Oct 22, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall (15) celebrates after catching a touchdown pass against the Detroit Lions during the first quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

This one’s for all the marbles, Bears fans. It’s Week 17 at Ford Field, and the Chicago Bears will meet the Detroit Lions for the 166^th time with the Bears holding a 95-65-5 edge.  The Lions have lost five of their last seven against the Bears at Ford Field and 12 of the last 15 meetings overall.  You know the Lions would love to play the spoiler and keep the Bears out of the playoffs for the fifth time in the last six years.  Bears QB Jay Cutler has performed well against the Lions, having thrown just one interception and 11 touchdowns in seven career games against them as a Bear.

Lions WR Calvin Johnson has already set the record for receiving yards in a season with 1,892, but you know he would love to be the first wide receiver ever to eclipse the 2,000-yard mark.  The Bears can expect a healthy dose of Calvin, who leads the league with 117 receptions, throughout the game.

Bears WR Brandon Marshall, who leads the team with 11 touchdowns, is rewriting Bears history books, already setting franchise records for catches in a season (113) and receiving yards in a season (1,466).  He also ranks in the Bears all-time top 50 for career receptions (44^th), receiving yards (44^th) and receiving touchdowns (32^nd).  If he can catch three touchdown passes on Sunday, he will also set the franchise record for receiving touchdowns in a season, currently 13 held by Dick Gordon (1970) and Ken Kavanaugh (1947).

Let’s check out some more numbers for this Sunday’s game.

4:  Number of career sacks by Bears DE Julius Peppers against the Lions in five games as a Bear.

6, 0:  Number of touchdowns and interceptions, respectively, thrown by Cutler against the Lions in three career games at Ford Field.

7.8:  Average catches per game by Lions WR Calvin Johnson in 2012.

4:  Averages catches per game by Calvin Johnson against the Bears at Ford Field in four career games.

11:  Number of combined career forced fumbles against the Lions by Peppers (5), Lance Briggs (3) and Charles Tillman (3).

7:  Number of games Bears RB Matt Forte has gained 100 or more yards from scrimmage against the Lions in nine career starts against them.

90:  Yards from scrimmage needed by Forte to reach 1,400 or more for the fifth consecutive season.

10/10/11:  The last time Cutler completed more than 23 passes in a game (against the Lions at Ford Field).

8:  Completions needed by Cutler to pass Jim Harbaugh (1,023) for first on the Bears all-time list.

13:  Consecutive road games the Bears have committed at least one turnover (last game without one was October 10, 2011 at Ford Field against the Lions).

37:  Number of sacks by the Bears defensive line, second most in the NFL this season.

304:  Average total yards per game given up by the Bears defense on the road this season.

435:  Average total yards per game by the Lions offense at home this season.

27.3:  Average points per game given up by the Lions defense at home this season.

10:  Number of defensive (6) and special teams (4) touchdowns scored against the Lions this season.

2:  Number of games where a single Bears receiver other than Marshall gained more than 50 yards (both were Alshon Jeffery).

5:  Number of times the Bears have turned the ball over on their first offensive possession of the game this season. (They are 3-2 in those games.)

1-4:  Bears record this season when they commit more turnovers than their opponents.

4:  Number of punt returns by Bears opponents of seven or more yards.

22:  Number of games since Bears KR Devin Hester has returned a kickoff or punt for a touchdown (Last: 11/13/11 kickoff return against the Detroit Lions).

1:  Number of first quarter scoring drives of 80 or more yards by the Bears this season.

0:  Number of first quarter passing plays of 20 or more yards by the Bears this season.

The numbers do not lie.  The Bears need to get off to a fast start this week and not let the Lions have any hope of winning the game.  Lions QB Matthew Stafford isn’t afraid to throw the ball often, and when he does, the Lions usually lose (they are 1-8 when he throws 50 or more times in a game).  The more times the ball is in the air, the more chances the Bears have at creating turnovers.

This is it.  Four quarters of Cutler running for his life and hoping the defense and special teams can create some magic.  Then routing for the Green Bay Packers for three hours…ew, gross.  But it has to be done.  What a way for the regular season finish up.

The Green Bay Packers (10-4) continued their recent dominance of the Chicago Bears (8-6), beating them 21-13 and becoming the NFC North champions.  This game leaves the Bears with slim playoff hopes.

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers picked apart the Bears defense with precise throws and kept plays alive by staying upright.  Jay Cutler did the opposite, missing receivers and holding the ball just long enough to get sacked four times.  It was an ugly game throughout.

Brandon Marshall (six catches, 56 receiving yards, one touchdown) vowed redemption and lived up to the hype for a quarter and a half.  The Packers double and tripled-teamed him after that, and Cutler had no one left to throw to.  Well, Alshon Jeffery was open in the second half, but the referees decided to call a penalty on five passes thrown his way (three on Jeffery and two on the Packers).  Then, they kept their flags in their pockets on a play where Jeffery was clearly interfered with.  The Bears just couldn’t catch a break.

Only one group graded above average.  Let’s see who it was.

Quarterback – D+
Cutler takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’.  Sometimes I wish he could just throw the ball away instead.  He now has seven games of less than 200 yards passing, a career high for a full season.  I still don’t think it is entirely his fault.  Garbage coaches, garbage tight ends and a garbage offensive line can make anyone stink.

Wide Receivers – C-
The refs giveth and they taketh away.  Jeffery was called for three pass interference penalties, but was also interfered with twice for big gains late.  I don’t care if refs are right or wrong, they just need to be consistent.  They can’t start calling every little thing in the last 19 minutes of a game, but then call nothing on a clear interference with a minute to go.

Marshall played well, yet again, despite having little help.  Hester wasn’t at fault on the interception, but he was at fault for being nonexistent the rest of the game.

Running Backs – D+
Forte is an above average back, but looks to have a severe case of the green flu.  He got paid and his production went down.  His decision-making was bad at the goal line on Sunday, and he just seems to slow down to a halt as games go on.  This one was no different, gaining only 11 yards on seven carries in the second half.  He did have 55 receiving yards in the second half, but 28 of them were meaningless on the last “drive” of the game.

Tight Ends/Fullback – F
This was the best game of Kellen Davis’ season.  No drops and no fumbles.  Cutler didn’t even target a tight end during the entire game.  Can they just start more receivers?  Someone is bound to get open then.

It’s too bad that FB Evan Rodriguez is lumped into this group.  He has done a great job blocking all season when he has been healthy.  The Bears should see what he can do with the ball in his hands.

Offensive Line – F+
Another game with more of what you have seen all season.  Roberta Garza and Gabe Carimi had penalties and the rest of the group can only block for a two count.  Any time your offense puts up 190 yards of total offense, you can bet the line is mostly to blame … Especially not being able to score a touchdown on 1^st and Goal from the 5-yard line.

Defensive Line – C+
This group continues to be solid, but they still need to get more pressure on the quarterback.  Julius Peppers and Corey Wootton each had 1.5 sacks, but the rest of the guys couldn’t get Rodgers to the ground.  They are going to need to lead this defense moving forward with the rash of injuries going around the team.  Israel Idonije is looking old.

Linebackers – B-
Lance Briggs is an absolute beast and Nick Roach fended off receivers the best he could.  However, this linebacking core doesn’t intimidate anyone without Urlacher.  Rodgers took advantage of every mistake these guys made.  They did help hold the Packers to just 3.5 yards per rush.

Secondary – C
Tim Jennings is being sorely missed right now.  Kelvin Hayden and D.J. Moore missed tackle after tackle and let up too many big plays.  Charles Tillman continued his Pro Bowl season with his 10^th forced fumble (tying an NFL single-season record), but even his perfect coverage wasn’t enough to stop the WR James Jones (three touchdowns) and the Packers.  Major Wright and Chris Conte look a little banged up, and it showed on multiple missed tackles and blown coverages.

Special Teams – C-
The one thing that stood out the most to me was the play of the new guy, Joe Anderson.  He is a wide receiver by trade, but made some great special teams tackles and just missed a blocked punt.  Keep this guy on the field as much as possible.

Hester had some nice returns (2 KORs/31.5 YPR and 3 PRs/14.0 YPR) and should just be focusing his attention there moving forward.  Punter Adam Podlesh is terrible (seventh game averaging 40.7 yards or less per punt).  He had one punt inside the five, but had multiple opportunities to pin the Packers really deep and didn’t.

Also, the too many men on the field penalty early in the game could have been costly, but the defense bailed them out.

Coaching – F
I used to think that Lovie didn’t know how to make adjustments.  Now, I know that he doesn’t know how to do it.  He didn’t try to score points at the end of the first half when they had some time left.  Then the Bears almost tried a fake field goal, but weren’t sneaky enough to get Marshall back on the field.

And the goal line runs were even worse.  Once again, they ran the same play three times in a row.  This whole staff was outcoached, yet again.

Overall – D+

Sep 13, 2012; Green Bay, WI, USA; Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte (22) during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. The Packers defeated the Bears 23-10. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

The NFL’s longest rivalry will continue when the Green Bay Packers (9-4, 3-3 road) meet the Chicago Bears (8-5, 5-2 home) for the 186^th time in their histories.  The Bears lead the series 92-87-6.  The Packers are on a roll, winning seven of their last eight games, while the Bears have dropped four of their last five.  Both teams are dealing with injuries, but the NFC North is on the line, so it should be another black-and-blue battle.

Packers QB Aaron Rodgers has always had his way with the Bears, racking up a career 101.0 passer rating.  However, that number drops to 88.7 at Soldier Field, where he has thrown only six touchdowns and five interceptions in five games.  And while Rodgers isn’t putting up astronomical numbers this season, the running game has stepped up recently, averaging 135.8 rushing yards per game over the last five.  However, they only have five rushing touchdowns all season long.

This week, the Packers will be without WR Jordy Nelson (second on the team with 46 catches and 658 receiving yards), RB James Starks (second on the team with 71 carries and 255 rushing yards), and CB Charles Woodson, who has missed the last six games with a collarbone injury.  J’Marcus Webb’s worst nightmare, LB Clay Matthews, will be returning to the field, looking to repeat his 3.5 sack performance the last time he faced the Bears.

Bears QB Jay Cutler is battling injuries to his neck and knee, so it doesn’t bode well that he has struggled in the past against the Packers (1-6 record, 1-3 at Soldier Field).  WR Brandon Marshall was held to only two catches for 24 yards against the Packers in Week 2 and has sworn revenge this week.   WR Earl Bennett (third on the team with 23 catches and 250 receiving yards) will be out with a lingering concussion, further weakening the 28^th ranked Bears offense.

If rookie WR Alshon Jeffery (third on the team with three touchdowns) can stay healthy, he should be a huge asset for both Cutler and Marshall.  RB Matt Forte is 166 yards shy of his third career 1,000-yard rushing season and will need to play a big role this week if the Bears want to win.

Here are some more numbers to keep your eye on:

3:  First quarter points by the Bears against the Packers at Soldier Field in their last eight meetings.

7-14:  Packers record when Rodgers throws 39 or more passes in a game.

9-22:  Cutler’s career record when he throws 36 or more passes in a game.

1:  Number of rushing touchdowns Forte has scored against the Packers in eight career games.

15-3:  Bears record when Hester has 40 or more punt return yards in a game at Soldier Field.

2007:  The last time the Bears scored more than 21 points against the Packers.

3-13: Packers record since 2008 when they score 20 or fewer points in a game. Three of those games were against the Bears; Packers won one and lost two.

2:  Number of rushing yards on nine attempts by Forte the last time the Bears played the Packers at Soldier Field.

40:  Number of consecutive regular season games since the Packers have had an individual 100-yard rusher.

17-7:  Bears record when Forte rushes the ball more than 20 times in a game.

19-2:  Bears record when Forte scores a rushing touchdown in a game.

1:  Number of teams who have thrown more than two touchdowns against the Bears defense in their last 26 games (Packers and Aaron Rodgers in Week 15 of 2011).

36:  Number of first downs gained due to opponents’ penalties by the Packers this season, the most in the NFL.

38:  Number of yards for the longest kickoff return allowed by the Bears and Packers this season (second best in the NFL).  Also, the longest kickoff return by the Bears special teams this season (second worst in the NFL).

20, 17:  Number of yards for the longest punt return allowed by the Packers and Bears, respectively, this season.

5:  As a Bear, number of touchdowns, as well as interceptions thrown, by Cutler in three regular season games against the Packers at Soldier Field.

7.6:  Average Richter scale measurement when female Packers fans jump up and down to cheer.

7:  Average number of teeth in a Packer fan’s mouth.

18:  Average number of days between showers for regular Packer fans.

19:  Average number of years between showers for die-hard Packer fans.

3,400,000: According to a USDA study, the number of cows in the state of Wisconsin.

100%:  The likelihood, if you throw a Packers jersey on any one of those cows, that you would mistake one for a Packer fan.

There’s nothing left to be said.  Bears-Packers week is coming to a climax.  Are you ready for the Brandon Marshall show to begin?

Dec 9, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery (17) scores a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings in the second quarter at the Metrodome. The Vikings win 24-14. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Chicago Bears rookie wide receiver Alshon Jeffery has shown fans that he can be a capable No. 2 next to Brandon Marshall.  Injuries have slowed him down a bit this season, but so far he has racked up 19 catches for 256 yards and three touchdowns in seven games.  His three TDs put him in a tie for first among all NFC rookies.  Thanks to the 2012 Pepsi MAX NFL Rookie of the Week program, I was able to have a short phone conversation with Jeffery to discuss his first season, the coaching staff, and what it takes to play in the NFL.

Jeffery started out his athletic career in winning fashion, playing basketball for Calhoun County High School in South Carolina.  His team won the state championship his freshman year, before he ever stepped onto a football field.  However, as a sophomore, he tried football after watching his older brothers play.  Despite winning three more state championships in basketball, he knew football was his sport.  He stuck with it for three years at the University of South Carolina and was drafted by the Chicago Bears this offseason.  The rest is history.

Since joining the Bears, he has had his share of adversity, dealing with two injuries that have kept him out of six entire games and parts of two others.  He said that one of the most difficult things about transitioning to the NFL was the amount of focus and work ethic needed to succeed.  Wide receivers Brandon Marshall, Devin Hester and Earl Bennett have taught him a lot about what it takes to make it in the NFL.

One thing that impressed me the most about Jeffery was, what some people might perceive as cockiness, came off as an extreme confidence in himself and his abilities.  When asked if any defensive backs gave him big problems this season, he couldn’t think of any on the spot.  However, when asked if there were any aspects of his game that he wanted to improve, he said, “Everything.”

Bears fans have a lot to look forward to if Jeffery, Marshall and Bears quarterback, Jay Cutler, stay healthy.  These three guys are developing chemistry that continues to improve every time they are on the field together.  Jeffery had nothing but positive things to say about Cutler.  He described him as the leader of the offense.

And if Jeffery has any reservations about head coach Lovie Smith or offensive coordinator Mike Tice, you wouldn’t know it from talking to him.  He really appreciates and respects Lovie for his strong motivation in the locker room.  When asked about Tice being responsible for a Bears offense that ranks 28^th in yards per game, Jeffery was quick to point out that not just one person is responsible.  He said that every guy, from the coach to quarterback to the receivers, is accountable, and everyone on the team has things they can improve.

Jeffery also isn’t one of those NFL players who is out at the club all night, every night.  He spends a lot of his free time relaxing at home.  That being said, when it’s time to work, he’s ready.  When asked if he had any regrets from his rookie season, he said that with each day, he is just constantly trying to get better.

As for this weekend’s game against the Green Bay Packers, Jeffery said that he doesn’t care who’s guarding him, he just wants to win.  This will be his second time playing the Packers this season.  He had a season low one catch for seven yards in Green Bay during Week 2.

Jeffery assured me that his hand and knee are getting better each day.  He did drop a few balls last Sunday, but ended the game with three catches for 57 yards and a touchdown.  Not too shabby for his first full game since Week 5.  He will need to be as close to healthy and ready to help out the Bears offense against the Packers.  When asked what he was expecting this weekend, he said, “It’s gonna be a dogfight.  It’s gonna be a big one.”

With the NFC North division title and a playoff spot on the line, you bet your Martz it will.

*Don’t forget to check out the 2012 Pepsi MAX NFL Rookie of the Week program at www.NFL.com/rookies and vote between Tuesday 8am CT and Friday 2pm CT for Alshon Jeffery each week he is nominated.  Also, check out this Funny or Die video featuring RGIII and other NFL rookies.*

*You can follow Alshon Jeffery on Twitter @AJJeffery1.*

The Chicago Bears (8-5) lost to the Minnesota Vikings (7-6) in the first seven minutes of the game, ultimately losing the game 21-14.  Vikings RB Adrian Peterson set the tone with a 51-yard run on the first offensive play and finished the game with 170 yards from scrimmage.  The Bears defense stiffened up after the first quarter, but it was already too late.  QB Jay Cutler and the Bears offense couldn’t string together any drives, mostly due to dropped passes by the receivers.

Bears WR Brandon Marshall had another monster game, with 10 catches for 160 yards, breaking the Bears franchise record for catches in the season.  He now has 101.  However, even he dropped a pass late that could have kept a drive going.  Cutler was at fault as well, overthrowing receivers and holding the ball too long.  He left the game in the fourth quarter with a stiff neck, but looks to be okay to play next week against the Green Bay Packers.

Let’s hand out some grades to the Chicago Bears, who have now lost four of their last five games.

Quarterbacks – C-
Cutler threw for 260 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions while completing just 50 percent of his passes.  His receivers didn’t do him any favors, dropping multiple balls, falling down and standing still.  He didn’t lose the game, but he didn’t play well enough to win it either.  The neck injury might have had a little something to do with his below average play, but his overthrows are becoming very cumbersome.

Jason Campbell looked like a man on a mission when he relieved Cutler late in the game.  He completed his first four passes and looked to have found a weakness in the defense.  He made a few questionable plays (i.e. calling a timeout when he didn’t have one), but he put points on the board.

Wide Receivers – D+
Lovie must be filling the Bears receivers’ gloves with concrete these days, because they can’t catch the ball.  Marshall made some really nice catches, but had a few drops.  Devin Hester dropped a sure touchdown with no defenders anywhere near him.  Alshon Jeffery had three catches for 57 yards and touchdown, but also dropped multiple passes.  These guys are the main reason the Bears offense sputtered on Sunday.

Running Backs – B
Matt Forte had himself a nice little game, averaging 6.5 yards per carry and racking up 85 yards on the ground.  It’s too bad Mike Tice called 15 total running plays and 56 passing plays.  That’s “slightly” out of balance in a game decided by only one score.  If Michael Bush is battling an injury, I couldn’t see it on his one rush for six yards.  These two need to be a much bigger part of the offense if the Bears want to make the playoffs.

Tight Ends/Fullback – F
Kellen Davis struggled yet again.  What else is new?  He should be playing center for the Chicago Bulls with all the balls he bats down.  It appears that Lovie might be getting sick of him as well.  Kyle Adams was playing late in the game.  He made one nice catch for nine yards, but then ran out of bounds before making his second catch, drawing a penalty.  It could have been costly if the Bears didn’t score right after it.

Evan Rodriguez looks to be the fullback of the future.  The Bears just need to figure out a way to get him more involved in the offense.

Offensive Line – D
We know that this rag-tag, thrown together group isn’t going to shine, but they at least need to stop someone every once in a while.  Cutler was running for his life all day and all too often the linemen were standing around and chasing guys who blew past them.  Undrafted rookie James Brown has potential. With time, he should catch up to the speed of the NFL.  His holding penalty was bad, but everyone else on the line looked worse. Gabe Carimi hasn’t looked as terrible at guard as he was at tackle, but he’s still making mistakes and penalties.  On the positive side, Cutler was only sacked twice, despite being leveled on a few other plays.

Defensive Line – D+
Another mediocre performance from a group of guys who were playing spectacular at the beginning of the year.  Corey Wootton managed the only sack of the game.  Julius Peppers doesn’t look as fast as he used to be and Israel Idonije looks like he is getting old.  Shea McClellin was hurt again and should garner a lot of attention as a guy who may be injury prone.  The defense starts with this group, and you can’t give up a 51-yard run on the first play of the game.

Linebackers – B
Nick Roach and Lance Briggs played well, combining for 20 tackles, three for loss. Geno Hayes flat out whiffed on Peterson on the long run at the beginning of the game, but settled down as the game went on.  This group had a tough task replacing Brian Urlacher, but helped shut out the Vikings offense after the first seven minutes of the game.  These three need to lead the defense over the next three weeks.

Secondary – C
You may automatically think that allowing an opposing quarterback just 91 yards passing means you had a great game.  That wasn’t the case.  This group missed the most tackles and had very unopportunistic penalties.  Major Wright looks 100 percent better with Chris Conte on the field.  The Bears don’t have a replacement with the ability to read plays like Tim Jennings.  He could have been the difference in this game.

Special Teams – C-
When Patrick Mannelly commits a penalty, you know it was a bad game all around.  Zack Bowman had a dumb holding penalty as well.  Devin Hester was actually the lone bright spot, returning five punts for 58 yards.

Had Robbie Gould been healthy, the Bears may have been able to put a few more points on the board.  He was sorely missed.  Adam Podlesh booted four punts inside the 20, but only averaged 37.5 yards per punt.  He has been terrible at directional kicking.  The Vikings special teams play was nearly non-existent, so there’s that.

Coaching – F
Lovie Smith needs to be a lot quicker at unholstering his timeouts.  He lost valuable seconds on every timeout he called in the fourth quarter.  The Bears could have had a shot at one more play at the end of the game.  As I mentioned earlier, the unbalanced play-calling was a killer.  Mike Tice is just not a capable offensive coordinator.

Overall – D+

Nov 25, 2012; Chicago, IL, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder (7) is sacked by Chicago Bears defensive tackle Henry Melton (69) during the first quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Bears (8-4, 3-2 road) will face off with the Minnesota Vikings (6-6, 5-1 home) for the 104^th meeting in their history.  The Vikings hold a 52-49-2 edge, but Lovie Smith has won all four meetings against Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier.  This game will be a big factor in deciding which of these teams makes it to the playoffs.

The Vikings will be without one of their best offense weapons in WR Percy Harvin, who leads all Viking receivers, by more than double, with 62 catches for 677 yards.  Running back Adrian Peterson is having another monster year with 1,446 rushing yards and eight touchdowns.  The Bears know that he can single-handedly win a game, like he did in 2007 when he had 224 rushing yards, nine receiving yards, 128 yards on kickoff returns and three rushing touchdowns.  Someone (or multiple players) from the Bears defense will need to stop him and hope that TE Kyle Rudolph (eight receiving touchdowns) doesn’t do much damage.

Jay Cutler will need continue his stellar play (68.0 completion percentage in his last four games), especially with rookie WR Alshon Jeffery (16 catches, 199 yards and two TDs in six games) coming back.  Vikings QB Christian Ponder has looked terrible lately (four of his last six games he has had a QB rating under 60), so the Bears defensive line, led by Henry Melton (six sacks, two forced fumbles this season) will need to keep pressure on him all day.

Here are some numbers to remember when watching the game this Sunday.

92.6:  Cutler’s Total QBR when outside of the pocket, best in the NFL.

16:  Number of touchdowns Cutler has thrown against the Vikings in seven career games.

0:  Number of times Matt Forte has rushed for 100 yards or more against the Vikings.

5:  Number of receiving touchdowns Devin Hester has scored against the Vikings.  He has 14 total receiving touchdowns in his career.

6:  Number of games that Adrian Peterson has gained 100 or more yards from scrimmage against the Bears in nine career games.

2:  Number of Vikings other than Adrian Peterson and Percy Harvin, who have scored touchdowns against the Bears in their last five meetings (Kyle Rudolph in 2012 and Joe Webb in 2010).

11.34: Cutler’s average yards per pass attempt in the fourth quarter this season.

2-5:  The Bears record under Lovie Smith at the Metrodome.

2-6:  The Bears record under Lovie Smith during Week 14 of a season.

10:  Number of receptions needed by Brandon Marshall to break the Bears single-season record, currently held by Marty Booker with 100 in 2001.

8:  Number of forced fumbles by Charles Tillman this season, two shy of the NFL single-season record held by Osi Umenyiora of the New York Giants in 2010.

3.9:  Average yards per punt return by Bears opponents this season, best in the NFL.

2:  Number of times the Bears defense has given up more than one touchdown in the second half/overtime (Tennessee and Seattle both scored two).

3:  Points scored by Bears opponents on their opening drive of the game.

109:  Points scored by the Bears this season off of the 34 turnovers they created.

1:  Number of plays over 27 yards by Bears opponents in the fourth quarter this season.

8:  Number of plays over 27 yards by the Bears offense in the fourth quarter this season.

2009:  The last time the Bears won an overtime game (December 28, 2009 against the Vikings).

21-2:  Bears record when they lead after the first quarter since 2009.

Plain and simple, the Bears need to start quick and hang onto a lead.  They have done a great job of it in recent years, despite last week’s overtime debacle against the Seattle Seahawks.  Let’s all hope that Lovie Smith can manage this banged up defense and Mike Tice can figure out a way to block Vikings DE Jared Allen (13 career sacks against the Bears).  This one has a lot of playoff implications.

The Chicago Bears let this one slip away.  The Seattle Seahawks stole another game at Soldier Field (third win in three years), beating the Bears 23-17 in overtime.  Jay Cutler to Brandon Marshall looked as reliable as Montana to Rice, but they needed someone else, anyone else, to step up.  Earl Bennett had a chance to bury the Seahawks early, but whiffed on a sure touchdown catch.

The defense is starting to show their age with injuries abound.  They can’t force five turnovers every week, but they needed more than just one this week.  Lovie Smith didn’t do them any favors by saving his timeouts in overtime.  The Bears need to learn from the mistakes they made here and get back to their winning ways.

Quarterback – A
This may have been Cutler’s best game of the season, throwing for 233 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.  His QBR was 94.1, the third best in the league this week.  His throws were crisp, his feet were agile, and he was upright for most of the game.  It’s too bad his effort was wasted.  He brought the team back with 20 seconds to go, but the defense couldn’t even give him a chance to win it in overtime.

Wide Receivers – B (for Brandon)
This category might as well be renamed “Brandon Marshall.”  Earl Bennett had a nice touchdown catch, but missed a long pass from Cutler that could have been the difference in the game.  But then, he left the game with a concussion, leaving the Bears with Eric Weems, Dane Sanzenbacher and Marshall.  It was almost enough to win.  Marshall finished with 10 catches and a season high 165 yards.  Even his pass interference penalty was one of the smartest things I’ve seen a receiver do in a long time in Chicago.  The icing on the cake would have been a touchdown catch in overtime.  Alas, it was not meant to be.

Running Backs – B-
Matt Forte broke his three- game drought without a run over 10 yards or a catch over four yards.  He finished with 30 receiving yards, a receiving touchdown, and 66 rushing yards, but only averaged 3.1 yards per rush.  Michael Bush torched the Seahawks defense for 5.6 yards per carry, but only ran the ball seven times.  This running back tandem combined to have a pretty productive game, yet again, but it seems like Lovie Smith still doesn’t know how to go with the hot hand.

Tight Ends/Fullback – C-
Kellen Davis still stinks.  Matt Spaeth is still a capable blocker, but his false start killed the Bears momentum early in the game.  If it weren’t for him, the Bears fourth down debacle may never have happened.

The Bears are finally using a healthy Evan Rodriguez to give Cutler another pass-catching option.  Rodriguez caught two passes for eight yards and even threw a few nice blocks.  Did I mention Davis still stinks?

Offensive Line – B-
This group may not (strike that … will not) make the Pro Bowl, but they are playing better than anyone could have hoped.  Their run blocking may be a little below average, but they are doing everything they can to keep Cutler from getting thumped.  J’Marcus Webb did have a costly false start late in the fourth quarter, but the rest of the guys held their own and only gave up one sack, which was after Cutler botched a fake handoff.  If this group can stay healthy, they may be effective enough to give the Bears a chance at a deep playoff run.

Defensive Line – D
There is no excuse for giving up 176 rushing yards and a 5.5 yards per carry average.  The Seahawks also had five runs of over 10 yards on their final two drives.  Keeping Seahawks QB Russell Wilson in the pocket was a challenge all day, one they failed at miserably.  They did manage two sacks (Julius Peppers, Stephen Paea), but everyone ran out of gas at the end and there were too many missed tackles.  Shea McClellin continues to improve and could be a big factor in the Bears playoff run.  Henry Melton continues to have a Pro Bowl-caliber season.

Linebackers – B-
Brian Urlacher looked great on one play and old on another.  In the end, he finished the game with eight tackles, one pass deflection and a hard fought forced fumble.  If he were healthy, he could have 12-15 tackles and force a turnover every game.  He’s still a great linebacker.

Lance Briggs played well, but could be a liability if his injury doesn’t heal quickly.  Nick Roach seems to make a big play or two every game.  He might be seeing a lot more playing time if Urlacher and Briggs continue to be slowed by injury.

Secondary – D
Once Chris Conte left the game and Craig Steltz filled in, I knew the Bears had an open wound that could easily be exploited.  Major Wright seemed to be lost without Conte.  He missed an interception that could have ended the game and then missed a tackle on WR Golden Tate that could have stopped the Seahawks at the goal line.

The cornerbacks were also guilty of missed tackles and not stopping the Seahawks when it mattered.  Giving up 293 yards, two touchdowns and an 85.4 QBR to a rookie quarterback is unacceptable for this group.

Special Teams – C+
Eric Weems looked like he never returned a kick or punt before in his life.  He only had done it 195 times before this game.  Why he took the kickoff out of the end zone with 24 seconds left, I don’t know.  He’s lucky Marshall caught that bomb from Cutler.

Punter Adam Podlesh did everything he could to keep the Seahawks deep in their zone, but the defense couldn’t hold them.  Robbie Gould looked like he could have hit that game-tying field goal with his eyes closed.  If only he had the chance to make one early in the game.  Overall, the special teams played well, but didn’t make a big enough impact in the game.

Coaching – D+
The play-calling from Mike Tice is improving, but I think Bush needs more touches.  For once, the defense let the team down, when the offense made a miraculous comeback.  That being said, why didn’t Lovie use a timeout in overtime to give the defense some rest?  I can deal with going for it on fourth down and inches early in the game, but Lovie not recognizing that his defense had nothing left is inexcusable.

Overall – C

The Chicago Bears (8-3) righted the ship after two consecutive losses by handily defeating their division rival, the Minnesota Vikings (6-5), by a score of 28-10.  The offensive line was banged up and Jay Cutler had to run for his life on multiple occasions, but better it be Cutler than anyone else.  I’m looking at you Jason Campbell.  Cutler was able to lead the Bears up and down the field with short pass after short pass, converting 11-of-19 third downs and keeping the ball for over 37 minutes.

Offensive coordinator Mike Tice committed to the run and scaled back his play-calling, finally, and it worked like a charm.  However, special teams stole the show with a nice fake extra point by punter Adam Podlesh, who barreled his 5’11” 200 pound frame into the end zone for a two-point conversion.  It wasn’t something you see every week, but with the plethora of injuries the Bears have sustained recently, they will need to continue to be creative as the playoffs approach.

In the meantime, let’s see how the Bears graded out en route to a one-game lead over the Green Bay Packers (7-4) in the NFC North.

Quarterback – B
Bears fans can all breathe a big sigh of relief.  The Cutler that we know and love (or hate) is back to his winning ways.  He completed 23 of 31 passes for 188 yards, one touchdown and one interception.  Nothing crazy, but he did make a lot of smart throws to eight different receivers.  He wasn’t on target with everything, but he moved the chains when he had to.

Wide Receivers – B+
Devin Hester left the game with an injury in the first half, but Earl Bennett stepped up with four catches for 45 yards, two of which were for first downs.  Brandon Marshall dropped a touchdown pass, yet again, but looked unstoppable on short slant and post routes.  He finished with a season high 12 catches for 92 yards, topping 1,000 yards for the season.  All in all, the receivers helped Cutler escape a lot of pressure.

Running Backs – C+
You have to hand it to the Bears for sticking to the run game (39 rushes for 113 yards), but you wish someone could have broken some longer runs (longest run of the game was eight yards by Michael Bush).  Matt Forte didn’t do much of anything (14 rushes for 42 yards and a fumble) before he was hurt, and Bush only averaged 2.9 yards on 21 carries.  However, Bush did gain his most productive yards around the goal line (two touchdowns).  If Forte can’t go moving forward, Bush is going to have to find a way to get the most out of his touches behind the Bears weak offensive line.

Tight Ends/Fullback – B-
Matt Spaeth may have made the catch of the year when it mattered most, scoring a touchdown late in the third quarter.  Kellen Davis proved once again that he can only catch the easy passes…some of the time.  He’s garbage.  There’s nothing else to say.

Fullback Evan Rodriguez made his first catch of the year, converting a big third down en route to the Bears second touchdown of the game.  He continues to improve each week, while Davis is rapidly heading in the other direction.

Offensive Line – C
It wasn’t pretty, but everyone knows that it never is.  After G Lance Louis and G Chris Spencer went down with injuries, it was a free-for-all in front of Cutler, who successfully ran for his life most of the game.  Gabe Carimi and Edwin Williams held their own and new RT Jonathan Scott looked competent against the always tough Vikings DE Jared Allen.  It’s too bad Allen ended Louis’ season with that cheap hit.  However, this new rag-tag group of donut eaters might be just what the Bears were looking for to begin with.

Defensive Line – B+
Henry Melton had another really solid game recording one sack and two QB hits.  Shea McClellin, back from a concussion, also showed that he is quickly maturing into his role at the end of the line.  His quickness and strength is proving to be a deadly combo.  The man, the myth, the legend, Julius Peppers, blocked the 13th kick of his career.  He’s more deserving of the title “Mr. Ridiculous.”

The only negative of the game was that the Bears allowed an 100-yard rusher.  But, hey, it was Adrian Peterson.  He’s only done that 33 other times in his career.

Linebackers – B+
Nick Roach finally shined as the Bears top LB on Sunday.  He tied Lance Briggs for the team lead with seven tackles, while playing only limited duty.  Briggs injured his foot during the game and Roach filled in without missing a beat, even forcing Peterson to fumble.  Brian Urlacher might not have figured in greatly on the stat sheet (four tackles), but you know that he is the leader whenever he is on the field.

Secondary – A
The productive turnovers just keep on piling up for this group, who’s playing like big time superstars.  Chris Conte ran back an interception to the 13-yard line (led to Spaeth’s TD), Charles Tillman recovered a fumble at the 33-yard line (led to one of Bush’s touchdowns), and Major Wright recovered a fumble in the fourth quarter, squashing the Vikings attempt to rally late.

This Pro Bowl secondary also saw guest appearances by Kelvin Hayden (four tackles, two pass deflections) and Zack Bowman (one tackle, one pass deflection).  It was a nice bounce back performance after the 49ers blew them off the field last week.

Special Teams – B
Dave Toub was firing on all cylinders last Sunday.  Peppers blocked a kick and Podlesh turned a fake extra point into a two-point conversion as well as kicking the bacon out of the ball on punts (43.3 net yards per punt, two inside the 20).

Devin Hester (one punt return for six yards) struggled returning the ball again and Eric Weems looked bad on kick returns (21.7 yards per return average).  Throw in a Robbie Gould blocked field goal and another extra point try that was almost blocked and it wasn’t their best game of the year.  But hey, they did enough to win, and you have to love any type of successful fake in the NFL.

Coaching – A
Whether Mike Tice was responsible for it or not, it was a breath of fresh air to see lots of short slants run by Marshall and a commitment to the running game.  This is the type of football they should have been playing once they realized how bad the offensive line is.  Maybe Lovie Smith asked for a change or uarterback coach Jeremy Bates begged and pleaded so as not to get Cutler killed.  Either way, this play-calling should be a model for the future.

Since I rarely mention them, kudos to defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli for leading one of the best defenses in the league and to special teams coach Dave Toub for putting the extra point fake in the play book.

Overall – B+