Tough day at the office for Bears
It wasn't as bad as Kyle Long made it sound, but for the two-time Pro Bowl guard who's playing tackle for the first time this year, Sunday's performance was pretty bad.
Quarterback Jay Cutler was sacked three times, and Long allowed 2 of them, 1 to Trent Tucker and 1 to Ryan Kerrigan. Long also had a false start.
"The false start is uncharacteristic of myself," Long said. "Getting beat for 2 sacks is uncharacteristic of myself. There were a lot of things I did today that I wasn't happy with.
"I've said it before, there are a few plays that I wish I could have back. I honestly feel like I cost this team a game today in the first half. No matter how good our team played in the second half, I feel like I dug us enough of a hole to put us behind the 8-ball."
Trailing 14-0 in the second quarter, the Bears were at the Washington 39-yard line and driving. But Murphy beat Long and drilled Cutler, forcing a fumble that the outside linebacker recovered.
"That's what it looks like to get caught with your pants down," Long said.
The Kerrigan sack stopped the Bears' first possession of the second half before it got started.
"He just made a great play at the end, second effort," Long said. "I thought I was in a position where I had him blocked. I've been in that situation a number of times running that guy around the edge. I just need to do a better job finishing it."
Long wasn't the only offensive lineman whose mistakes cost the team. Left guard Matt Slauson's holding call on the opening possession set the Bears back 10 yards and wiped out a 10-yard run by Matt Forte, leaving them with a third-and-24 they didn't convert. Left tackle Charles Leno's holding call wiped out a 14-yard Jay Cutler-to-Zach Miller completion and helped to kill a second-quarter drive. Center Hroniss Grasu's false start got the final possession off on the wrong foot.
Still, Long blamed himself.
"I can tell you when you've got 10 out of 11 guys doing what they're supposed to do, no matter how good those 10 are, you're not going to get it done," he said. "If you have 10 guys going 100 miles an hour and there's one guy who doesn't know what the (heck) he's doing or is getting beat every play, you're going to have issues."
Long vowed to learn from his struggles.
"True character is revealed in adversity, and you have to remain confident," he said. "I've been humbled day in and day out this year playing a new position. But I am the right tackle, and I take full ownership of my mistakes, and I won't let it happen again."
Another tough day:
Robbie Gould had the perfect stage to atone for his 2 missed field goals that went wide left and played a large part in last week's overtime loss.
But, with the Bears trailing 24-21, his 50-yard attempt with 1:40 left went wide right. Way wide.
"It's frustrating," Gould said. "It's tough. You've got guys out there competing and doing a great job all game, and it comes down to one play. My teammates rely on me, and the last two weeks, I just haven't got it done."
After starting the season 17-for-17, Gould has missed 6 of his last 15 kicks, including 3 in a row, twice, which he's never done in his 10 previous seasons.
With a first-and-10 at the Washington 35-yard line after Alshon Jeffery's 50-yard reception, the Bears managed just 3 yards, but Gould said that was close enough.
"They got it in range," he said, "I have to make it."
Sitting it out:
For the second time in five games, outside linebacker Pernell McPhee was inactive with a knee injury, and he was replaced in the starting lineup by Willie Young, who had a sack for the fourth straight game.
The Bears' other inactives were safety Antrel Rolle (knee) for the fourth straight week, cornerback Bryce Callahan (quad), running back Antone Smith, guard Nick Becton, wide receiver Cam Meredith and defensive lineman Ziggy Hood. Chris Prosinski started in place of Rolle for the fourth straight week.