Morning Box Score: Bears Choke Again

By Benjy Lipsman in News on Oct 13, 2008 3:20PM

October has not been kind to Chicago sports fans. We got both baseball teams into the playoffs for the first time since 1906, and then watched helplessly as they combined for just one win before exiting in the opening round. But while the end of baseball in Chicago signals the beginning of our full-time devotion to the Bears, they've been even more frustrating to watch. Are curses contagious?

The Bears had already mastered the art of the choke in games against Carolina and Tampa Bay during the first month of the season. But Sunday's 22-20 loss to the Falcons absolutely takes the cake.

Granted, the Bears were thoroughly outplayed, and didn't really deserve to win the game. Still, they still managed to drive down the field in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter and score the go-ahead touchdown with only 11 seconds remaining on a fantastic pass from Orton to Rashied Davis. And yet, somehow, they left too much time on the clock.

After a decent, but not spectacular kickoff return, Atlanta's rookie QB Matt Ryan took over the ball with :06 on the game clock. He connected with Michael Jenkins for 26 yards before Jenkins got out of bounds at the Bears' 30 yard line, with one tick remaining on the clock. Jason Elam, who thought he'd blown the game with a missed 33 yarder just before the Bears final drive, had a chance at redemption from 48 yards. And redeem himself he did, albeit at the Bears' expense.

While the defense kept the Bears in the game in the first place, holding the Falcons to just four field goals through the first three quarters and limiting the NFL's leading rusher to just 54 yards, they also deserve the lion's share of the blame. In addition to screwing up coverage on that last-second pass that set up the game-winning (or game-losing, if you will) field goal, Pro Bowler Tommie Harris had earlier bone-headedly tossed the ball away after recovering a fumble - but he hadn't been ruled down. So Atlanta not only retained possession, but with a new set of downs.

We figured that the offense was this team's weak link. But a matured Kyle Orton and surprising Matt Forte have the Bears moving the ball and scoring points; it's the defense that's costing this team games.

AP Photo/Dave Martin