Mile High Meltdown – Bears Fumble Their Way to 13-10 Loss to Broncos

Before the game I said  that if the Bears were up less than 2 touchdowns in the 4th quarter, I’d still be scared.  I hate it when I’m right.  Tim Tebow is the slasher in every bad horror flick.  You can’t kill him; he keeps coming back even when you think he’s dead.   It was Tebow’s 4th quarter magic and Marion Barber’s crucial errors that cost the Bears the game and quite possibly the 2011 season.

The Broncos should be giving a game ball to Barber, but I’m afraid he’d drop it.  Barber had two colossal gaffes that cost the Bears the victory in regulation and then killed the Bears in Overtime that led directly to the Broncos’ game-winning 51 yard field goal.  It’s mind numbing to think that they lost this game.  The loss, combined with wins by the Lions and Falcons, has the Bears outside looking in in the NFC playoff picture.  Rightfully so.  The way this team is playing right now, Jay Cutler or not, does not deserve to go to the playoffs.  They barely deserve my attention these last 3 weeks.

If I would have told you that the Bears out-rushed the Broncos 159 to 124, you would have thought the Bears would have won big.   Then I’d tell you that Tim Tebow attempted 40 passes and you’d be thinking that the Bears killed the Broncos.  Tim Tebow can’t complete a pass, it’s a gimme.  Guess again.  Tebow went 21/40 for 236 and a touchdown.  He did most of his damage in the fourth quarter and overtime.   I still don’t know how he did it.  I don’t know how the Bears defense could be so dominant for three quarters and fold like a cheap house of cards.

Let’s go bullet points the rest of the way.

• In case there was any doubt, please add Caleb Hanie to the long list of Bears bust-out quarterbacks.  Hanie was off target most of the time and when he wasn’t, his wide receivers didn’t do him any favors.
• Speaking of bust outs, it’s time to end the Devin Hester as a wide receiver sham.  Hester has been doing this long enough and yet he can’t catch a simple pass.  Sun in the eyes or not, he’s got to catch that pass.
• Someone please put out an APB for Earl Bennett.  Since his big payday, I think he’s had one catch in the last two games.   Is he so dependent on Jay Cutler and vice versa?
• The Bears defensive line needs to be completely overhauled.  Either that or the Broncos have the greatest offensive line of all time?  Maybe Tebow lit the holy spirit under their asses because he had all day to sit in the pocket.   Melton was OK and Izzy had a key fumble recovery and Peppers was dominant as always, but there is not enough consistency
• It’s clear why Marion Barber is not a #1 running back any more.  Was it the altitude that got into his heads or were Tebow’s prayers answered.  Which Barber play bothered you more, running out of bounds with less than 2 minutes left or the overtime fumble?
• The Bears were plain outcoached in that game.  Again.  It’s becoming all too familiar.
• Kudos to Robbie Gould.  A 57-yard field goal is nothing to sneeze at, not even at Mile High.  That’s a Bears franchise record.  I only wish he had been given a few more opportunities.

There’s another post coming to explain how the Bears lost this game.  One little post on the subject isn’t enough.