Déjà Vu: Bears Let Another Slip Away

For the second week in a row, the Chicago Bears failed to finish a game strong, giving up another double-digit lead, resulting in yet another three-point loss, this time to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in overtime—and coincidently losing to another ex-Bear, Brian Griese. The Bears (1-2) proved throughout this game that they are more than capable of doing what they have to do in order to win. It’s just that the Bears aren’t doing what they have to do for an entire 60 minutes on both sides of the ball. When the defense causes turnovers, the offense can’t capitalize with big points, and when the offense scores, the defense can’t keep the opposing team out of the end zone, especially late in the game.

Kyle Orton wasn’t as conservative in controlling the offense as he was in the first two games of the season. The four-year veteran from Purdue finishing the game 22 of 34 for 268 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Orton’s more aggressive style of play did give him his first two TD passes of the year, but was also costly. One of Orton’s interceptions was in the end zone when he went deep to rookie Matt Forte, and saw the ball taken by linebacker Barrett Rudd after Forte bobbled the ball early in the second quarter. The other was later in the quarter when defensive end Gaines Adams picked off a pass intended for Desmond Clark, resulting in Adams returning it 45 yards for the score. Despite the dropped ball by Forte, the former Tulane Green Wave did haul in a TD reception, to go along with seven catches for 66 yards and rushed for 89 yards on 27 carries. Though the Bears didn’t have deep threat Devin Hester suit up due to a rib injury, it seems that there could finally be an emerging number one receiver in Brandon Lloyd. Lloyd caught six passes for a team-high 124 receiving yards and a TD; all while being covered by Bucs seasoned veteran cornerback Ronde Barber. But the final let down on offense was when receiver Rashied Davis dropped a pass on third-and-seven in overtime, which would have put the Bears in field goal range for a game-winning attempt for Robbie Gould. All in all, the offense still needs a couple of more players to step up. Especially on third downs, where the Bears only converted four out of 15.

On the other side of the ball, one would think that if a defense causes four turnovers in a game, then that team would be victorious. But along with those turnovers, the defense must keep the opposing team out of the end zone when the game is on the line, which is what the Bears defense didn’t do against the Bucs. Holding the Bucs running game to only 47 yards wasn’t a big surprise. The big surprise was out of Griese’s 67 pass attempts, which was the fourth most in NFL history, not once did Chicago get a sack. And just when it seemed that the Bears did get the stop that they needed in overtime, it was the unleveled-head play of Charles Tillman that gave the Bucs (2-1) a first down, which eventually lead to their game-winning field goal.

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It looks as if the Chicago Bears are reverting back to their ways of the preseason, when they were said to be playing only some of the time throughout a game. Though the Bears said that they can turn on the switch and play at a high level, the problem seems to lie in keeping that switch on. Many would say that is the reason why the Bears have lost two in a row. Or could the reason be the revenge factor of playing against former teammates? Well, for Chicago’s sake, I hope that the Philadelphia Eagles, the Bears’ Week 4 opponent, don’t have any former Bears on their roster.

By Clyde A. Speller
ProFootball-fans.com Chicago Bears Correspondent