When the Chicago Bears needed to go 80 yards in 24 seconds in order to score a touchdown to give the team a shot at tying their game against the New England Patriots, they ended up getting just 79.
Here is how close Mitch Trubisky came to connecting with Kevin White on a Hail Mary touchdown pass that would have made it 38-37 as time expired in the fourth quarter:
OH MY GOD. Mitchell Trubisky completes the Hail Mary but it comes up one yard short!! pic.twitter.com/gcEmwXBiqo
— Jesse Foster (@Jesse__Foster) October 21, 2018
One. Stinkin’. Yard.
So you’re probably wondering how Trubisky didn’t get that one into the end zone. Well, there’s an explanation for that:
To uncork that throw with that guy in his face is something. pic.twitter.com/BWiBNaNVqw
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) October 21, 2018
Trubisky was unable to fully follow through with his game-ending attempt because of one last push by a Patriots defender. Every piece of real estate in a game of inches like the one played between the Bears and Pats mattered. And as it turned out, Trubisky could’ve used an extra iota of space to fully extend and get a bigger throw off. That ball still went 60 yards in the air, which is an impressive feat considering the gigantic lumbering Patriot bearing down on him. It just wasn’t enough.
And with that, the Bears’ run in first place has come to an end. At least there are still 10 games to play – including five games against NFC North rivals. So while it feels bad, just know that all is not lost. There is still time to right the wrongs of the last few weeks and get back on the road to victory. It’s just going to take that much more work after back-to-back losses that were kin to being kicked in the marbles.