Bears vs. Rams: Full Roster Report Card Grades for Chicago
Published by Andrew Dannehy on November 25, 2013
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears had a chance to recapture sole possession of first place in the NFC North, but their defense couldn’t stop the St. Louis Rams and their offense couldn’t keep up in what turned out to be a blowout loss, 42-21.
The Bears had a chance to take control of the game late. They were down by six with about seven minutes left, but their defense allowed the Rams to go 80 yards in just seven plays to score what was essentially the game-clinching touchdown.
The Bears were significantly outplayed and outcoached for most of the game as they fell in a 14-0 hole and were never able to climb out of it.
While Chicago was short-handed along the defensive line, there’s no excuse for giving up 258 yards rushing. The Rams also had plenty of injuries. They were without starting running back Zac Stacy for the second half, and they had their backup quarterback for the entire game, yet they totaled over 400 yards of total offense.
The Bears offense was very productive in terms of yardage, but it didn’t finish drives. Chicago racked up 424 yards and had a 13-minute advantage in time of possession, yet scored just 21 points.
The Bears turned it over three times, one set St. Louis up inside the Bears’ 10-yard line and another was returned for a touchdown. They had another drive that went down to the Rams’ 1-yard line, but Marc Trestman elected to give the ball to rarely used, unproductive Michael Bush. He was stopped for a loss.
The Bears also had three touchdowns called back due to penalties, including a punt return by Devin Hester.
When it comes to grading the Bears roster, the harshest grades came on defense, but their offense also wasn’t nearly good enough. Against a team that gave up an average of 23.4 points per game, the Bears managed just 21.
As usual, the grades are done on a bell scale with the competition considered. The Rams have a very good defensive line and subpar secondary, so the Bears grades reflect that, to an extent.
That said, it’s hard to grade anyone very well when a team loses by 21 points. The Bears have a lot of work to do, and these grades reflect that.
