Joe's 2011 Gameday Recap: Seahawks 38, Bears 14

I’m sorry you had to sit through that Bear fans, but you can rest assured the 2011 season is over for the Monsters of the Midway. Their loss to the Seattle Seahawks may only drop them to a 7-7 record, but their unmistakably terrible quarterback play has clearly taken them out of the playoff picture. The offseason isn’t here yet though, so the Gameday Recaps continue!

(7-7) Seattle Seahawks 38
(7-7) Chicago Bears 14

Going into halftime, Bear fans had reasons to be optimistic their team would break out of their slump. At 14-7, Chicago’s defense had kept Marshawn Lynch in check and held Tarvaris Jackson to minimal completions. Seattle’s offense had only managed 6 first downs at the break. What really gave Chicagoans hope was that the defense had already scored a touchdown thanks to a Julius Peppers strip of Jackson in the endzone. Recovered by Israel Idonije, the score tied the game up in the first quarter and shifted momentum in Lovie Smith’s favor. Unfortunately, Caleb Hanie was still in the game.

Mike Martz’s offense had its issues all day, starting with turnovers. An early first down catch by Johnny Knox was promptly fumbled away after a hit by Kam Chancellor and recovery by Earl Thomas, giving Seattle the field position needed for its first score. On a decent drive in the second quarter, supported by Hanie scrambles and Marion Barber runs, a roll-out and throw ended up in a tipped pass off Kellen Davis into the hands of Earl Thomas. Continuing the trend in the third, pressure from K.J. Wright in the face of Hanie led to an awful throw into the flat which was cut off by lineman Red Bryant and returned 20 yards for the ‘Hawks third touchdown of the day. If that wasn’t enough, Hanie had one more pick-six in him late, tossing it right at Brandon Browner, who took it right back in his face for 42 yards to give the Seahawks an embarrassing 38-14 lead in the fourth quarter. And just to cap the day off right, when Josh McCown came in for Hanie after his third INT, McCown gets one of his own on his second throw of the game. Chicago gave up four sacks on the day (Chris Clemons is scary good, FYI), but the pressure was more constant than that number would suggest. Hanie overthrew plenty of open receivers and made poor decisions with the football for the fourth straight week.

That was about as depressing a paragraph as I could have written.

Even if you account for the two pick-sixes the Bears gave up today, the defense didn’t bring their best effort. And it certainly wasn’t enough given the offense’s struggles. A Corey Graham penalty on a field goal attempt following the Knox fumble gave the Seahawks a first down which Marshawn Lynch quickly converted into seven points. In the second half, the defense fell apart, giving up 31 consecutive points. You have to credit Pete Carroll with his second-half adjustments. He locked Hanie down in the pocket and finally got his ground game going… with a little help from Tarvaris Jackson passes. Jackson wasn’t anything special, but he got into a groove in the second half, finding Golden Tate for 33 yards and Ben Obomanu for 43 on consecutive plays, setting up the Lynch score that would tie the game. The defense was out of position on its coverage, especially Tim Jennings, who had one of his crappier performances of the season.

-Nice to see the Soldier Field turf lend a hand as it tripped up Lynch on the play before the Peppers strip-sack.

-Johnny Knox is reportedly okay after a back-bending hit from Anthony Hargrove on his fumble. They’re listing it as a back injury. I’m glad it’s not as serious as that awful replay would indicate.

-Hanie had a not shitty throw in the second quarter as he found Kahlil Bell on the outside for a 25 yard touchdown pass for the offense’s only points of the game. Yeah. His touchdown celebration was pretty fun though.

Normally I use this final section to illustrate the brighter side of a loss.  I don’t have those thoughts today. The Bears are assuredly out of the playoffs with today’s loss barring a Josh McCown-led miracle. You can start looking towards the Bulls’ season no, because there’s not going to be any more drama or excitement as far as the 2011 Bears are concerned. With two games left against Minnesota and Green Bay, I just don’t see how the Bears do any better than 8-8 (but probably 7-9). They shouldn’t take any chances with rushing Jay Cutler or Matt Forte back on the field and just prepare for the changes that are coming in the offseason. (I.E. Martz’s imminent departure and finding a legitimate back-up for Cutler.) I know it hurts now, but it’ll be okay… next year. I hope. Take these final two games and simply detach yourselves. It’ll be better that way.

Bear down and Happy Jay Cutler Day!