Final Game Grades for Bears vs. Vikings
Published by Ross Read on September 15, 2013
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
Jay Cutler and Martellus Bennett hooked up for two touchdowns but none bigger than the one with 10 seconds to go in the game.
Final Score
Bears: 31
Vikings: 30
Passing Offense: A couple of turnovers by Jay Cutler are all forgotten after his great drive for the final touchdown. The offensive line did a solid job all game long and Cutler was sharp in getting the ball to five different receivers.
Passing Defense: Still no pass rush from Julius Peppers. The secondary did a solid job forcing Christian Ponder to complete barely 50 percent of his passes.
Rushing Offense: Matt Forte fizzled in the second half after a strong first-half performance. His fumble could have been a back-breaker. Still, he finished with a respectable 90 yards on 19 carries.
Rushing Defense: Yes, the Bears gave up 100 yards to Adrian Peterson, but it was on 26 carries. They also kept him out of the end zone. They did a fine job bottling up the reigning MVP.
Special Teams: Devin Hester has reaffirmed his status as a dangerous weapon in the return game. He had nearly 250 yards on kickoff returns and was the main reason for good field position all day including the final game-winning drive.
Coaching: There were a couple of hiccups on offense throughout the game, with poor clock management and play-calling at the goal line coming to mind. Even so, Marc Trestman dialed up some very effective plays that led to the game-winning touchdown.
Chicago Bears First-Half Analysis
Passing Offense: Cutler’s two turnovers keep this from being an A. He was still very good in spreading the ball around. The protection has been solid for the most part.
Passing Defense: Christian Ponder is not very good, and the Bears are making him look uncomfortable in the pocket. A great pick-six by Tim Jennings, but the Bears did get beat by Kyle Rudolph up top for a touchdown.
Rushing Offense: Matt Forte has been rolling so far. He has almost 100 yards in the first half by himself. Alshon Jeffery’s long run allowed the team to go over 100 rushing yards.
Rushing Defense: Adrian Peterson was bottled up for most of the first half but got it going near the end. The Bears have kept him out the end zone but have given up over 60 yards already to him.
Special Teams: After the opening kickoff for a touchdown the unit has bounced back to make some key plays. Devin Hester has looked good and a heady play by Eric Weems knocked the ball out of the end zone for a touchback.
Coaching: There’s a feeling the Bears should be up by more than what they are right now. A couple of poor calls near the goal line has hampered the Bears. Those call fall directly on Marc Trestman.
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