Bears set NFL record for false starts in first half Monday night
Monday night’s 9 false starts broke down this way: left tackle J’Marcus Webb (3), tight end Kellen Davis (2), left guard Chris Williams, right tackle Frank Omiyale, running back Matt Forte and safety Chris Conte (on a punt).
“We started off with a regular count, and the guys were having trouble hearing me, so we went to a silent count,” quarterback Jay Cutler said. “The pressure that they were putting on our offensive line with their defensive line, I think that started to accumulate a little bit and guys started wanting to get out of there a little bit quicker (and) the crowd noise, there’s a lot of things that happened. But, at the end of the day, it can’t happen. We practice that. We bring speakers out on our field, so this isn’t anything new to us. We’ve played in loud situations before.”
According to Stats LLC, the Bears’ 6 false starts in the first half is an NFL record. It was easily the loudest crowd the Bears have ever experienced at Ford Field. In past years, for instance from 2006-09, when the Lions went 12-52, Bears fans nearly outnumbered Lions fans, so noise wasn’t a problem. But Cutler said Monday night wasn’t much different from any other loud indoor stadium.
“It wasn’t anything that crazy, (but) it was loud,” Cutler said. “We played in New Orleans, and it was loud. When we go to Green Bay, it’s going to be loud, and when we go to Minnesota, it’s going to be loud. If you don’t handle it well, you’re probably going to lose and that’s what happened to us.”
Remain calm: After just five games, the 2-3 Bears are three full games behind the 5-0 Lions and Packers in the NFC North and have already lost to both of them, which also leaves them at a disadvantage in tiebreakers.#147;There is never a time for panic, but we need to have a sense of urgency,#148; running back Matt Forte said. #147;If you panic, you get out of your regular rhythm. We need to cut down on penalties and, if the opportunity to make a big play is there, make that. Eliminate the mistakes.#148;In his last two games, Forte has rushed for 321 yards on 47 carries, a 6.8-yard average.Getting beat deep:Safeties Chris Harris and Brandon Meriweather were both in the vicinity of Calvin Johnson when he hauled in Matthew Stafford#146;s bomb that resulted in a 73-yard TD. But neither was in position to do anything about it.#147;He threw it, Calvin caught it, and he scored a touchdown,#148; Harris said. #147;There#146;s really no answer to it. I#146;ve got to play better. That#146;s probably the best answer I can give you right now.#148;Identifying the problem:As usual, the Bears struggled more often than most teams at getting plays in to quarterback Jay Cutler, which resulted in wasted timeouts. #147;I can#146;t really give you an answer for that,#148; coach Lovie Smith said. #147;We#146;ve got to get the plays in a little bit quicker. We#146;ve got to do a better job.#148;Follow Bob#146;s Bears reports via Twitter @Bob LeGere and check out our Bear Essentials blog at dailyherald.com.