Bears Brave Cold, Score 21 Unanswered 4th Quarter Points to Defeat Browns

JayHat

(Edit: Title originally said the Bears overcame a 14-point deficit; that was never the case. I think I mixed up my simultaneous desire to say they overcame the 14 points Cleveland’s defense scored with my desire to note the unanswered scoring run the Bears went on. I hope you’ll find it in your hearts to forgive me.)

So, that was your prototypical 2013 Bears game, wasn’t it? Twists, turns, highs, lows, a ridiculous touchdown from Alshon Jeffery…this game had it all. But in the end, the Bears escape Cleveland with a hard-earned 38-31 victory. After weeks of speculation, Jay Cutler made his return to the Bears lineup, and he came out 7-8 on the opening drive of the game. But a pass to the end zone bounced off Brandon Marshall’s hands and Cleveland’s Tashaun Gipson came up with the interception. Gipson later intercepted a Cutler overthrow and returned it for six; that extended Cleveland’s lead to 10-3. 

Cutler rebounded with an excellent scoring drive at the end of the first half, and on the opening drive after the break Jason Campbell threw a pass straight to Zach Bowman, who returned it for a Bears defensive touchdown. (Man I love those.) The Browns responded with a lengthy touchdown drive, and on the Bears next possession, Martellus Bennett fumbled for only the second time in his career; it proved costly, as T.J. Ward recovered and returned it for Cleveland’s second defensive score of the game.

The Bears trailed 24-17 entering the fourth quarter, and after starting a drive at their own five, they faced a 3rd and 11 from midfield. Cutler unleashed a deep pass to which Alshon Jeffery adjusted and made yet another spectacular play, scrambling to the end zone (as depicted in the GIF above.) That ball traveled 52 yards in the air, into the wind. Jay certainly has an arm. It also wasn’t the greatest decision, but the Browns were flagged for roughing on the play, and the Bears were getting a first down no matter what.

GIF Via SBNation
GIF Via SBNation

The roughing penalty proved costly for Cleveland, as the yardage was enforced on the kickoff; the Bears took advantage by popping up a kickoff, pinning the Browns to the 14-yard line. After the defense forced a three-and-out, Devin Hester returned the short-field punt to the Cleveland 36; once again, had someone blocked the punter he may have taken it all the way. Instead, the Bears offense took over, and six plays later Cutler found Earl Bennett for the go-ahead touchdown; his third touchdown pass of the day. The defense forced another stop, and Michael Bush then broke a 40-yard run for the insurance touchdown. Cleveland would score with :59 seconds remaining, as Josh Gordon finally made a big play against the Chicago secondary, but it was too little, too late; the Browns failed to recover an onside kick, and two kneel-downs later, the Bears took sole possession of first in the NFC North. 

I’ll obviously have more to go over from today’s game, but here are a few quick thoughts:

  • The offense struggled a bit early, but that cannot entirely be attributed to the return of Cutler; he sailed a few throws, for sure, but the Browns defense is one of the best the Bears have faced all season, and the Bears offense still managed 31 points. A big part of that offensive success came on third down; as ESPN Stats & Info noted, Cutler was 11-12 for 151 yards and two touchdowns when facing third down situations. That’s hyper-efficient against a good defense.
  • The defense played decently for the second week in a row. They failed to sack Campbell, but they held Cleveland to 93 rushing yards, which was very encouraging. They were on the hook for just 17 of the Browns 31 points; the other two touchdowns were scored against the Chicago offense. And until a late, near-garbage time 43-yard touchdown catch, the Bears had held NFL-leading receiver Josh Gordon to 2 catches for 24 yards.
  • Had the Bears not recovered, sloppy play may have been blamed; beyond the turnovers, they were whistled for 7 penalties, worth 40 yards total. That was fortunately dwarfed by the 9 flags for 90 yards racked up by the Browns. Those included two big and obvious calls (pass interference and holding) on the Bears 95-yard touchdown drive that accounted for thirty-five yards and two automatic first downs.
  • I didn’t hear anyone say “Alshon Jeffries” today, so that’s a win. There was plenty of McCown talk, though, which is to be expected.
  • Though he was neutralized in the receiving game, Matt Forte ran for 127 yards on 14 carries, including big gains on toss plays on both of the Bears final two touchdown drives; the second one came on a 3rd and 9 play from the Bears 40. If the Browns make a stop there, they would have had time to drive for the tying score; instead Forte converted, and then Michael Bush broke off his decisive touchdown on the very next play.
  • The Bears now sit at 8-6, and they await the results from both the Green Bay-Dallas game this afternoon and the Detroit-Baltimore game tomorrow night. (I erroneously said on Twitter that a Green Bay loss would eliminate them. That’s not true, but it would reduce their chances drastically. Sorry for the mistake, though; math is hard, and that tie on their record has been messing me up.) The Bears travel to Philadelphia next Sunday night to face an Eagles team that will be coming off of a loss to the Adrian Peterson-less Minnesota Vikings; both teams will certainly be playing for their playoff hopes.

    Whew. The Bears just don’t make it easy, do they? I’m exhausted, but excited; the Bears are very much alive, and they’ve turned in two strong team efforts in a row. Meaningful December football is fun.

    written by

    Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

    more bears news

    Rome Odunze Has a Visit With the Bears Coming Soon

    If you aren't already familiar with Rome Odunze's name or game, your time will come. The University of Washington wide receiver is one of the top prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft. At this point of the year, I've officially...

    Matt Eberflus Opens a Window to the Chicago Bears Draft Plans

    NFL coaches are notoriously tight-lipped. And in his first two seasons as Bears head coach, Matt Eberflus has been no different. But every once in a while you'll catch Eberflus peel back the curtain and provide some insight regarding the...

    What Does a Chicago Bears NFL Draft Trade Down Look Like?

    You'd think we'd be well-versed in trade-back options after months of wondering what kind of haul it would take for the Bears to move off taking quarterback Caleb Williams with the first pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. But trading...

    D-Line Thoughts, Caleb, GM Seth Rollins, Pack Votes No, and Other Bears Bullets

    Cubs and White Sox opening day is today today. March Madness resumes with the Fighting Illini playing in the Sweet 16 later tonight. SIU, my alma mater, is reportedly hiring a "Coach Nagy" to lead its basketball team. And what...

    Dan Campbell is Happy To See Justin Fields Leave the NFC North

    There was no escaping the mixed emotions from Chicago Bears fans when the Justin Fields trade went down earlier this month. But there were none of that from Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell. Heck, I'd argue there was just...

    Another Pass Rusher Signs Elsewhere: Jadeveon Clowney Lands With the Panthers

    Another day. Another pass rusher signing. And another defensive lineman going to a team that isn't the Chicago Bears. NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport was the first with the news of Jadeveon Clowney signing with the Carolina Panthers. Meanwhile, ESPN's...

    Malik Nabers Might’ve Run His Way Out of the Chicago Bears Draft Spot

    Today was LSU's Pro Day and Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles was scheduled to be in attendance, per The Athletic's Adam Jahns. Assuming Poles made his flight, he got a good look at the likes of quarterback Jayden Daniels, as...

    Goodell on Bears Stadium Deal, No to Hard Knocks? More Old Friends Go to Steelers, and Other Bears Bullets

    I keep forgetting that I have a Starbucks gift card from Christmas that has gone unused to this point. Maybe I'll remember it next time I go out for coffee. A big shout out to PFF Brad, who made the...

    Ryan Poles Was Pissed Off By RGIII’s Comments About Caleb Williams Situation

    When I saw them pop up, RGIII's comments suggesting Caleb Williams pull an Eli Manning and refuse to play for the Chicago Bears were met with an eye-roll, audible groan, and immediate dismissal before moving onto more pertinent topics. But...

    Bears Stadium Update: Kevin Warren Reiterates Plans to Build in Downtown Chicago

    It sure is starting to sound like Arlington Heights fumbled the bag when it comes to locking in Arlington Park as the future home of a Chicago Bears stadium. While meeting with the media at the NFL owners meetings in...

    Latest News

    Rays vs. Blue Jays Probable Starting Pitchers – March 29

    The Toronto Blue Jays (1-0) go on the road at Tropicana Field against the Tampa Bay Rays (0-1) at 6:50 PM ET on Friday.The Rays will look to Aaron Civale against the Blue Jays and Chris Bassitt.Rays vs. Blue Jays...

    Marlins vs. Pirates Probable Starting Pitchers – March 29

    The Pittsburgh Pirates (1-0) play on Friday at LoanDepot park against the Miami Marlins (0-1). The contest begins at 7:10 PM ET.The Marlins will look to Andrew Jacob Puk against the Pirates and Martin Perez.Marlins vs. Pirates Pitcher Matchup and...

    Tampa Bay Buccaneers Offseason Preview: 2024 Free Agents and Team Needs

    The Tampa Bay Buccaneers enjoyed a successful 2023 season, capturing their third straight NFC South title and pushing the Detroit Lions in a thrilling Divisional Round matchup. This strong showing translates to a relatively stable roster with few glaring weaknesses...

    NC State vs Marquette Predictions and Odds: March Madness Best Bets

    March Madness matchups bring us a great battle tonight as 11-seed NC State battles 2-seed Marquette. Check out the odds, stats, and more for NC State vs Marquette which tips off at 7:09 pm ET tonight. NC State vs Marquette...

    Best NBA Prop Bets Today – Friday, March 29, 2024

    Today's NBA schedule has 12 quality competitions in store. Among those games is the Minnesota Timberwolves playing the Denver Nuggets.NBA prop bets for today's games are available, so if you're interested in placing a bet or building a parlay, you'll...

    Updated Elite 8 Odds: UConn Betting Favorite To Win March Madness

    There were some great performances last night including a 30-point win by the UConn Huskies sending them to the Elite Eight. Are they the betting favorite to win March Madness? What team is sitting on top of the odds to...

    UConn vs. Illinois Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – NCAA Tournament Round Elite Eight

    The No. 1 seed UConn Huskies (34-3) are 8.5-point favorites to advance to the Final Four when they play the No. 3 seed Illinois Fighting Illini (29-8) in the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight on Saturday at TD Garden, airing on...

    Alabama vs. Clemson Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – NCAA Tournament Round Elite Eight

    The No. 4 seed Alabama Crimson Tide (24-11) and No. 6 seed Clemson Tigers (24-11) will both be vying for a spot in the NCAA Tournament Final Four when they meet on Saturday at Crypto.com Arena, tipping off at 8:49...

    How to Watch UConn Huskies vs. Illinois Fighting Illini: Live Stream or on TV

    The No. 1 seed UConn Huskies (34-3) will take on the No. 3 seed Illinois Fighting Illini (29-8) in the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight on Saturday at TD Garden, airing on TBS starting at 6:09 PM ET.UConn won its previous...

    Alabama vs. Clemson: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    The No. 6 seed Clemson Tigers (24-11) will take the court for an NCAA Tournament Elite Eight matchup with the No. 4 seed Alabama Crimson Tide (24-11) on Saturday at Crypto.com Arena, airing on TBS beginning at 8:49 PM ET,...

    more bears news