he could be throwing, but once Kellen Davis let Saints DE come in, sack and strip him of the ball, the offensive line was in shambles. Frank Omiyale replacing Gabe Carimi didn’t help one bit.

The Bears abandoned the running game, only running the ball two times in the entire second half. Cutler threw the ball 45 times completing only 19 passes for a completion percentage of about 42%. In comeback mode in the second half, Cutler was sacked on three straight plays, and the Bears looked worst then ever.

Being sacked six times didn’t help, at the rate Cutler is going down he could be in for a long year. Already 11 sacks in two games given up the Bears offensive line is not good at all. The line was shaky enough to start the season and now without Carimi and Louis possibly the line could be in big trouble.

Trailing 16-10 early in the second half the Bears had their chances. They seemed to have momentum, but they couldn’t capitalize near the redzone. They wound up settling for a field goal and that seemed to set the tone for the rest of the game.

The Bears Cover 2 defense was exposed at times. Only sacking of Brees throughout the entire game, wasn’t a help for the defense. Henry Melton failed to show up on the official box score, after recording two sacks in Week One.

Safety Brandon Meriweather went out with an ankle in second quarter, but returned. Drew Brees took advantage of his absence by throwing a 79 yard touchdown to Devery Henderson on third-and-12. Chris Conte and Major Wright were the safeties in on the play and neither player were deep enough in coverage. Just a mental breakdown by two young safeties Lovie Smith has put his trust in.

If Major Wright is seriously injured, Meriweather will likely slide into his position at free safety next to Chris Harris. Wright could be on the bench sooner or later with his poor play.

Offensive coordinator Mike Martz better put together a better gameplan next week or the Bears might not be able to do anything on offense. The Bears were 0-3 last season in games where they threw the ball more than running it. Only 12 times on Sunday did the Bears run the ball, marking the second fewest total in franchise history.

RB Matt Forte is probably the best offensive weapon the Bears have, why not utilize him more and set the tone in the game early and often. Martz needs to figure out how to run the ball because that was a key to the Bears success last season.

What’s Next?

The Bears need to heal up and re-focus because they have the Super Bowl champion Packers coming to town on Sunday. Sometimes a loss is a good thing for teams, but to lose some key players to injury in a loss is never good.

They need to go back to basics this week in practice. The Bears need to realize how quickly their season could unravel because right now could be the most important part of the season.

For Bears news on Twitter, follow @Bearsbacker.

 

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Game Recap: Bears Collapse In Second Half, Fall 30-13 To New Orleans

19th September 2011 by under Game Recap     

The Bears were out hustled and out matched by the New Orleans on Sunday afternoon in the Superdome.

Confident and ready for a second straight matchup against an NFC South playoff team from a year ago, the Bears just simply didn’t deliver.

Jay Cutler was relentlessly hit in the second half. Coming into the game without WR Roy Williams, guard Lance Louis and safety Chris Harris clearly hurt them.

Losing WR Earl Bennett (bruised chest), S Major Wright (head) and RT Gabe Carimi (knee) throughout the game didn’t help much either.

Go blame Jay Cutler if you want, but it wasn’t his fault the offensive line gave him no time to throw and the receivers couldn’t get any separation.

Without receivers Williams and Bennett, the Bears were stuck with Johnny Knox, Devin Hester and undrafted rookie Dane Sanzenbacher, who are all listed at 6’0″ and under. Sam Hurd was the only receiver taller, but he is mainly used for special teams and was also healing from an injury.

Bennett is the most dependable receiver on the team and Williams is a big target Cutler needs at times, so without them the fast undersized receivers (Knox, Hester and Sanzenbacher) failed to get much separation. Hester was often double teamed during this game.

Cutler wasn’t as efficient as he could be throwing, but once Kellen Davis let Saints DE come in, sack and strip him of the ball, the offensive line was in shambles. Frank Omiyale replacing Gabe Carimi didn’t help one bit.

The Bears abandoned the running game, only running the ball two times in the entire second half. Cutler threw the ball 45 times completing only 19 passes for a completion percentage of about 42%. In comeback mode in the second half, Cutler was sacked on three straight plays, and the Bears looked worst then ever.

Being sacked six times didn’t help, at the rate Cutler is going down he could be in for a long year. Already 11 sacks in two games given up the Bears offensive line is not good at all. The line was shaky enough to start the season and now without Carimi and Louis possibly the line could be in big trouble.

Trailing 16-10 early in the second half the Bears had their chances. They seemed to have momentum, but they couldn’t capitalize near the redzone. They wound up settling for a field goal and that seemed to set the tone for the rest of the game.

The Bears Cover 2 defense was exposed at times. Only sacking of Brees throughout the entire game, wasn’t a help for the defense. Henry Melton failed to show up on the official box score, after recording two sacks in Week One.

Safety Brandon Meriweather went out with an ankle in second quarter, but returned. Drew Brees took advantage of his absence by throwing a 79 yard touchdown to Devery Henderson on third-and-12. Chris Conte and Major Wright were the safeties in on the play and neither player were deep enough in coverage. Just a mental breakdown by two young safeties Lovie Smith has put his trust in.

If Major Wright is seriously injured, Meriweather will likely slide into his position at free safety next to Chris Harris. Wright could be on the bench sooner or later with his poor play.

Offensive coordinator Mike Martz better put together a better gameplan next week or the Bears might not be able to do anything on offense. The Bears were 0-3 last season in games where they threw the ball more than running it. Only 12 times on Sunday did the Bears run the ball, marking the second fewest total in franchise history.

RB Matt Forte is probably the best offensive weapon the Bears have, why not utilize him more and set the tone in the game early and often. Martz needs to figure out how to run the ball because that was a key to the Bears success last season.

What’s Next?

The Bears need to heal up and re-focus because they have the Super Bowl champion Packers coming to town on Sunday. Sometimes a loss is a good thing for teams, but to lose some key players to injury in a loss is never good.

They need to go back to basics this week in practice. The Bears need to realize how quickly their season could unravel because right now could be the most important part of the season.

For Bears news on Twitter, follow @Bearsbacker.

 

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Game Recap: Bears Play Steady All Around In 30-12 Victory Over Atlanta

12th September 2011 by under Game Recap     

The Bears did exactly what they have been known to do, dominate on defense. The “Monsters of the Midway” returned to the playing field on Sunday in a convincing 30-12 win over the Atlanta Falcons.

They pressured Falcons QB Matt Ryan all day long.

Julius Peppers and Henry Melton were credited with two sacks each. Peppers sacked Ryan midway through the third quarter, which forced a fumble that LB Brian Urlacher scooped up for a touchdown. Melton was a beast as well getting to Ryan seven times, five coming on QB hits.

Also, DT Amobi Okoye recorded his first sack as a Bear and looked solid in the defensive line rotation.

With the game tied 3-3, with under five minutes left in the first quarter, Brian Urlacher intercepted a deflected pass by Matt Ryan. This athletic interception led to a huge score for the Bears. Urlacher didn’t look his age at all, 33, on that play.

RB Matt Forte cashed in on the turnover taking a screen pass 56 yards for a score. He got help from some great blocks on the way to the end zone.

Could this big day by Forte help him cash in on a new contract? The guy deserves it, but will the Bears budge? Sooner or later this guy has to get paid, he just keeps performing.

Quick Stat: 158 yards from scrimmage for Forte, 312 yards passing from Cutler and receptions by eight different receivers on the day for the Bears.

Two more field goals in the second quarter gave the Bears a 16-3 at the half and they were excelling in all three phases.

Devin Hester had a nice day in the return game, returning three kickoffs for 53 yards and one punt for 14 yards. Many analysts said he would suffer because of the new kickoff rule implemented which has kickers booting kicks from the 35-yard line instead of the 30.

Hester hasn’t returned a lot of kickoffs lately, actually he’s only returned 19 since 2008. But they used him the right way for maybe the first time since converting him to receiver. With a lack of a No. 1 receiver, Hester doesn’t need to play offense a lot, so it’s good that he can focus on punt and kick returns.

He was a weapon on offense though, reeling in three passes for 60 yards. He took a bubble screen for 53 yards and missed the end zone by about one yard. This led to a touchdown pass by Cutler, to tight end Matt Spaeth to put the Bears up 23-6. Urlacher’s fumble return discussed above put the Bears up 30-6.

The Bears had control from then on out. The fourth quarter saw only one score, by the Falcons on an interception return. Falcons defensive end Kroy Biermann intercepted Cutler on a tipped pass and took it to the house to make the score 30-12. Not a pretty play by the Bears, but they will learn to overcome them.

The Bears were flying all over the field not only on defense, but also on offense. Bears fans should be very pleased with the ways things went down during Week 1 of the NFL season.

Surprise Players:

1) Nick Reed – Although on the stat sheet it shows he only deflected a pass, Reed was pretty effective in passing downs. He seemed to know where to be when dropping back in coverage and provided a nice pass rush at times. It could be tough to choose between him and Corey Wootton, when he returns from injury.

2) Tim Jennings – He made eight tackles yesterday and was not a worry in pass coverage. The guy has been steady since coming to the Bears last season. He may be small, but he plays big and that’s why they like him.

3) Roy Williams – He reeled in four passes for 55 yards. He may have put up bigger numbers if not for a groin injury that he suffered in the second half. He can still play some football that’s for sure. Look for him to be a red zone target all year long.

Honorable mentions: FB Tyler Clutts, DT Amobi Okoye and P Adam Podlesh.

Expect the Bears to tune some things up before next week’s road game against another NFC South opponent, the New Orleans Saints.

For Bears news on Twitter, follow @Bearsbacker.

 

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A Second Look: Bears Offensive Line Steps Up, Defense Looks Mediocre

24th August 2011 by under Game Recap     

The Bears fell to the Giants 41-13 Monday night in the Meadowlands and you’d think the Bears played an awful game. They didn’t play awful, but they didn’t play great.

They came out of the game injury free, which is something the Giants can’t say after losing two cornerbacks, Tyrell Thomas and Brian Witherspoon for the season.

QB Jay Cutler stayed on his feet for most of the night, only getting sacked one time. He completed 12 of 21 passes for 171 yards.

Backup QB Caleb Hanie put together solid stats, 17/28 for 166 yards as he played the entire second half.

Marion Barber led all running backs with 49 yards rushing, but failed to get in the endzone on a third and one from the goal-line in the second half. Matt Forte looked impressive taking a screen pass down the field for 42 yards, but was used sparingly. Kahlil Bell again looked good scoring a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

Earl Bennett led all Bears receivers with 58 yards on three catches, while being targeted five times. Devin Hester caught a 37 yard bomb by Cutler, but struggled to stay on his feet during other plays. Johnny Knox and undrafted free agent Dane Sanzenbacher both looked impressive with the second team. Roy Williams struggled yet again dropping all three balls thrown his way.

Bears WR coach Darryl Drake told Williams today that his starting gig isn’t his to keep.

“[He’s not where he needs to be, and he knows that,” Drake said via the Chicago Sun-Times. “He and I have talked about that. And the good thing about it is, you got Johnny Knoxwho is fighting and working hard.”

The tight ends did a solid job blocking. Blocking is what Mike Martz wants them to do, so don’t be shocked if one or two catches is the most for the top tight end during Week One of the NFL season.

The offensive line put together a much better performance than against Buffalo. J’Marcus Webb and Lance Louis the two biggest question marks on the line looked much improved.

Mike Tice could be willing to stay with the line that was intact the last two weeks (LT Webb, LG Williams, C Garza, RG Louis and RT Carimi). This Saturday’s matchup against Tennessee will be another big test for this young unit.

The Bears failed to record a sack. They didn’t really put much pressure on Eli Manning and the quarterbacks used in the game. DT Henry Melton seemed to tackle LB Brian Urlacher on a Giants running play and it didn’t look good after that for the Bears defense.

Nickelback D.J. Moore was beaten multiple times through the air, but he shrug it off after the game saying it was just a preseason game. Safety Major Wright got completely taken out of his shoes by Giants RB Brandon Jacobs.

If Major Wright struggles like that the Bears could be in for a long year. He wasn’t the only defensive player who struggled at missing tackles. It was happening left and right for the unit and head coach Lovie Smith wasn’t happy about it.

The special teams unit wasn’t very good either. Undrafted LB Dom DeCicco out of Pittsburgh got beat on a block on a punt and the Giants blocked it and returned it for a score. The kickoff unit allowed WR Devin Thomas to average 46 yards per return including a long of 73 yards.

The good thing is this game was only preseason, so the Bears still have time to improve. The defense needs to get up to speed. The offense needs to convert in the red zone which was an ongoing problem from last year and the special teams needs to get its act together under coach Dave Toub.

Saturday the Bears travel to Tennessee to take on Matt Hasselback and the Titans. The third preseason game, is the game where the starters play for the longest time for the Bears, so expect to see some entertaining football. It marks the first time in Cutler’s five seasons in the NFL that he’ll travel to Tennessee, where he played college football at Vanderbilt.

The Bears know what they need to improve, lets see if they take advantage of the valuable time given to them these next two weeks.

All quotes from Chicagosuntimes.com.

For more news on Twitter, follow @Bearsbacker.

 

 

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A Second Look: Bears Offensive Line Steps Up, Defense Looks Mediocre

24th August 2011 by under Game Recap     

The Bears fell to the Giants 41-13 Monday night in the Meadowlands and you’d think the Bears played an awful game. They didn’t play awful, but they didn’t play great.

They came out of the game injury free, which is something the Giants can’t say after losing two cornerbacks, Tyrell Thomas and Brian Witherspoon for the season.

QB Jay Cutler stayed on his feet for most of the night, only getting sacked one time. He completed 12 of 21 passes for 171 yards.

Backup QB Caleb Hanie put together solid stats, 17/28 for 166 yards as he played the entire second half.

Marion Barber led all running backs with 49 yards rushing, but failed to get in the endzone on a third and one from the goal-line in the second half. Matt Forte looked impressive taking a screen pass down the field for 42 yards, but was used sparingly. Kahlil Bell again looked good scoring a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

Earl Bennett led all Bears receivers with 58 yards on three catches, while being targeted five times. Devin Hester caught a 37 yard bomb by Cutler, but struggled to stay on his feet during other plays. Johnny Knox and undrafted free agent Dane Sanzenbacher both looked impressive with the second team. Roy Williams struggled yet again dropping all three balls thrown his way.

Bears WR coach Darryl Drake told Williams today that his starting gig isn’t his to keep.

“[He’s not where he needs to be, and he knows that,” Drake said via the Chicago Sun-Times. “He and I have talked about that. And the good thing about it is, you got Johnny Knoxwho is fighting and working hard.”

The tight ends did a solid job blocking. Blocking is what Mike Martz wants them to do, so don’t be shocked if one or two catches is the most for the top tight end during Week One of the NFL season.

The offensive line put together a much better performance than against Buffalo. J’Marcus Webb and Lance Louis the two biggest question marks on the line looked much improved.

Mike Tice could be willing to stay with the line that was intact the last two weeks (LT Webb, LG Williams, C Garza, RG Louis and RT Carimi). This Saturday’s matchup against Tennessee will be another big test for this young unit.

The Bears failed to record a sack. They didn’t really put much pressure on Eli Manning and the quarterbacks used in the game. DT Henry Melton seemed to tackle LB Brian Urlacher on a Giants running play and it didn’t look good after that for the Bears defense.

Nickelback D.J. Moore was beaten multiple times through the air, but he shrug it off after the game saying it was just a preseason game. Safety Major Wright got completely taken out of his shoes by Giants RB Brandon Jacobs.

If Major Wright struggles like that the Bears could be in for a long year. He wasn’t the only defensive player who struggled at missing tackles. It was happening left and right for the unit and head coach Lovie Smith wasn’t happy about it.

The special teams unit wasn’t very good either. Undrafted LB Dom DeCicco out of Pittsburgh got beat on a block on a punt and the Giants blocked it and returned it for a score. The kickoff unit allowed WR Devin Thomas to average 46 yards per return including a long of 73 yards.

The good thing is this game was only preseason, so the Bears still have time to improve. The defense needs to get up to speed. The offense needs to convert in the red zone which was an ongoing problem from last year and the special teams needs to get its act together under coach Dave Toub.

Saturday the Bears travel to Tennessee to take on Matt Hasselback and the Titans. The third preseason game, is the game where the starters play for the longest time for the Bears, so expect to see some entertaining football. It marks the first time in Cutler’s five seasons in the NFL that he’ll travel to Tennessee, where he played college football at Vanderbilt.

The Bears know what they need to improve, lets see if they take advantage of the valuable time given to them these next two weeks.

All quotes from Chicagosuntimes.com.

For more news on Twitter, follow @Bearsbacker.

 

 

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