Bears’ Loss to Panthers Has Familiar Look

October 6, 2014 @ admin → No Comments

Monday meanderings: Tight end Greg Olsen had six receptions for 72 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner. Once upon a time Chicago Bears fans would have been thrilled with that performance. Not Sunday. Not when he is playing for the Carolina Panthers against the visiting Bears. Not when the outcome is a 31-24 Bears defeat.

Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Emma. Just because.

* It just might be a bit much to lay the blame for the Bears’ loss at the feet of kicker Robbie Gould, who missed a 35-yard field-goal attempt late in the first half. The Panthers subsequently scored a touchdown to cut their halftime deficit to 21-14. A good team does not fall apart after that scenario. Then again, the Bears are a good team?

* Oh, have we failed to mention quarterback Jay Cutler, who had his share of failing? Cutler did have two touchdown tosses in going 28-of-36 for 289 yards. He also was sacked four times and threw two interceptions. If Cutler is an elite QB,

* Oh, have we failed to mention running back Matt Forte, whose fourth-quarter fumble gave the ball to the Panthers at the Bears 23 and led to the game-winning touchdown drive? Yes, there was plenty of blame to go around — offensively and defensively. And let’s not forget special teams (Philly Brown had a 79-yard punt return to give Carolina a 7-0 lead).

* If it’s any consolation to Bears fans (and the guess here is many are still so upset that they can’t see straight — therefore they won’t be reading this for at least a little while), even though the Bears had four turnovers to the Panthers’ three, the last Bears turnover (a Cutler fumble on the team’s final possession) really didn’t matter because it came on fourth down. Yeah, minimal optimism at best.

* Oh, look! The Bears held a 32:59-27:01 advantage in time of possession. Once again rendering that statistic meaningless.

* On the bright (?) side, the Bears travel to Atlanta for an Oct. 12 game vs. the Falcons wno also have a 2-3 record and also have lost two in a row. The main difference being Atlanta is 2-0 at home and winless on the road, while the Bears are winless at home and 2-1 on the road.

* With their victory Sunday, the Kansas City Royals swept the Los Angeles Angels from baseball’s postseason. Television executives no doubt are petitioning commissioner Bud Selig to make first round of playoffs best-of-nine. Effective immediately.

* Speaking of American League Division Series sweeps, the Baltimore Orioles ended the Detroit Tigers’ season. The Orioles have not been to the World Series since 1983. The Royals have not been to the World Series since 1985. That’s a combined 60 years. Think that’s a lot? The Cubs have not been to a World Series since 1945 (which the statistical-analysis department at ElliottHarris.com says is 69 years). The very same statistical-analysis department still is trying to calculate the number of years since the Cubs last won a World Series (hint for all you amateur and/or professional statisticians: the won the World Series in 1908).

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