3 and out: What mattered, what didn't in Bears' OT loss
Takeaways following the Chicago Bears' 26-23 loss in overtime to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
Three moments that mattered
Lutz's redemption: In overtime, both teams traded punts after both offenses stalled, but Drew Brees began to unlock his magic with time winding down. Bears nickelback Buster Skrine was tagged for a costly penalty to give the Saints a first down with 1:47 left and Alvin Kamara put the Saints in position for the win on a 35-yard field goal. Will Lutz knocked it through for the victory. Lutz surprisingly missed a 27-yard attempt in the first quarter.
Santos is money: Nick Foles found Darnell Mooney for a 3-yard touchdown to close the gap to 23-20 with 3:30 left. The ensuing Saints possession, the Bears defense forced a three-and-out heading into the two minute warning. After a shaky, but successful drive to get into field goal range, Cairo Santos hit a game-tying 51-yard field goal with 13 seconds left to force overtime.
Miller Time: During the Bears' game-tying drive to close the fourth quarter, Nick Foles completed a pair of fourth downs to Anthony Miller and Allen Robinson apiece to prolong that drive. Without those, the Bears leave Soldier Field without a chance in overtime.
Three things that worked
Bend but don't break: The Bears defense wasn't perfect, but despite some breakdowns at times, they collectively were a bigger reason for the Bears' comeback than arguably the offense despite the loss. The Saints weren't at full strength with their offensive personnel, but holding Brees to 2-of-13 on third down, 280 passing yards and crucial late game plays by Roquan Smith and others can't be overlooked.
Monty gets going: David Montgomery definitely had his best game of the season despite another injury to a battered offensive line with Bobbie Massie leaving in the first half. After just 48 yards last week against Los Angeles, Montgomery broke through for a 38-yard run - a season high - and finished with 89 yards, his best since Week 2 against the Giants.
Welcome, Sam: Sam Mustipher had his first NFL start filling in for Cody Whitehair at center. For an offensive line needing positive results as the injury carousel continues, Mustipher can be considered one. It's not easy as a former undrafted free agent to anchor an offensive line missing three of its starters, but he did enough to pass his audition.
Three things that didn't
Let's talk about Foles: Another week, another Nick Foles' performance that breathed life to a possible Mitch Trubisky return, or at least entertaining that conversation for the majority of three quarters. It's clear the mixture of offensive line woes, questionable Matt Nagy decisions and quarterback play is all connected, but we have to wonder if there is more ahead for Trubisky than his one play insertion when the offense can sputter as often as it does - even if Foles, often ugly, leads them back.
What was he thinking: Bears wideout Javon Wims should get a stern talking to from coaches after getting ejected for picking a fight with Saints defensive back CJ Gardner-Johnson in the third quarter. The Fox broadcast showed possible context from an earlier play concerning Miller and Gardner-Johnson, but regardless, it was a terrible decision with his team struggling to open the half. Wims could get cut for that.
Third-down issues: Another area the Bears offense continues to flounder on is on third downs. The Bears finished 5-of-15. It's an area harped on several times in previous week, but the Bears' inability to convert third downs is pretty glaring when several aspects of the offense are broken as it is.
What's next
The Bears pay a visit to Derrick Henry and the Tennessee Titans next Sunday. The Titans took a surprising loss to the Cincinnati Bengals this weekend.