The Chicago Bears have nobody to blame but themselves for their loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bears had plenty of chances to make that game closer and even take control, but they hurt themselves far too many times.
What were some key moments that ended up deciding the game
3. Justin Fields takes two bad sacks for the Chicago Bears
Trailing 10-7 midway through the second quarter, the Chicago Bears put together one of the best drives of the game. Roschon Johnson hit an explosive run, and Justin Fields connected with Cole Kmet for two first downs.
The team was driving and got to the 27-yard line. However, facing first down, it looked like Justin Fields had a brain fart and made an awful decision. The play is below.
The worst thing he could have done was step up into that pressure, and he did it. Countless times, he does not step up into a clean pocket, and this time, he runs straight into a mess. Worse than that, you can see he has players open. The shot below tells you that it is squarely on Fields.
The route concepts make sense, you cannot blame the coordinator. The protection is fine, look at the pocket he is in. D.J. Moore is open, as is the running back streaking down the field. Justin Fields cannot read any of it and takes a sack.
Facing second and long the Bears were hoping to pick up a couple of yards, but Fields threw a bad pass incomplete to the flats. It set up third and long. Again. Justin Fields had time and right tackle Darnell Wright did a pretty solid job at forcing the pass rusher to get out around him. However, Fields is way too deep in the pocket by the point. Normally, Wright would have led this arch too far upfield, but in this case, it was still not enough to protect Fields.
Fields has no timer in his head to get rid of the football. He holds it far too long and takes another sack. A drive with momentum entering the red zone led to a 52-yard field goal. Moving the chains, or even a touchdown, was on the table on first down. That is a major letdown.
2. Braxton Jones cost the Chicago Bears week two
Another major issue was Braxton Jones and a two-play sequence by the second-year left tackle. The Chicago Bears started the half down 13-10. Khalil Herbert picked up a first down, and the drive was underway. He got three on the next snap, leading to 2nd and seven. Then, Braxton Jones killed the drive.
Jones was called for a false start, leading to 2nd and 12. It made a pass obvious, and it let Joe Tyron-Shoyinka to turn the corner on Jones and create a sack. Jones was beat clean on this play. It led to 3rd down with 23 yards to go, and Luke Getys called a short pass to Roschon Johnson to protect his quarterback from another sack.
Braxton Jones has had an issue with penalties this season. He probably should have had more competition or a backup plan if he did not take a step this year. Now, the Bears are paying for it. This drive killer out of the half led to the Buccaneers getting the football and potentially putting the nail in the coffin of this game.
1. A missed oppurtunity for the Chicago Bears defense
The Bucs got the ball after the sack that Braxton Jones allowed. Baker Mayfield had the Bucs driving, but things almost stalled out at the 21-yard line. Mayfield completed a pass to David Wells, but Jaylon Johnson came swarming to knock the ball out. However, it bounced due to the momentum of Johnson flying in and rolled 11 yards backward.
Of course, it rolled right into the arms of Baker Mayfield. Jaylon Johnson has had issues creating turnovers and had a great chance for one until the lucky bounce gave the Bucs the ball back.
On the next play, the Bucs faced 3rd and 14. If the Bears had any pass rush, it was time. At the 32, they were facing a 49-yard field goal, and a sack could have taken the Bucs out of range. However, Mayfield handled the pressure and threw up a prayer. The prayer was answered by Mike Evans in the end zone. A 32-yard touchdown emerged. First, the Bears had a chance to turn the ball over; then, they could have had a sack to knock them out of range; at the least, they could have held them to a field goal on third and long. Nope, it is an explosive play and a touchdown.
That is how the half started for the Bucs and the Bears. The Bucs took a 20-10 lead, and it was hard for Chicago to get back in the game until later in the fourth quarter after that sequence.