On the day after, Bears lament missed chances

It wasn't just the defense or just the offense or even just Charles Tillman's penalty that cost the Bears a victory Sunday at Soldier Field.

It was the inability to make a big play, THE play, when it mattered. And it wasn't just one play. There were several opportunities to make a play, just one play, that might have reversed the outcome.

"We had a lot of opportunities to make plays down the stretch, and we didn't," coach Lovie Smith said.

"The game was in our hands," middle linebacker Brian Urlacher said. "You make one play and the game's over."

In reverse order, here are the plays that could have made the day for the Bears but instead sealed their fate.

• With the Bucs facing second-and-10 from the Bears' 44, the defense still had a chance to prevent a game-winning field goal. But on that play, Antonio Bryant got behind Nate Vasher, and Brian Griese hit him in stride for 38 yards.

"Just a great ball and a great catch," Vasher said. "It had been a long game, and they just made the plays when they needed to."

And, of course, as usual the Bears' pass rush, which registered no sacks, was missing in action on that play, too.

• That fateful final drive probably never happens if Rashied Davis doesn't drop a perfectly thrown pass from Kyle Orton on the preceding possession. On third-and-7 with the Bears at their own 47, the pass hit Davis in the hands at the Bucs' 33 for what would have been a first down.

"I took my eyes off the ball," Davis said. "It should have been an easy catch. I just dropped an easy pass. It shouldn't have happened, but it did, unfortunately."

The drop left Davis in a dark mood.

"I wanted to jump off a bridge," he said. "No, I'm just joking. But I was upset. I beat myself up all night. I watched the film (Monday). I know one play doesn't determine the outcome of a game. It was a big play. I should have made it, and I didn't."

• But Davis would never have been in the position of dropping that pass if the offense could have managed just 1 first down when it took possession at its 20-yard line and just 3:11 left in the game. Instead the Bears went 3 plays and punted.

"That was huge," offensive coordinator Ron Turner said. "We've got to get at least 1 (first down). We'd like to get 2, but 1 for sure."

It should have been easy enough after Matt Forte picked up 7 yards on first down. But Forte gained just 1 yard on second-and-3, and Orton was forced to scramble on third down and was stopped for no gain.

"We had an opportunity," Orton said. "But it's just another example of we weren't able to do it."

Tight end Greg Olsen was the primary receiver on the play, but he was well covered, leaving Orton no choice but to run.

"It was fake the run and with eight, nine guys in the box, obviously (they were) ready for the run," Turner said. "We ended up bringing (Orton) out on a naked bootleg. Greg was coming from the other side and was supposed to be in the flat but got knocked off (his route). (Orton) had two other options but couldn't get them."

So the Bears had several chances to win Sunday, but they couldn't capitalize on any of them when it counted.

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