Rozner: Bears searching for wins, identity

Now it's fair to question everything.

After blowing a 21-7 lead in Carolina on Sunday and losing 31-24 to a Panthers team that came in banged up and doing virtually nothing well, the Bears (2-3) have lost two straight and might be suffering a crisis of confidence.

If they're not, rest assured the fan base is.

Good luck figuring out the 2014 Chicago Bears, who have yet to play two halves in a game this season and are probably fortunate to be alive in the playoff race.

From half to half, the Bears on both sides of the ball seem to carry a different personality, and that's the responsibility of the coaching staff.

There was the odd game against the Bills in the opener when the Bears forced a three-and-out, scored on their first possession and seemed poised for a romp against a 6-10 team.

Instead, they had to rally from 10 down at home before losing in overtime.

There was that horrific first half against the Niners, before coming back from 17 down to win on San Francisco's home field for the first time since 1985.

In New Jersey, it was the Bears going up by 2 touchdowns before hanging on for dear life against a dreadful Jets offense.

Last week the Bears again opened the game with a touchdown on a dominating, 15-play, 80-yard drive that lasted 8:30, before the Packers outscored them 38-10 the rest of the way, including 17-0 in the second half.

So what do you make of these Bears?

You can say they're 2-3 - only that much is certain - with games remaining before the bye against Atlanta, Miami and New England, and then a contest in Green Bay after a week off.

They needed to be at least .500 going into the break, and you have to wonder if they're capable after giving away a game Sunday that the much-hyped offense let get away from them.

"I have to take accountability for our failure to get it done in the second half," said head coach Marc Trestman. "We didn't get it done in all three phases, and that starts with me."

But it's been that way all season and, to an extent, going back to last season. Special teams continue to be a joke. Jay Cutler continues to make ridiculous mistakes, and the defense - while better at times - couldn't make a big play at the end when it was most needed.

With Chris Conte injured again, safety Danny McCray was standing 5 yards away from tight end Greg Olsen on the game-winning touchdown. On third-and-goal from the 6-yard line, Olsen gave a slight outside move and easily beat McCray inside on the quick slant.

"It's not so much about the best team. It's more about effort," said defensive end Willie Young. "We thought we were in control. They made great adjustments and we just have to figure out how to win when we have a lead like that."

After being up 21-7, and clearly the better team on both sides of the ball, a Bears drive that would have ended the game late in the first half stalled after a first down on the Carolina 24. Robbie Gould missed a 35-yard field goal - on what looked like a high snap - with 1:55 remaining, when the Bears had a total yards advantage of 230-88.

The Bears had been the aggressive team to that point, but Carolina made corrections and the Bears went quiet on offense, the Panthers outscoring the Bears 24-3 and outgaining them 233-117 the rest of the way.

Since the opening drive of the second half against the Jets, when they scored a touchdown, the Bears have 6 points in the last six second-half quarters, with 3 points Sunday against a Carolina team that allowed 75 the last two weeks, 45 in the second half.

"We're gonna have to take a look at that," Cutler said. "The turnovers have a lot to do with that. In the second half we're gonna have to find ways to get some chunks (of yards)."

Take your pick - pun fully intended - of the Bears' worst mistakes. Up 24-21 with only 6:08 left in the game, after the defense held three straight times, Cutler near midfield needed a time-killing drive when he threw over the middle and missed Santonio Holmes.

Panthers safety Thomas DeCoud picked it and ran it back to the Bears' 32.

"High over the middle of the field is never good," Cutler said, "and it happened twice today."

The Bears' defense stopped Carolina again and a field goal tied the game at 24-24.

With 4:29 left and plenty of time to go down and win the game, Matt Forte fumbled on the first play, and the Olsen touchdown followed six plays later.

"The turnovers hurt and we couldn't convert on third down," Cutler said of the Bears being 1-for-6 in the second half. "Obviously, those are things that lose you football games."

Mistakes on special teams and 10 penalties for 80 yards also help you lose football games.

"There were many opportunities to close this game out offensively," Cutler said. "We put our defense in a bad spot a few times. I thought our defense played well given the circumstances we put them in."

That's true enough. The 2 late turnovers, plus a bad snap on a field goal and an odd punt return for a touchdown, and that's 20 points right there.

The coaching staff better figure it out quickly or this season could get away from the Bears in a hurry.

brozner@dailyherald.com

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