Bears get a win they needed
The Bears played Sunday night like a team not wanting to fall out of playoff contention and into the NFC North cellar after just six weeks.
So they responded with their most complete performance of the season, the Bears are back at .500 and heading across the pond at 3-3 with the momentum from a 39-10 blowout victory over the Minnesota Vikings (1-5) at Soldier Field.
“We talk about three phases, and all three phases contributed tonight,” coach Lovie Smith said. “We hope that’s who we are, the team you saw tonight.”
Offensively, the Bears put together the balanced attack that has eluded them most of the season, picking up large chunks of yardage through the air and on the ground. Matt Forte’s 87 yards led a ground attack that contributed 119 yards, and quarterback Jay Cutler’s passer rating of 115.9 was his best of the season. He was sacked just once after being dumped 18 times in the first five games.
“Our offensive line did a good job on pass protection and opening holes for Matt and Marion Barber,” Smith said. “And Jay was outstanding throughout.”
A defense that had been suspect at best through five weeks imposed its will on the Vikings, shutting down the NFC’s leading rusher, Adrian Peterson (39 yards on 12 carries), and putting enough pressure on quarterback Donovan McNabb to keep the Vikings out of the end zone in an impressive first half.
The pass rush got to McNabb four times in the third quarter, including 2 by Julius Peppers, and the defense looked nothing like the group that came in ranked 29th in total yards, 28th in rushing yards and 27th in passing yards allowed.
The Bears also were 28th in sack percentage.
And, oh, by the way, since the game was played in prime time, Devin Hester had the obligatory kick-return touchdown, going 98 yards in the third quarter for his fifth career kickoff-return TD. He also has 11 punt-return TDs, including one in Week 4.
Although they don’t count toward his career total, Hester also has a 108-yard return of a missed field goal, and a kickoff-return touchdown in Super Bowl XLI. Of those 18 TDs, 8 have come in prime time.
It finally seems as if franchise quarterback Cutler and free-agent wide receiver Roy Williams (3 catches, 50 yards) are on the same page after an awkward and lengthy getting-to-know-you period.
Twice in the first quarter Cutler drilled strikes to Williams cutting across the middle of the Vikings’ secondary, picking up 17 yards each time.
Both catches helped set up Bears touchdowns.
But Williams was just one of many targets Cutler hit in his most effective performance of the season. It seemed as if every weapon in the Bears’ offense was on the same page as the quarterback, who completed passes to seven different receivers in the first quarter alone.
Cutler had more time to throw than in any previous game this season, even though he was playing behind the fifth different O-line alignment in six games.
It appears offensive-line coach Mike Tice may have found a winning combination with left tackle J’Marcus Webb, left guard Chris Williams, center Roberto Garza, right guard Chris Spencer and right tackle Lance Louis — at least for now.
Hester, who had just 12 catches for 171 yards through five weeks, finished with 5 catches for 91 yards and a 48-yard TD to get the party started, but he left in the fourth quarter with a chest injury that wasn’t considered serious.
“We get a big one like that, and everyone starts feeling good,” Cutler said of the TD pass to Hester. “We still kept it simple. Got rid of the ball on time (and) ran the ball well.”
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