Bears Fall to Raiders 32-17

By Benjy Lipsman in News on Aug 22, 2010 5:30PM

The Bears hosted the Oakland Raiders on Saturday night, and the fans at Soldier Field were treated to another ugly game. The Bears lost to the Raiders 32-17.

From the get go, the game was one for concern for Bears fans. Brian Urlacher left the game with a calf injury during the first Raiders possession, prompting questions yet again about the middle linebacker's health. Perhaps it was just a precaution to sit him because it was an exhibition game, and in his post game interview coach Lovie Smith said he didn't think it was anything serious. But did any of us think his wrist injury last year was season ending?

While new acquisition Julius Peppers made a couple of nice plays, in general the starting defense looked underwhelming. They allowed the Raiders to march down the field for an 81-yard score to open the game, then came right back and added a field goal on their next possession. This was the same Raiders team that was second worst in both yards and points last season, and they were without their top running back and top two wide receivers.

The Bears' offensive line was even more brutal. Jay Cutler, who played the first half, got sacked five times -- including the first two passing plays, which set up the short field for the Raiders first quarter field goal. While much of the concern with the line had focused on the right side, left tackle Chris Williams couldn't protect Cutler's blind side at all and allowed Kamerion Wimbley to record four sacks. The biggest bright spot for the Bears offense was when running back Matt Forte broke through a hole for an 89 yard TD run.

While Forte's run was nice, we'd have to name Patrick Mannelly the player of the game and he didn't even suit up. The Bears' long snapper, who missed the game after suffering a neck stinger against San Diego last week, was replaced on the field by tight end Desmond Clark. We should all have a new found appreciation for Mannelly's special skill as Clark hardly got off a clean snap all night, hurting punts, costing the team an extra point on their first touchdown as well as a second quarter field goal. Special teams also muffed a punt return recovered by the Raiders for a touchdown and a blocked punt bounded through the back of the end zone for a safety late in the game.

So just how concerned should we be as Bears fans? Let's remember the team dropped their first three preseason games in 1985 and went 2-2 in '06 -- both Super Bowl seasons. No, we're not predicting that, just saying that these games are truly meaningless. Next up, the Bears host the Arizona Cardinals at Soldier Field. (Saturday 8/28, 7:30pm WFLD-32 TV, WBBM 780 AM radio).