Morning Box Score: Seahawks Drop Bears
By Benjy Lipsman in News on Oct 18, 2010 3:00PM
Even when they've won, the Bears' play has been less than satisfying to watch. We knew that they couldn't continue to find ways to win every week, and Sunday was case in point. The Seattle Seahawks, who had yet to win on the road, came into Soldier Field and left with a 23-20 victory that dropped the Bears to 4-2 on the season.
The game began promisingly enough, with the Bears driving down the field on their first turn with the ball (in large part due to a 58-yard pass interference call) and scored a touchdown less than two minutes into the game. But offense didn't come so easily the rest of the afternoon. Jay Cutler returned to the field yesterday after missing last week's game due to a concussion, and the offensive line's play suggested Cutler may not remain in the lineup for very long. Seattle sacked Cutler six times on the afternoon, as Mike Martz called a pass happy game plan that neglected the run, a week removed from the Bears' best showing on the ground in two decades. The Bears ran the ball just 12 times while Cutler passed the ball play after play -- and he managed to complete just 17 of his 39 pass attempts. The Bears failed to convert a single third down on the day, against the league's worst passing defense, in part because they found themselves in third-and-long all afternoon. Down by just one at the half, Martz did the offense no favors with a pair of questionable calls in the third quarter that led to a safety and a passing play that took the Bears out of field goal range when they were down by three. The one bright spot of the day was Devin Hester's 89-yard punt return for a touchdown, but with only two minutes in game remaining, it was too little too late for the Bears.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Bears didn't fare much better. Missing Lance Briggs, who was out with an ankle sprain, the Bears defense couldn't stop the run or pass very well. Former Lions bust Mike Williams had a career day against Charles Tillman, catching 10 passes for 123 yards. Justin Forsett and new addition Marshawn Lynch combined for over 100 yards on the ground. The Seahawks had managed just 17 points total in two road games before outscoring the Bears on Sunday. At least Tillman was honest, when he stated after the game, ''We just got our butts kicked."
Despite week six's dud, the Bears somehow remain atop the NFC North with a 4-2 record. And yet we find it hard to believe this Bears team is even there. It feels like it's only a matter of time before this team fades into the middle of the pack, but the rest of the NFC North has played equally as bad. For those who can bear to continue watching this slow motion train wreck continue to derail, the Bears host the 3-3 Washington Redskins next Sunday.