Bears Blitz

Published by Nathan Venegas on October 4, 2009
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears

The Bears double up the rejuvenated Lions Sunday at Soldier Field.

A tale of two halves for the defense as the Lions started fast and put 21 points.

The first half saw the Bears defense unable to get much pressure on Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford giving him time in the pocket to find stud wide receiver Calvin Johnson.

Calvin Johnson draws a lot of attention and was able to free up some of his teammates for scores.

The second half on the other hand saw almost the complete opposite. Pressure on the quarterback, limited touches by Lions receivers and completely shutting down the running game.

What a difference the defensive line can make and how much they help the secondary. Adewale Ogunleye led the way with 2.5 sacks and helped welcome Matthew Stafford to the NFC North.

The stat line will say that Matt Forte rushed for 121 yards on 12 carries. The reality is that aside from a few big plays the running game struggled against a less than stellar Lions defense.

Something has to happen over the bye week with that offensive line or the Bears will be in trouble down the stretch.

Jay Cutler leaving his feet for the score was a little scary and hopefully Cutler running the ball won’t be a regular sight but it’s nice to see him fight for every score. His efficiency since laying an egg against the Packers is something special.

Since week one Cutler’s thrown seven touchdowns and only one interception and has had a rating of over 100 the last three games.

The first half was shaky but changes were made and the Bears came away with a divisional win.

The Good: Special Teams. Whether it’s Johnny Knox returning a kickoff for a touchdown, Robbie Gould making his first field goal from beyond 50 yards or Brad Maynard pinning the Lions deep it was a great day for Dave Toub’s squad.

The Bad: Devin Hester and Johnny Knox leaving the game with injuries. Let’s hope the bye week gives them enough time to heal.

The Ugly: Running game. Aside from a couple big runs the offensive line simply could not open any holes for Matt Forte. Gaining 100 yards in a game is a positive step but the consistency of the running game must improve. 

The Difference: Second half adjustments. After giving up three touchdowns the Bears coaches and players made the changes that needed to be made and held Detroit to a field goal in the second half.

Five Questions

Should Devin Hester be pulled off return duties all together?

Now will announces say: “Robbie Gould has only made ONE field goal from beyond 50 yards.”?

Do you think Tommie Harris wishes he ran his pick back for a touchdown?

Do you think Garret Wolfe was a wasted draft pick?

How perfect is this bye week coming up?

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