Well, they’re alive for another week. They needed two clutch Robbie Gould field goals in a comeback effort to survive, but the Chicago Bears defeated the New Orleans Saints in overtime last Thursday night. It was by no means a pretty victory, but when you’re in the midst of a playoff race, winning is the only thing that matters.
Week fifteen in the NFL started off with a bang as Danieal Manning took the game’s opening kickoff 83 yards for a touchdown, proving that he is extraordinarily effective as a replacement for the struggling Devin Hester. Manning has made huge plays in the past two contests, setting the table for his teammates by giving them early points on the board. Kyle Orton had another rough night, throwing two interceptions and fumbling the ball away once. In all fairness however, one of those picks bounced off of Rashied Davis’ hands into the waiting hands of a Saint defender and the fumble was really the fault of center Olin Kreutz, who snapped the ball early as the Bears were backed up at their own goal line, so I can’t place all three turnovers on Orton’s shoulders. Still, Orton has thrown six interceptions in three games after throwing only four in his first ten outings. His ankle injury may be troubling more than he lets on, but he still found a way to lead his team on late scoring drives that set up the win. Greg Olsen made plenty of key grabs, catching eight of Orton’s 24 completions. Matt Forte left the field after his very first carry with a toe injury, but returned to score a touchdown in the second quarter. Chicago only rushed for 55 yards total, choosing to abandon the run as the game progressed. Devin Hester was the real threat for Chicago, despite catching only four passes for 46 yards. He drew two significant pass interference calls on Saint defenders downfield, the last of which put Gould in perfect position the kick another game-winner. The Bears only scored six points in the final half plus overtime, continuing their trend of letting up on beaten squads. Ron Turner needs to get creative in these final weeks.
Chicago’s defense came out strong, intercepting Drew Brees in the first quarter and giving up only seven points in the game’s first forty minutes. It was the seventeen points they surrendered in the final twenty that allowed the Saints to take the lead and regain hopes of a post-season. Brees ended up being picked off twice, but his 226 yards and two touchdowns almost made up for his mistakes. Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush combined for 117 yards on the ground for New Orleans, giving them control over the clock, especially in the second half. Lovie Smith’s much-ballyhooed “Tampa-Two” defensive scheme was dissected by the opposing quarterback again this season, offering little in the way of actual defense. This system, as well as their roster is going to require a major overhaul in the off-season, and it’ll start with the defensive line. Anthony Adams and Israel Idonije took turns filling in for the injured Dusty Dvoraceck, coming up with big plays against the run. Unfortunately, Chicago’s pass rush only accounted for one sack of Brees, making it difficult to throw off the Pro-bowler’s rhythm. The coaching staff must make better adjustments at halftime and prepare for what the opposing team will do, instead of stubbornly sticking to their predictable game plans. When are they going to learn?
The loss essentially eliminates the Saints from playoff contention, as they only have the slimmest of chances at a wildcard berth. After the Vikings won on Sunday, the Bears now need to win out and have Minnesota lose their final two in order to win the division. Chicago is still technically in the wildcard race, but their chances of beating out Tampa, Atlanta, or Dallas are awfully slim. Their next match-up will be on next Monday night as they host Green Bay in primetime, anxious to extract revenge from the team that embarrassed them in week eleven. For the Bears, there are no more second chances, it is win or nothing.
