Bears Blitz

Published by Kelly Scaletta on September 13, 2010
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears

Given a choice between losing a week one game smartly, or losing it dumbly, I’d chose the former. Instead we got the latter. In spite of steady stream of mental mistakes, bad decisions on the  field, and outright stupid “ideas” from the sideline, “Duh! Bears” (which they will remain here until they wise up) managed to overcome and “win” their game against Detroit at home. 

It’s hard to be more discouraged by first week win. Before I go on my rant though, I will mention some encouraging things. Matt Forte looks to be back. The offense was able to move the ball. The defense was able to stop the other team. The special teams played well. The basics of a much better football team than I’d expected to see came on the field. The “good” Bears could actually  be in competition for a playoff spot. In fact the whole problem with the Bears yesterday is that in a game they completely dominated, they needed an obscure rule to “win.” 

Truth be told “in the process” should not be a topic of conversation today. The Bears out gained the Lions 463 yards too 168, and 57 of those yards came on the Lions final drive. The Bears started four drives on the Detroit side of the field. They started four more beyond their own 35. And they scored twice? It takes a whole lot of stupid to continually get the ball in that kind of field position, get that many yards, and only score twice. 

Let’s break down the stupid. First up is 9 penalties for a total of 100 yards. The first “stupid” came in the first quarter, when Chicago had held Detroit and should have been attempting a 47 yard field goal. Instead, a roughing the passer gave Stafford a fresh set of downs and 15 yards. Four plays later the Lions were marching into the end zone.

Chicago marched back and were actually looking pretty good. They were moving down the field until stupid number two came when Greg Olsen fumbled the ball away at the Detroit 12. Fumbles happen, but when they happen because you’re not securing the football they happen because of stupid. It was of the stupid variety.

The stupid was on hold for a while until midway through the second quarter. Detroit was punting deep from their own territory. In the return Chicago committed a 15 yard penalty, so instead of starting from their own 46 they were starting from their own 31. Then, on the first play, Chicago got called for holding, so they were 25 yards from where they should have been starting. Cutler completed a 21 yard pass to move the flags though, and it looked like things were going to go well. That is until Matt Forte fumbled, again, because he didn’t have the ball covered. 

After that Detroit put together their only un-penalty aided scoring drive of the game. Chicago answered smartly with an incredible 89 yard catch and run from Cutler to Forte. The Lions  got the ball back, and after two plays Peppers forced a fumble, the Bears returned it to the 22, but Urlacher delivered a cheap shot after the play, (and I like him, and have defended him on numerous occasions so don’t think hater). The Bears were starting from the Detroit 37 instead of the 22. The Bears then moved the ball 24 yards and kicked a field goal. My thinking is that penalty may have cost the Bears four points. Stupid. 

The stupid continued in the second half, but not all of it was that eventful. The Bears did try to give away more points when Cutler fumbled the ball on the Bears 39, but the defense covered him up and picked off Hill in return. But the climax of the stupid came late in the fourth quarter when the Bears had the ball 1st and Goal from the one. The Bears tried three times to get the ball over the line and failed. I’m fine with that,. The Lions have a much improved defensive line and our offensive line is not the best in the NFL to say the least. I do have a problem with going for it when there’s 6:20 left in the game and you’re down by one point though.

The Bears didn’t make it and they could have lost the game right there. And before anyone tries to make the argument, I was mad when the call was made. I thought it was stupid. It would have been stupid if they’d scored. It was stupid, stupid, stupid. You don’t pass up a chance to take the lead when the other team has not been able to move the ball all day and their second string QB is on the field. It’s just flat dumb. 

Eventually the Bears won the game, we know how it turned out. Forte made a great catch to secure the win. The Bears last drive was actually very nice. It shouldn’t have come to that though. There’s no way “In the Process” should even matter. The Bears had so thoroughly dominated the play that it should have been a run away win. As far as the catch goes, I can only say it was a good call of a badly worded rule. Detroit should have really won the game (or at least taken the lead on that call, there was still 35 seconds left). I wish they had. Maybe then Chicago wouldn’t feel like they can win stupid. 

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