Chicago Bears mostly go to air in second half

Rookie running back Jordan Howard's 31-yard run helped set up Matt Barkley's 31-yard TD pass to Cam Meredith late in the third quarter that drew the Chicago Bears to within 13-10 against the Detroit Lions.

That long run, on just his 10th carry of the game, gave Howard 79 yards; he also had a 28-yard run earlier. But he only got 3 more carries and 7 yards after that.

Howard finished with 86 yards on 13 attempts for a 6.6-yard average.

By comparison, the Bears averaged 6.2 yards per pass play, the Lions 5.5.

Among players with 80 or more carries, only the Buffalo Bills' LeSean McCoy (5.2) and the New Orleans Saints' Mark Ingram (5.1) average more yards per carry than Howard's 5.0.

"The other team practices and gets paid, too," Bears coach John Fox said when asked about the (lack of commitment to the) run game. "I haven't been in too many games where every run is a 30-yard gain.

"It's about execution. Sometimes it can be about scheme - you catch them in the right thing or you check to the right thing. But it's no different than the passing game. It is truly about executing the play against the defense they have out there."

In the Bears' 3 wins, they rushed at least 29 times in all of them, averaging 33 runs per game. In 8 of their 10 losses, the Bears ran 22 times or fewer, averaging just 20 rushes per game.

Drought is over:

Undrafted rookie Cre'Von LeBlanc had a game-high 4 pass breakups Sunday, including his pick-6 that gave the Bears a 17-13 lead midway through the fourth quarter.

Originally signed by New England as a free agent out of Florida Atlantic, LeBlanc was a late cut by the Patriots who was quickly scooped up by the Bears just before the start of the regular season.

"His competitiveness is what stood out to me," coach John Fox said. "And his work ethic, and how hard he studies. He's earned everything he's gotten here.

"You just see him improve. We get to watch him every day in practice. He gets his hands on the ball a lot in practice, so it was good to finally see that happening in a game. That was the big play of the game."

Before LeBlanc and Demontre Hurst picked off Matt Stafford on Sunday, the Bears had gone three straight games without an interception and had just 1 pick in the previous six games.

Recurring theme:

After missing seven of eight games with a left high-ankle sprain, nose tackle Eddie Goldman started two games without incident. But he suffered another re-injury in the third quarter Sunday.

"He's battling, and I respect and appreciate that," John Fox said. "We have to evaluate that. Obviously, it helps to be healthy when you play the game. He was hobbled a bit (Sunday)."

It's possible Goldman could miss the final three games of the season.

Better left unsaid:

Coach John Fox was asked about a CBS Sports report that NFL Hall of Fame executive Bill Polian might be headed to the Bears in an advisory/senior executive role.

"You guys have a lot of reports," Fox said. "Well, somebody does. I don't know who it is. But you're asking about it a lot."

Fox denied the rumor.

"No," he said. "Just like there wasn't a consultant. It's a report. You can report anything these days."

Late in October, NFL Media reported the Bears had "tapped what is being described as an outside consultant" to help evaluate its entire football operation after a 1-6 start.

The report cited several anonymous sources and did not name the consultant.

Fox was asked how the organization deals with such reports.

"I think people kind of take them for what they are," he said, "which is … I can't say it."

Roster move:

The Bears were awarded offensive lineman Matt McCants off waivers and placed offensive lineman Mike Adams on injured reserve. McCants has started three of 28 career contests in five seasons with the New York Giants (2012-13) and Oakland Raiders (2013-16).

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