Missed opps, and now a season nearing the brink

December 3, 2012, 10:45 am

	JOHN "MOON" MULLIN Archive
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Losing three out of four games constitutes falling off a season’s cliff for the Bears after a 7-1 start. No longer are they in any discussion of the NFL’s best and they are in danger of being able to look over the edge at the abyss, which in the NFL is no-playoffs.

The Bears will probably clear the bar without real difficulty, although their two gimmes on the schedule are both away games, at Arizona and at Detroit, two teams with a combined eight wins for the season. The chance was there on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks to move past the San Francisco 49ers into the No. 2 seed and a first-round playoff bye, and now the Bears are a wild-card team.

Which may not be a bad thing. The last two Super Bowl winners (Green Bay, New York Giants) played no playoff games at home. And the Bears had home-field losses to exit the 2001 and 2005 postseason in one-and-done fashion, and their 2010 NFC Championship loss was at home.

Indianapolis Colts (8-4)  W 41-21

Balanced identity established with 33-35 run pass ratio and “O” runs up 428 yards with Jay Cutler throwing for 333 yards and 2 TD’s to go with rushing TD’s by Michael Bush (2) and Matt Forte (1) as part of 122 rushing yards. Nice to have caught this team while Andrew Luck was still a puppy.

@ Green Bay Packers (8-4)             L 23-10

Jay Cutler berates offensive linemen on national TV for seven sacks; linemen just have to accept Cutler’s four INT’s apparently. Embarrassing offensive performance all around as defense holds Aaron Rodgers and Pack to 3 FG’s and one TD.

St. Louis Rams (5-6-1)   W 23-6

Defense sacks Sam Bradford six times and holds Rams out of the end zone. Offense scores only one TD for the second week in a row and Jay Cutler continues to find a groove with receivers.

@ Dallas Cowboys (6-6)         W 34-18           

Five interceptions of Tony Romo, two returned for TDs (Briggs, Tillman) and a workmanlike 360 yards on offense produce a crucial road win on MNF against the most overrated (annually) team in the NFL.

@ Jacksonville Jaguars (2-10)       W 41-3

Bears offense runs up 501 balanced yards (214 rush, 287 pass) and explodes after a sluggish first half. Briggs and Tillman make NFL history with TD interceptions for second straight week and Brandon Marshall puts up 144 yards on 12 catches.

Sun., Oct. 14    Off week

vs. Detroit Lions (4-8)              W 13-7

Jay Cutler sacked five times and survives Ndamukong Suh’s WWF takedown. Bears RB’s net 132 yards as run game clicks. Offense can’t put Lions away but Charles Tillman D on Calvin Johnson virtually locks Bears DB into a 2nd Pro Bowl.

vs. Carolina Panthers (3-9)             W 23-22

Robbie Gould 41-yard FG as time expires caps 16-point fourth quarter and rally from 19-7 deficit. Offense and defense struggle badly for three quarters but Kellen Davis catches TD pass and Tim Jennings TD return to turn back Cam Newton and reeling Ron Rivera team.

@ Tennessee Titans (4-8)      W 51-20

Charles Tillman’s bid for defensive player of the year got a boost from four forced fumbles, Brian Urlacher returned an INT for a touchdown and Corey Wootton scored on a blocked punt. Jay Cutler throws three TDs to Brandon Marshall in a game Bears led 28-2 after one quarter.

Houston Texans (11-1)           L 13-6      

Jay Cutler goes out with concussion and offense improves with Jason Campbell. But too many wasted chances with good field positions with 2 INTs and 2 lost fumbles. Arian Foster rushes for 102 but Bears adjust to control Texans’ offense in second half.

@ San Francisco 49ers (8-3-1)       L 32-7

Jason Campbell cannot survive an abysmal performance by the offensive line, allowing 5.5 sacks to Aldon Smith, while the defense makes an instant star out of Colin Kaepernick in his first NFL start.

Vikings (6-6)             W 28-10

Jay Cutler returns from his concussion, completes 15 of 17 in the first half as the Bears get up 25-3 and cruise. Adrian Peterson loses to fumbles, Chris Conte intercepts Christian Ponder, and the offense turns the takeaways into 14 points.

Seattle Seahawks (6-6)           L 23-17

Defense allows 459 yards as Russell Smith runs them ragged on TD drives of 97 and 80 yards for an overtime win. Bears squander numerous chances for stops and fail to convert an early fourth down vs. taking a safe FG.

@ Minnesota Vikings (6-6)     Sun., Dec. 9, noon

Vikings can’t hold 14-10 halftime edge as Packers score 13 unanswered in the second to give Minnesota its fourth loss in the last five games.

Green Bay Packers (8-4)         Sun., Dec. 16, noon

Pack survives 210 rushing yards by Adrian Peterson by intercepting Christian Ponder twice in the red zone to catch Bears in NFC North.         Next: Detroit

@ Arizona Cardinals (4-8)      Sun., Dec. 23, 3:15 p.m.

A new low for Cards, losing 7-6 to the N.Y. Jets who play so poorly that Mark Sanchez is benched. Five first downs and 0-for-15 on third downs to run string to eight straight losses.     Next: @ Seattle

@ Detroit Lions (4-8)               Sun., Dec. 30, noon

Just when you think the Lions have reached the pinnacle of classlessness, they raise their own bar, taunting and laughing at an injured Colt still down with a concussion after an Ndamukong Suh hit. Last laugh to Colts on Andrew Luck/Donnie Avery TD flip.       Next: @ Green Bay

Tags: Jay Cutler, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions