Some strides, but Bears offense still struggles
NASHVILLE — The Bears' offense moved the ball better than it had in cameo appearances in the first two preseason games, rolling up 239 yards in the first half, but it still struggled in the red zone Saturday night.
In their 14-13 loss to the Titans, it took just a couple minutes for wide receiver Roy Williams to make an impact both ways, good and bad.
A lightning rod for debate in his short time with the team, Williams caught a 17-yard pass from Jay Cutler off a play-action fake on the first play from scrimmage.
But on the second play, he let an extremely catchable pass over the middle, that he appeared to short-arm, glance off his fingertips into the grasp of safety Michael Griffin, who returned the interception 17 yards to the Bears' 37.
“(Jay) was just putting the ball where it needed to be,” Williams said. “Right out of the gate, the first play of the game, he was on the money. The second one, that's my fault, I have to catch that one. I felt like it should have been a flag somewhere, but it's the NFL, so you have to get past that one and go the next play. I'm a guy of my word, of my performance, so I have to catch that ball across the middle.”
On the next series, Johnny Knox, who Williams has replaced in the starting lineup, was in as the starter with Earl Bennett, although Williams took the majority of the first-team snaps with Knox getting occasional work with the first team.
Later in the second quarter Williams picked up 16 yards on a crossing route, and Knox had a 21-yard reception, leaving that race still too close to call, since Williams still doesn't appear to be in sync with Cutler.
For the first time in the preseason the Bears made an effort to run the ball with the first team in the game, and the results were encouraging.
They rolled up 61 rushing yards in the first quarter, 59 by Matt Forte on 13 carries, and also made the Titans' defense susceptible to play-action passes after run fakes. The run game produced 148 yards on 35 carries, a 4.2-yard average and Forte finished with 74 yards on 17 attempts.
After taking the first possession of the second half, Cutler retired for the night having completed 13 of 21 passes for 170 yards, no touchdowns, the interception that really wasn't his fault, and a passer rating of 67.6.
Most importantly, the offensive line did not permit a sack.
“The offensive line did a good job for the second week in a row,” coach Lovie Smith said. “Pass protection was pretty good, and we did a good job opening holes in the run game.”
Right guard Lance Louis, whose disappointing play in the preseason opener had skeptics clamoring for his benching, led Forte on a 10-yard run after pulling to lead the interference. Later in the drive Forte scored on a 7-yard run behind left guard Chris Williams.
The offense was able to put together back-to-back long drives on its second and third possessions, successfully mixing runs with passes. But they came away with just 7 points when Robbie Gould's chip-shot FG attempt from 29 yards smacked the left upright and bounced straight back.
“We're moving the ball,” Smith said, “we just have to get (more) points.”
Gould's miss spoiled a 13-play drive that used 7 runs and 6 passes to go 69 yards. On the Bears' next possession, Gould connected on a 45-yard attempt, and he added a 52-yarder early in the fourth quarter.
Defensively, the Bears allowed just 146 yards in the first half and 220 for the game, and they kept the Titans off the scoreboard until the final minute of the first half. But they still were unable to get the pass rush going, getting just 1 sack, even though the starters played into the third quarter. Veteran quarterback Matt Hasselbeck threw 17 passes but was not sacked.
“Defensively, we played good except for the one drive,” Smith said, noting the 80-yard TD drive near the end of the half.
The Titans' other TD came after Caleb Hanie drove the Bears deep into Titans territory but then floated a pass too high for Dane Sanzenbacher, which was returned 90 yards for a TD by Tommie Campbell.
Bears 2011 schedule
All home games in CAPS
Preseason
Aug. 13: Bears 10, Buffalo 3 at Buffalo, N.Y.
Aug. 22: N.Y. Giants 41, Bears 13, at Newark, N.J.
Aug. 27: at Tennessee, 7 p.m. FOX
Sept. 1: CLEVELAND, 7 p.m. FOX
Regular season
Sept. 11: ATLANTA, Noon FOX
Sept. 18: at New Orleans, Noon FOX
Sept. 25: GREEN BAY, 3:15 p.m. FOX
Oct. 2: CAROLINA, Noon FOX
Oct. 10: at Detroit, 7:30 p.m. ESPN
Oct. 16: MINNESOTA, 7:20 p.m. NBC
Oct. 23: Bears vs. Tampa Bay in London, Noon FOX
Oct. 30: BYE WEEK
Nov. 7: at Philadelphia, 7:30 ESPN
Nov. 13: DETROIT, Noon FOX*
Nov. 20: SAN DIEGO, 3:15 p.m. CBS*
Nov. 27: at Oakland, 3:05 p.m. FOX*
Dec. 4: KANSAS CITY, Noon CBS*
Dec. 11: at Denver, 3:05 p.m. FOX*
Dec. 18: SEATTLE, Noon FOX*
Dec. 25: at Green Bay, 7:20 p.m. NBC
Jan. 1: at Minnesota, Noon FOX*
* Denotes time subject to change due to NFL flex scheduling