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Speaking of disgust, Bears coach Lovie Smith’s post-game tone reeked of it, or at least frustration, especially with third downs on both sides of the ball. Smith volunteered that “you have to be ready each week,’’ but didn’t specify who wasn’t prepared.
Then again, he might still be talking if he started naming names because when you can’t block, can’t run, can’t pass, can’t stop the run, can’t stop the pass, and can’t beat a worse team at home, this was pretty much a team photo.
Or mug shots front- side-view. Either way, we’ll find out when Smith cuts somebody this week.
Smith said he wished the Bears had run the ball more than the 12 times Matt Forte and Chester Taylor carried, if not only for balance, but also to keep Jay Cutler from getting killed. Maybe this is Smith’s growing frustrated with Mike Martz’s pass-happy ways, maybe not, but that has been part of Martz’s profile the last couple stops. I’d expect Smith to deodorize that idea if asked about it this week because that’s what Smith does, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. I mean, when you go 0-for-12 on third down against Seattle and 3-for-40 the last three games, a head coach is likely to look a little stink-eyed at his offensive coordinator.
The Bears gave themselves 92 yards to bend but not break late in the third quarter. It was on the defense, the best part of a wonky team this season, to position the Bears for another win they looked like they didn’t deserve.
But the defense couldn’t do it. Couldn’t make a play. Couldn’t get to Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, couldn’t cover receivers, couldn’t make tackles.
Fittingly, it ended with a one-yard TD run by Marshawn Lynch blasting through an arm tackle by safety Chris Harris, who’s supposed to tackle because he’s not much for coverage. It was now 23-13, Seattle, with 13:45 left in the game.
Turned out, it was the game. Sunday’s mistakes by the lake looked like that Giants disaster, where the defense made plays and gave the offense field position. But the Bears play field position better than they play offense, and eventually the inept offense did nothing except make its defense limp.
Not even special teams could make a difference, as Danieal Manning ran a kickoff back for a touchdown that was wiped out by a Rod Wilson holding call. By the time Devin Hester ran back a punt 89 yards for a late touchdown, it was too late.
Yeah, Cutler came back, but nothing changed. Cutler was sacked six times, the Bears couldn’t pick up the blitz, they couldn't or wouldn't run, and receivers ran the wrong routes or turned the wrong way.
But wait. The stench grew. The Bears didn’t convert even one measly third down against one of the NFL’s worst pass defenses, exposed Cutler for a hit that turned into a fumble for a safety, and wasted a timeout because of a thrown shoe.
But wait. There’s still more stink. Cutler almost led the team in rushing, Justin Forsett gashed the defense for 113 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and Mike Williams had 10 catches for 123 yards, career highs for a career bust.
It has looked this bad most of the season. It cost them Sunday. It has cost them less than they perhaps deserved this season, but it cost them against a team that had lost 15 of its last 18 road games. It cost them a game they should’ve won. This team is 4-2 how again?
Coming back after a woozy week, Cutler threw erratically sometimes, but smartly, at least. No interceptions, and no 6.2 quarterback rating, either. He also did not appear to end up concussed again. Disgusted again, maybe. But not concussed. Yay, progress.
The Bears started their fourth combination of offensive linemen in six games, and the missed assignments and bad communication all around sure looked it when four of the six sacks came on third down.
Forte averaged 1.4 yards a carry and blew a lot of blitz pickups. Just to clarify: Not a good thing.
I don’t know if it’s possible to have a bad 120-yard day receiving, but Johnny Knox sure looked like he saw things differently than Cutler. That 67-yarder was terrific, but he can’t catch a 17-yarder on third-and-16 and then come back a couple yards. Know where the sticks are, OK?
The Bears cut special-teams tackling maniac Tim Shaw because they believed Brian Iwuh could play linebacker. Lance Briggs’ ankle injury meant it was time to prove it, and it looked like he did.
Hasselbeck used quick counts and quick throws to blunt the Bears’ aggressiveness, but the Bears still forced 10 punts. Bears offense, hel-lo.
Seahawks third-and-goal from the Bears’ 10, and Forsett blasted up the middle for 10 yards, carrying three or four Bears into the end zone to make it 14-7, Seattle. Wait, weren’t the Seahawks one of the worst rushing teams in the league?
The Bears took the opening kickoff 80 yards in four plays for a 7-0 lead. Thanks for coming, ladies and gentleman. Drive home safely.
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