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Bad Rex! Bears lose 34-10
By Vaughn McClure Tribune staff reporter
11:02 PM CDT, September 23, 2007
Bears defensive backs Ricky Manning Jr. and Adam Archuleta looked at each other dumbfounded, wondering how Cowboys running back Marion Barber III had slid through them for a 10-yard third-quarter touchdown.
The Bears were missing far more than tackles Sunday night at Soldier Field.
A defense thought to be one of the most dominant in the league suddenly was suspect. A quarterback expected to make progress reverted to his atrocious ways. And even Superman, return specialist Devin Hester, got blasted with a truckload of Kryptonite posing as the Dallas Cowboys' coverage team.
No matter how you broke it down, the Bears were bad news in just about every facet of the game in a 34-10 loss to the undefeated Cowboys. The Super Bowl runners-up now literally limp into next week's game at Detroit 1-2 overall.
Forget the fact that the Green Bay Packers are 3-0 and atop the NFC North. The Bears need to worry about correcting themselves first before they can think about dispensing others.
If this was a showdown of teams expected to contend for the NFC title, the Bears are pretenders, at least for this week. Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo looked like a more mobile Tom Brady, sidestepping the intense pressure of the Bears' front line to make play after play.
He attacked the middle of the field with Terrell Owens and tight end Jason Witten. He engineered a 91-yard scoring drive in the third quarter that started with a 15-yard hook to Witten from his own 9 and ended with Barber strong-arming Manning and Archuleta.
Romo completed 22 of 35 passes for 329 yards and two touchdowns, with a passer rating of 100.8. That's a stark contrast from the production of the first two quarterbacks to face the Bears' defense this season, San Diego's Philip Rivers and Kansas City's Damon Huard.
In fairness to the Bears' defense, it was depleted beyond belief. First linebacker Lance Briggs and then cornerback Nathan Vasher went down with groin injuries. Then Tommie Harris hobbled out of the game, his knee elevated on the sideline. The disgusted way Harris waved off the television cameras told you it wasn't pretty.
Nothing was more hideous than Grossman's performance. He lofted passes intended for no one in particular. Even when he made a big play, such as his 12-yard sprint that helped preserve a drive and led to a 1-yard touchdown run by Cedric Benson, Grossman would counter with a play that would make you say, "What were you thinking, man?''
Grossman's final numbers told his story: 15 of 32, 195 yards, three interceptions, sacked three times, QB rating of 27.5.
Ouch.
With Benson also fumbling, the Bears now have 11 turnovers through three games and just two offensive scores. If Grossman's not feeling Brian Griese breathing down his back now, then someone ought to tap him on the shoulder.
The lone bright spots on offense were the play of Bernard Berrian, Desmond Clark and Greg Olsen. Berrian caught just about everything Grossman threw his way. Clark, the tight end, looked like a receiver streaking on a 52-yard reception. And Olsen, the rookie tight end, showed little rust coming off a knee injury.
But when the stands at Soldier Field start to empty before the game is over, you know there are problems. Now the Bears have to look at themselves and figure out how to correct them.
vxmcclure@tribune.com
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/cs-070923bearsgamer,1,2073015.story?ctrack=1&cset=true
By Vaughn McClure Tribune staff reporter
11:02 PM CDT, September 23, 2007
Bears defensive backs Ricky Manning Jr. and Adam Archuleta looked at each other dumbfounded, wondering how Cowboys running back Marion Barber III had slid through them for a 10-yard third-quarter touchdown.
The Bears were missing far more than tackles Sunday night at Soldier Field.
A defense thought to be one of the most dominant in the league suddenly was suspect. A quarterback expected to make progress reverted to his atrocious ways. And even Superman, return specialist Devin Hester, got blasted with a truckload of Kryptonite posing as the Dallas Cowboys' coverage team.
No matter how you broke it down, the Bears were bad news in just about every facet of the game in a 34-10 loss to the undefeated Cowboys. The Super Bowl runners-up now literally limp into next week's game at Detroit 1-2 overall.
Forget the fact that the Green Bay Packers are 3-0 and atop the NFC North. The Bears need to worry about correcting themselves first before they can think about dispensing others.
If this was a showdown of teams expected to contend for the NFC title, the Bears are pretenders, at least for this week. Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo looked like a more mobile Tom Brady, sidestepping the intense pressure of the Bears' front line to make play after play.
He attacked the middle of the field with Terrell Owens and tight end Jason Witten. He engineered a 91-yard scoring drive in the third quarter that started with a 15-yard hook to Witten from his own 9 and ended with Barber strong-arming Manning and Archuleta.
Romo completed 22 of 35 passes for 329 yards and two touchdowns, with a passer rating of 100.8. That's a stark contrast from the production of the first two quarterbacks to face the Bears' defense this season, San Diego's Philip Rivers and Kansas City's Damon Huard.
In fairness to the Bears' defense, it was depleted beyond belief. First linebacker Lance Briggs and then cornerback Nathan Vasher went down with groin injuries. Then Tommie Harris hobbled out of the game, his knee elevated on the sideline. The disgusted way Harris waved off the television cameras told you it wasn't pretty.
Nothing was more hideous than Grossman's performance. He lofted passes intended for no one in particular. Even when he made a big play, such as his 12-yard sprint that helped preserve a drive and led to a 1-yard touchdown run by Cedric Benson, Grossman would counter with a play that would make you say, "What were you thinking, man?''
Grossman's final numbers told his story: 15 of 32, 195 yards, three interceptions, sacked three times, QB rating of 27.5.
Ouch.
With Benson also fumbling, the Bears now have 11 turnovers through three games and just two offensive scores. If Grossman's not feeling Brian Griese breathing down his back now, then someone ought to tap him on the shoulder.
The lone bright spots on offense were the play of Bernard Berrian, Desmond Clark and Greg Olsen. Berrian caught just about everything Grossman threw his way. Clark, the tight end, looked like a receiver streaking on a 52-yard reception. And Olsen, the rookie tight end, showed little rust coming off a knee injury.
But when the stands at Soldier Field start to empty before the game is over, you know there are problems. Now the Bears have to look at themselves and figure out how to correct them.
vxmcclure@tribune.com
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/cs-070923bearsgamer,1,2073015.story?ctrack=1&cset=true
