Wow...this one hurts.
The 21-14 loss to the Minnesota Vikings knocks the Bears to a 8-5 record and a game behind the NFC North leading Green Bay Packers.
The Bears have now lost 4 of their last 5 games, where they are averaging only 14 points per game. For a while now, I have been contemplating if the Bears are pretenders of contenders...the answer has become clear over the last month.
First, lets talk about loss that the Bears suffered at Mall of America Field yesterday. Although credit must be given to the Vikings, this was a game that Bears LOST, rather than one that the Vikings WON.
Defense came out sluggish. Simple. They gave up an 80 yard drive that was highlighted by Petersen running into the endzone for six. Petersen had 69 total yards on that drive and a 50+ yard run.
At that point the Bears defense had allowed a 97 yard drive and two 80 yard drives in a row that all went for touchdowns.
Although Petersen had 104 yards and 2 touchdowns in the 1st quarter alone he was not the reason the Bears lost this game. In fact after the 1st down, the Bears defense looked strong and held Petersen to 50 total yards in the remaining 3 quarters.
The Vikings went scoreless in the final 3 quarters of the game in which they forced 1 interception. While the defense did hold their ground for a major part of the 2nd half, they allowed Minnesota to covert crucial 3rd downs on a late 4th quarter drive that took a large amount of time off the clock.
Just before the game started, Robbie Gould suffered a calf strain which I believe had a larger impact on the game that most are talking about. While current punter Adam Podlesh did good job filling in on kickoffs and had a great day pinning the Vikings deep in their zone with his punts, the Bears ended many of there drives within Gould's field goal zone, but opted to punt because of his injury.
Throughout the game, the Bears ended a couple drives on the Minnesota 23,39, and 40 which would make the field goal attempts of 40,56, and 57 yards. It is not crazy to think that the Bears would of sent Gould out there for a 57 yard FG attempt on the Bears first drive. He has hit all 50+ yard FG attempts this year including ones from 51 and 54, and made two 57 yard FGs in preseason.
Add 9 pts to the Bears total of 14, and they come out on top -- so Gould was a huge loss for the Bears.
But lets not focus on things that we can't control and focus on things that are fully in our control. Things like catching the ball, knowing the snap count, stop holding, and even know when to just throw the ball away -- all things one can control.
Missed opportunities is the reason that the Bears lost this game.
Alshon Jeffery returned back to the lineup and caught the ball 3 of the 6 times he was targeted, including a touchdown. However, the 2 of the 3 catches he didn't make cost the Bears greatly. Early in the first, on a timing route, Cutler threw to Jeffery's direction and was intercepted because Jeffery's had slipped on his route. The interception lead to a Petersen touchdown.
Later in the game in the finals minutes of the 3rd, Jeffery's failed to haul in a perfectly thrown pass in the endzone that would of made it a one possession game.
Devin Hester's also failed to catch a pass on a slant route that had a open road into the endzone. That would of also made is a one possession game.
On top of crucial drops by the receiving core, and multiple drops by TE Kellen Davis, the running game did nothing to help out the offense.
While the offensive line played well for most of the game, there was a brutal holding penalty that was called on the offensive line which negated a Marshall catch which would of put the Bears in the redzone. The flag was a net 30 yard loss, pushing the Bears out of Minnesota territory.
So... the blame for this certainly goes to the offense, but perhaps a closer look should be taken on the play calling and not just the game-play. Either way, 14 points a game is not enough consistently win a regular-game, and is certainly not going to cut it in the post-season.
The loss puts the Bears at the 6th seed in the NFC playoff picture, with Cowboys, Redskins, and Vikings just a game behind them.
Next week's game against the Packers is going to be another tough game. Packers are 4-1 in their last 5 games and can clinch the NFC North with a win over the Bears in Chicago.
It certainly is time to BEAR DOWN!
