Where Did Things Go Wrong?

Brandon Marshall, Tramon Williams
Photo by Charles Rex Arbogast/AP

I’ll have a more comprehensive take on the season later in the week; where the franchise was, where it now stands, and where it should go in the offseason. But I’d be remiss if I attempted to gloss over yesterday’s defeat to the Packers, as much as I’d like to do so for the sake of my own sanity. In general, it’s sort of obvious what happened: the offense played pretty well, while the defense did not. Yesterday was actually nice microcosm of the season as a whole. As has been the case all year, the offense needed to play what would have amounted to a perfect game, and they were unable to do so.

Here are three plays I wanted to highlight, and then try to scrub from my memory forever:

The Green Bay Fumble Recovery Touchdown

Few sights summed up the struggles of the 2013 Bears defense as well as this play. (Although you’ll find an even better one below.) The Bears were leading 7-3 in the second quarter, but the Packers were set up with a 1st and 10 on the Chicago 17.  As Rodgers began his throwing motion, Julius Peppers knocked the ball loose. But the momentum from Rodgers’s hand knocked the ball forward. The ball bounced around on the turf for a few agonizing moments. James Anderson made a half-hearted attempt to pick it up, but dropped it again. Then Green Bay receiver Jarrett Boykin scooped it up, standing still as Rodgers came over to say something. The whistle still hadn’t blown, and it was only after the Packer sideline encouraged Boykin to run that he took off for the endzone, jogging in as the Bears stood around and watched. It was eventually (and correctly) ruled a touchdown for Green Bay.

That is a criminal lack of awareness, for everyone on the field. (The Packers were guilty as well; I think Boykin wanted to toss it to an official. He had no idea what was happening.) But the Bears pride themselves on this sort of thing, and in a game as important as this one, to have made that sort of mental error was crippling. If Anderson just stops, picks it up, and takes off (like Bears defenders have done all year, on meaningless dead balls) he likely scores to put Chicago up 14-3. Instead they trailed 10-7.

Alshon Can’t Quite Recapture the Magic

The offense wasn’t perfect on the day; they punted 4 times, and Alshon Jeffery fumbled in the second quarter, which led to a Green Bay field goal. They scored touchdowns on every other drive (save the final one which led to a Hail Mary interception) but that wasn’t enough. As has been the case all year against relatively competent offenses, the Bears were going to have to score 30+ points to win, which is an incredibly thin margin of error. But late in the fourth quarter, the Bears had the ball and a one point lead. A touchdown likely guaranteed overtime, and I was wondering to myself whether they should consider going for two in that scenario; a nine point lead would have likely put the game out of reach.

The Bears had 1st and 10 on Green Bay’s 38, nearing Robbie Gould’s field goal range. An illegal formation penalty moved them back five yards. Cutler found Forte for a short gain on first down, but that was erased by a five yard loss on second down, setting up third and seventeen. The Packers took their second timeout to avoid having too many men on the field, and out of the timeout Cutler looked deep down the near sideline for Alshon Jeffery; it was a route reminiscent of his other highlight reel catches; he was single covered, he made a wonderful adjustment (including a savvy tug of the DB’s arm) and went up for the ball. He had his hands on it. I thought he was hauling it in. I really did. But he never quite got a handle on the ball, and it fell harmlessly. It was an incredibly tough play to make, and it’s a testament to his greatness this year that I fully expected him to make it. Instead, the Bears were forced to punt, which set up one of the most painful drives I’ve watched as a fan.

Basically the Entire Final Green Bay Drive

The worst part was the final play, of course. But there was so much horror in the buildup. First, the Bears forced a fourth down and inches try from Green Bay; it was converted by John Kuhn, but it should have been a delay of game on the Packers. (As seen in the picture, courtesy Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune.)

delayofgame
Rich Campbell, via Twitter

The Bears forced another fourth and short play near midfield; Rodgers converted that one with a pass to Jordy Nelson. (It was almost underthrown; Nelson made a great adjustment to come back and make the grab. He had 10 catches for 161 yards.)

A few plays later, the Packers were faced with 4th and 8 from the Bears 48. Just 46 seconds remained. And then this happened. (Warning: not for the faint of heart.)

blowncoverage
GIF via SBNation

That’s a whole giant heap of failure. The Bears brought the house, playing Cover 0 (no safety over the top, every defensive back in man coverage) in an effort to force the ball out quickly. Randall Cobb ran a go route straight past Chris Conte, who apparently thought he was playing zone. Matt Bowen confirms it was a busted coverage, as if we needed more confirmation; he notes that Conte moved to the flat while everyone else was in man. There were a few hints of miscommunication after the game, as this report from CBS Chicago’s Adam Hoge notes. If that was true, it seems like only Conte was affected.

Whatever the cause, that can’t happen. It just can’t happen. It was a great play by Rodgers, and also by Packer fullback John Kuhn, who managed to cut Julius Peppers which prevented a likely game-winning sack. Conte had an interception early on, but he allowed a ball to go through his hands to set up Green Bay’s second to last touchdown, and here his mistake essentially cost the Bears their season. If this were out of character for him, I’d be more inclined to sympathize. But it’s been a season of miscues for Chicago’s safeties, and at this point I would be surprised (and a bit disappointed) if either of them opened next season as starters. Much like the offensive line issues entering last offseason, I have a hard time believing that different players could be worse. Roll the dice with some new bodies; the risk/reward ratio has to be fairly favorable at this point.

I didn’t even mention the questionable officiating (what looked like a blown call on a Bear punt downing, and an extremely bogus roughing call on Shea McClellin that set up a Packer field goal) which was certainly an issue. But the Bears had chances to win, and they failed to capitalize.

That’s an incredibly painful way for the season to end.

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

Bears Rookie Minicamp Takeaways: Caleb Williams and the Best of the Rest

I've said it, and I'll continue to say it: this chapter of Chicago Bears football feels different. Perhaps it's because the last time we did this, we were in a pandemic, and when the Bears jumped up to No. 11...

Jared Goff Becomes the Highest-Paid Lion Ever!

The Detroit Lions have been busy in recent weeks securing their core after a run to the NFC title game last season. Jared Goff became the latest player to get a new deal in Detroit, and he became the highest-paid...

Antoine Winfield Jr Signs Record-Breaking Extension

The Buccaneers have made Antoine Winfield Jr the highest-paid defensive back in the history of the NFL. On Monday afternoon, Winfield Jr and Tampa Bay agreed to a four-year, $84.1 million deal. It also guarantees the Bucs' star $45 million....

Bears Sign 6 Players After Rookie Minicamp Weekend Tryouts

The Chicago Bears offseason roster churn continues. In addition to their five-player draft class headlined by Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze (plus nine more players who were signed as undrafted free agents), the Bears have signed six free agents who...

They’re No. 1: Bears Wide Receivers Room Ranks as NFL’s Best

One of my biggest frustrations with the Ryan Pace regime was how the former Chicago Bears general manager didn't invest in wide receiver upgrades the way you'd expect a team building around a young quarterback should. Meanwhile, his replacement, Ryan...

The Cost of Being a Football Fan (And Other Bears Bullets)

In yet another reminder that nothing in life is free, the folks at Awful Announcing put the total cost to access NFL games this season projects to be $855.86. With 272 games on the NFL schedule, that comes out to...

Rome Odunze Missed Saturday’s Bears Rookie Minicamp Practice

I was rounding up this morning's set of Bears Bullets when I saw this note from the Chicago Tribune's Dan Wiederer on rookie wide receiver Rome Odunze sitting out Saturday's practice with hamstring tightness and I knew I had to...

A New Tight End, Day 2 Camp Pics and Vids, Edge Market Developing, and Other Bears Bullets

It's Mother's Day today. And while my mother passed away in 2017, I try to use this day to remember and honor her memory. Do something nice for the moms in your life today. You only get one. Chicago Bears...

Caleb to Rome, First Day Notes, Big LSU Bet Is Off, and Other Bears Bullets

I'm off to Springfield to play the role of Uncle Lu this weekend, so we'll have an abridged version of Bears Bullets today. Caleb Williams survived his first practice as Chicago Bears QB1. And all was right with the football...

Tory Taylor is the First Bears Draft Pick to Sign Their Rookie Deal

There will be no punter hold out this summer. Tory Taylor is officially locked in: https://twitter.com/chicagobears/status/1789283410294321438?s=46&t=9_XcB6r0ywNyv4WuAOFkLA The Chicago Bears announced Tory Taylor’s signing on Saturday morning. And in doing so, made him the first of the team’s five 2024 NFL...

Latest News

Celtics vs. Cavaliers Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets for Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 5 – Wednesday, May 15, 2024

The Boston Celtics are massive 15.5-point favorites in a decisive Game 5 of the second round of the NBA Playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers at TD Garden on Wednesday, tipping off at 7:00 PM ET on TNT. The Celtics have...

Thunder vs. Mavericks Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets for Western Conference Semifinals Game 5 – Wednesday, May 15, 2024

The Dallas Mavericks are 4.5-point underdogs in Game 5 of the second round of the NBA Playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center on Wednesday, tipping off at 9:30 PM ET on TNT. The series is tied 2-2....

Nuggets vs. Timberwolves Predictions, Best Bets and Odds: Western Conference Semifinals Game 5 – Tuesday, May 14, 2024

The Denver Nuggets and the Minnesota Timberwolves meet in Game 5 of the second round of the NBA Playoffs. The Nuggets are favored by 4.5 points in the contest, which airs on TNT at 10:30 PM ET. The over/under in...

Knicks vs. Pacers Predictions, Best Bets and Odds: Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 5 – Tuesday, May 14, 2024

The Indiana Pacers are slight 2.5-point underdogs in Game 5 of the second round of the NBA Playoffs against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, tipping off at 8:00 PM ET on TNT. The series is...

New York Liberty vs. Washington Mystics: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

The Washington Mystics face the New York Liberty at St. Elizabeths East Entertainment and Sports Arena on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. The game, the first of the 2024 season for both teams, tips at 7:00 PM ET on ESPN3, Monumental,...

Connecticut Sun vs. Indiana Fever: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

The Connecticut Sun will start their 2024 season matching up with the Indiana Fever on Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at 7:30 PM ET on ESPN2 and ESPN+.Watch the WNBA all season long on Fubo!How to Watch Sun vs. FeverGame Day:...

NHL Playoffs Anytime Goalscorer Bets and Odds Today – May 14

There are two Stanley Cup Playoffs Second Round games on the schedule Tuesday, and anytime goal-scorer odds for players from each contest are available in this article.Watch the NHL on Fubo!Today's Top Anytime Goal OddsZach Hyman (Oilers) -130 to scoreOilers...

Stars vs. Avalanche NHL Playoffs Second Round Game 5 Prediction: Picks, Live Odds and Moneyline – Wednesday, May 15, 2024

The Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche face off on Wednesday at American Airlines Center in Dallas, and the oddsmakers give the edge to the home team (-142) over the visitor (+120).Watch the NHL on Fubo!Stars vs. Avalanche Favorite, Moneyline, TotalFavorite:...

How to Watch Dodgers vs. Giants: Live Stream or on TV

Mookie Betts and the Los Angeles Dodgers (28-15) visit Thairo Estrada and the San Francisco Giants (19-24) at 9:45 PM ET on Tuesday.Keep reading to find out all the details on how to watch Los Angeles square off against San...

Cardinals vs. Angels: Free Live Stream, TV Channel, How to Watch

The St. Louis Cardinals (17-24), who will give the start to Sonny Gray, visit the Los Angeles Angels (15-27) with Reid Detmers on the hill, Tuesday at 9:38 PM ET.Keep reading to find out how to watch the St. Louis-Los...

more bears news