Winning Ugly: Bears Outlast Weather and Ravens for a 23-20 Overtime Win
Nov 17, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Josh McCown (12) calls a play against the Baltimore Ravens during the second half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports
Let me hit up a few notes before we call it a wrap:
- Zack Bowman had himself a pretty rough outing. He had a couple of special teams penalties and a critical horse collar tackle that kept the Ravens’ game tying drive alive. That was inexcusable.
- Nice to see Julius Peppers making plays. Peppers was unofficially credited with 11 tackles and a couple of sacks.
- The Bears safeties still suck.
- Chris Conte and Major Wrong turn modest gains into huge gains with the horrible angles and run fits they take.
- The turf at Soldier Field is a joke. Countless players commented that this was the worst field they’d ever played on at any level. When are the Bears finally going to wise up and put in an artificial surface?
- Josh McCown continues to impress. He’s not flashy, but he just gets the job done. Most important McCown stat? ZERO turnovers this season. In my mind there’s no quarterback controversy, but I’m starting to be among the minority.
- I neglected to mention Matt Forte in the post. He had another 125 yards from scrimmage and his 14 yard touchdown catch and run was a thing of beauty.
- You can’t underestimate the importance of the job that Robbie Gould and Adam Podlesh did on a day when the conditions were not at all favorable. The rest of the special teams? Keep it.
- The Bears run defense is like the the town bicycle for opposing running backs; everyone gets a ride.
- Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery are the best wide receiver duo in the league today. Go ahead and name a better tandem going right now.
1400 words is enough for this mega-game and marathon session. I know I mentioned it on Twitter, but it’s worth repeating. My wife is a rock star for essentially pulling double duty with the kids so I could stick with the game today.
One last thought. Say a prayer for the people of Washington, Illinois. Tragedies like this put football and life in perspective.
What did you think of the game? Let’s see your comments.