Bears-Browns: Chicago Trounces Cleveland
Published by Nathan Venegas on November 1, 2009
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
The Bears rebounded from a Week Seven loss to Cincinatti and romped over the hapless Browns, Sunday.
The first half saw the Bears held to three early field goals before finally being able to put the ball in the end zone.
The offensive line continues to struggle in both pass protection and run blocking yet Matt Forte still ran for 90 yards and two touchdowns.
Jay Cutler looked frustrated early as the offense couldn’t punch it in the end zone and had to settle for field goals.
But the Bears limited their turnovers and were patient on offense. They won the time of possession battle by 15 minutes.
The Bears defense forced five turnovers—including a Charles Tillman interception that was run back for a touchdown—as they kept the woeful Browns off the field and setting up their offense.
Daniel Manning had a good game forcing a fumble and snagging an interception.
Aside from the offensive line, the only other hiccup in the game was the shanked punt by Brad Maynard which setup the Browns’ only touchdown. Usually a sure-thing punter, Maynard simply hit the ball off the side of his foot.
Critics will say, They beat the Browns, big deal. But good teams win the games they’re supposed to win and the Bears won this one in convincing fashion, even if the line still needs drastic improvement.
The Good: Matt Forte. The line continued to struggle but he managed to hit some cut-back lanes for yards and got in the end zone twice.
The Bad: Play calling. When your offensive line isn’t doing you any favors, dialing up screens and passes behind the line of scrimmage won’t help move the ball. Getting the ball to your playmakers four or five yards down the field, West-coast style, should free them up for yards after the catch.
The Ugly: Offensive line. The line gave up four sacks as Jay Cutler was under fire most of the game. The running lanes were few and far between and their goal line play kept the Bears kicking field goals early in the game.
The Difference: Quarterback play. Cutler didn’t have any touchdowns but he threw the ball for 225 yards beating out lowly Derek Anderson who threw for 76 yards. Cutler remained patient and threw the ball away when he couldn’t find an open receiver instead of forcing the play.
Five Questions
Should Garrett Wolfe be included more in the offense?
Has anyone seen Gaines Adams?
Do you approve of Jay Cutler jaw-jacking with opposing teams coordinators?
Should the Bears wear the orange jerseys more often?
How soon will Cleveland trade Josh Cribbs?
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