Bears not using heat as excuse in loss

Miami Gardens, FLA. - Bears coach Matt Nagy refused to use the heat and humidity that combined to push the heat index close to 100 at Hard Rock Stadium as an excuse in his team's 31-28 overtime loss, but it was a factor.

"No. No, not at all," Nagy said when asked if the weather had an effect on the Bears' defense, which allowed 541 total yards, nine more yards than it allowed in the previous two games combined. "It was hot, but our guys are mentally strong. They (the Dolphins) had to play in that, too."

It may have been worse for the Bears, though, since their sideline remained in the sun throughout the game, while the Dolphins were in the shade. Bears staffers spent the afternoon holding up sheets of some type to keep the blazing-hot sun off players on the sideline.

"That's football," Bears S Adrian Amos said." You've got heat, you've got rain, you've got cold, whatever. It's just execute and make plays."

Bears players went out of their way not to make excuses. But they all agreed heat was a factor.

"It was hot out there," DL Akiem Hicks said. "But you have to play the game anyway. You don't get a choice; just play the game. They're playing the game, so we have to play, too."

As the momentum turns:

There were enough turning points in Sunday's game to make anyone's head spin, and the Bears made enough momentum-changing plays to win most games.

The Dolphins seemed destined to win on the first possession of overtime after driving to the Bears' one-yard line, but RB Kenyan Drake fumbled when hit by DL Akiem Hicks, and NT Eddie Goldman recovered in the end zone for the Bears, giving them the ball at the 20.

"They were hurrying us up, and somebody had to make a play," Hicks said. "I just hit the guy. But there were several plays I thought that were going to swing the game and we were going to have the momentum for the rest of the game, such as Kyle Fuller's two interceptions."

The Bears went to halftime trailing 7-0, and it could have been worse if not for a TD-saving interception by Fuller in the shadow of the goal line with 27 seconds remaining. After the Bears tied the game on the opening drive of the second half on Mitch Trubisky's 9-yard shovel pass to TE Trey Burton, Fuller went back to work. The five-year veteran stepped in front of a Brock Osweiler pass intended for Albert Wilson and returned it 35 yards set up Mitch Trubisky's 12-yard TD pass to Allen Robinson on the next play.

"Then there was Tarik Cohen (seven catches for 90 yards plus a 21-yard TD run) flying down the field, and Taylor Gabriel going up one-on-one matched up against some of their best corners and making big plays."

Gabriel caught 5 passes for 110 yards, including receptions of 54 and 47 yards.

"For a 4-foot-11 guy, that's awesome," Hicks said, joking about the 5-foot-8, 165-pound Gabriel.

Backup plan:

For the fourth time this season, the Bears faced a team's backup quarterback for at least part of the game, but it backfired this time Brock Osweiler stepped in for Ryan Tannehill and played one of his better games to lead the Dolphins to victory.

The Bears briefly knocked Packers QB Aaron Rodgers out in the season opener, and he was relieved by DeShone Kizer before Rodgers returned to rally Green Bay to a 24-23 victory. In Week Three, the Cardinals' Sam Bradford was benched in the Bears' 16-14 victory, and rookie Josh Rosen played his first NFL snaps. The following week, the Bears cooled off the red-hot Ryan Fitzpatrick, who was eventually replaced by former starter Jameis Winston, just back from a three-game league suspension.

Injuries and inactives:

OLB Khalil Mack left the game briefly in the first half with an ankle injury but returned and finished.

CB Prince Amukamara wasn't as fortunate. He left in the third quarter with a left hamstring injury, the same malady that sidelined him in Week Four, and he did not return. Undrafted rookie Kevin Toliver replaced Amukamara.

CB Marcus Cooper (hamstring), DL Nick Williams, OLs Rashaad Coward and recently acquired Bryan Witzmann, WR Javon Wims, FB Michael Burton and OLB Kylie Fitts were inactive for the Bears.

• Bob LeGere is a senior writer at Pro Football Weekly. Follow Bob's Bears reports on Twitter @BobLeGere or @PFWeekly.