Here is a rapid reaction from the Chicago Bears’ impressive and all-important 30-24 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. For NFL.com’s highlights, click here.
Looking back at my notes, the Bears started off a little rough but settled down and finished strong. Jay Cutler had a couple of errant throws early, the defensive line wasn’t getting pressure on Vick and Robbie Gould even had a kickoff go out of bounds on him. As we all know, it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish and the Bears finished. I don’t even know where to begin. Cutler. Forte. Peppers. Urlacher. Briggs. Bennett. The entire offensive line. Henry Melton. Did I miss praising anyone?
The Bears started off started off strong behind who else but Matt Forte with a few strong runs accounting for 52 yards on the opening drive that was capped off my a Matt Speath touchdown reception. After both teams exchanged field goals, the key sequence in the game occurred late in the second quarter.
Just after the Eagles kicked a field goal, the Bears took over deep in their own end. Matt Forte with a rare fumble that the Eagles recovered and returned for a short touchdown to tie the score. The Bears bungled their next set of downs with about a minute and a half left in the half and were forced to punt, but DeSean Jackson promptly coughed it up on the punt return setting the Bears up. Thanks to a questionable roughing the passer penalty, the Bears were able to capitalize and take back the momentum and turn the tides on the Eagles with a 17-10 halftime lead.
The Eagles stormed back in the third quarter with two unanswered touchdowns, one on another Forte fumble, to take a 24-17 lead, but on this Monday night the Bears would not fold. Jay Cutler and Earl Bennett hooked up for the decisive score early in the fourth quarter and the defense was able to make just enough plays to seal the victory. Let’s go rapid fire after the jump.
- Glad to see that Mike Martz got the memo to run Matt Forte. He came right out of the blocks feeding Forte and it paid off with a huge opening drive capped off by the Matt Spaeth touchdown.
- PS – it’s weird seeing someone else wearing #89. That is Ditka and maybe Cap Boso, but that is it for me.
- Could the #PAYFORTE people please just #SHUTUP! He had a great game again and I love Forte but those fumbles could have proven costly. Someone at Halas Hall tell him that pigskin is a bag full of money and see if he drops it?
- I can’t praise the offensive line enough. DO NOT CHANGE A THING. Monday night marked only the second time in Jay Cutler’s Chicago tenure that he wasn’t sacked. That’s an impressive stat, especially when you consider the Eagles’ defensive line and being on the road. Really great job in pass protection and in the running game.
- How much did Jay Cutler miss Earl Bennett since Week 2? Bennett had 5 receptions on 5 targets for 95 yards and a touchdown. Welcome back Earl!
- Speaking of wide receivers, the Bears really need to get a “go up and get it” receiver. That bomb to Hester and another long pass that went right through Roy Williams’ hands are tough to stomach from the couch. I can’t imagine how Jay Cutler feels seeing his great throws fall harmlessly to the ground.
- Mike Martz is equal parts genius and moron. Just seems like the moron part take the playbook when the Bears get into the red zone.
- On the defensive side of the ball, Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs and Julius Peppers looked like men among boys out there on Monday night. Really strong effort by the defensive stars.
- My life flashed before my eyes when I saw the Peppers knee injury. Not sure that the human body is meant to bend like that and not sure how he gets back into the game a few plays later and notches a sack.
- Major Wright had an up and down night. He got nailed with a costly pass interference, then made up for it with an interception on a tipped pass and then followed that up with another overrun and missed tackle that led to an Eagles touchdown. It felt like the preseason all over again. We can’t keep making the same mistakes. FIX THIS!
- Robbie Gould passed Walter Payton for second most points in Chicago Bears history, trailing only Kevin Butler. Congrats Robbie!
- Thank you toEagles punter Chas Henry for completely blowing a wide open fake punt. It’s rare that a Dave Toub unit leaves themselves exposed and they caught a big break that the Eagles rookie punter crapped the bed on an easy pass for a wide open first down.
That’s enough for now. More to come on a victory Tuesday. It’s a short week for the Bears to prepare for another critical game and a chance to pull even with the Detroit Lions and put themselves in prime playoff position.