Rozner: As the light fades, so do Bears

You could make a list of all the Bears who played poorly Sunday.

But it would be considerably easier to list those who played well, considering how very few names would appear.

In a half-empty stadium against a half-baked opponent on just about the dreariest afternoon imaginable, it probably shouldn't be a shock that the Bears were a no-show.

Along with thousands of season-ticket holders, the Bears didn't bother to make an appearance at Soldier Field, a week after giving away a game to the Niners along with their microscopic playoff chances.

With the season quite obviously over, the Bears (5-8) went through the motions in a 24-21 loss to Washington at Soldier Field - where they are 1-6 - and left them scratching their heads after three losses in their last four games.

"I don't think we're playing terrible football," said tight end Zach Miller, who had 5 catches for 85 yards and a touchdown. "I think we're right on the fringe of playing well, but the little things make a difference between really good and really average football."

In the four games since Hroniss Grasu returned at center and Matt Slauson shifted back to guard, the Bears' offense hasn't been nearly as effective and the offensive line has really struggled.

This is a development year so it makes sense to play the kid and help him get better as they look to the future, and while it's unfair to place the blame on any one position, the reality is the line has had trouble getting back into a rhythm since the switch at center.

"I don't think it's about personnel. I think it's about executing properly," Slauson said. "We just keep shooting ourselves in the foot."

The Bears committed 7 penalties for 79 yards, 4 of those by the offensive line. Jay Cutler was sacked 3 times and hit twice that number.

Since Slauson left the middle and stopped calling out assignments, Kyle Long's play has also suffered. Still learning to play tackle, he was beaten for a sack-fumble Sunday and had a false start.

"I had a really (lousy) game," Long said. "We never should have put Robbie (Gould) in that position at the end of the game. If I don't give up a sack-strip, maybe it never comes to that."

Washington took the opening kickoff and marched 80 yards in 15 plays while squeezing 8:30 off the clock before the Bears sniffed the football.

By the time it was 14-0 Washington, the Bears had run 5 plays for 8 yards and had the football for about 4 minutes, while the visitors had possessed the ball for 23 plays, 173 yards, 2 TDs and 11:48 of the clock.

After the sack-fumble gave Washington the football at midfield with a chance to open up the game by three scores only 6 minutes into the second quarter, the Bears looked like a team playing out the string.

But they held on that possession and after being down 21-7 in the third, the Bears did come back and make a game of it, tying the score late in the third quarter.

"I don't sense one bit that anyone has let up," Miller said. "We're coming up short, but no one has cashed it in. We're frustrated, but we're still working hard and no one has quit."

Last week, Gould hooked a 36-yarder as regulation time expired that would have given the Bears the win, and Sunday he pushed right a 50-yard field goal with 1:42 left that would have tied the game and perhaps sent the game into overtime.

And just like that, Gould has stopped comparing himself to Michael Jordan.

"I kicked the ball great all week and all day today," Gould said. "I've done it a lot in my career and I've done it a lot this season.

"The last two weeks, I don't know why. I can't pinpoint it. I had a great week of work. I warmed up good and hit it good all day. I just have to get it done."

There was no shortage of players taking the blame postgame Sunday, but there was probably no unit worse than the offensive line, something management must continue to look at.

"I love all the guys in our (offensive line) room," Slauson said. "As far as I'm concerned, yes, we have the guys to get it done, but that's a question for someone who gets paid a lot more than I do."

So the Bears have three more games to work on their chemistry and figure out how to fix what's wrong as they look to 2016, but the offensive line needs a couple significant upgrades.

And though Long had a tough day, the superstar guard has sparkled at times since moving out to tackle, and he's also had some games like Sunday's.

He sat at his locker after meeting the media and spent a few minutes head in hands, searching for the answers with none forthcoming.

But on a team with so many worries, rest assured that Long is the least of them.

brozner@dailyherald.com

• Hear Barry Rozner on WSCR 670-AM and follow him @BarryRozner on Twitter.