What we learned in Bears’ heartbreaking 12-7 loss vs. Commanders originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
CHICAGO – The game Jeff Bezos paid all that money for, Bears and Washington Commanders on Thursday Night Football, went exactly how everyone predicted.
A mistake-filled slopfest of a first half saw the Commanders take a 3-0 lead into the locker room. The Bears’ defense, which has had trouble starting fast, held Carson Wentz and Co. to 88 yards through the first two stanzas.
The Bears took what look like an insurmountable (joking) 7-3 lead in the third quarter. But the Commanders added a third-quarter field goal. Then, Brian Robinson punched in a 1-yard rushing touchdown midway through the fourth quarter after a Velus Jones muffed punt set Washington up at the Bears’ 6-yard line.
Justin Fields had an opportunity to play the hero, but Darnell Mooney’s catch on fourth-and-goal came up inches short of a game-winning score.
Here’s what we learned in the Bears’ ugly 12-7 loss vs. the Commanders on Thursday Night Football:
First-half red zone woes
The Bears’ offense had success moving the ball on the Commanders’ in the first half but entered halftime with a bagel on the scoreboard thanks to terrible execution in the red area.
On their second drive of the game, Fields moved the Bears down to the 5-yard line. On second-and-goal, Fields dropped back to pass and rifled a ball right into the helmet of Commanders defensive lineman Efe Obada. The ball popped straight up into the air and was intercepted by defensive tackle Jonathan Allen to turn the Bears away.
Khalil Herbert opened the Bears’ next drive with a 64-yard run down to the Washington 6-yard line. A penalty got the Bears down to the 3-yard line and in prime position to open the scoring with six.
But once again, the Bears’ offense failed to punch it in.
Herbert rushed for no gain on first down, and Fields overthrew a wide-open Ryan Griffin in the end zone on second down. It was a creative play call by offensive coordinator Luke Getsy to spring Griffin behind the Commanders’ defense, but Fields missed an easy throw.
Fields scrambled down to the 1 on third down. Matt Eberflus elected to go for it on fourth down, but Herbert was stuffed for no gain.
It was an ugly half for a Bears’ offense that was confident in its red-zone ability coming into Thursday.
The Bears went 0-for-3 in the red zone on the night.
Solution? Score before the red zone
The Bears finally broke the seal on the end zone and delighted broadcaster Al Michaels, who has been dying during the Thursday night touchdown drought.
Starting at their own 6-yard line, Fields moved the Bears’ to the Commanders’ 40-yard line in eight plays before showing off his prolific deep-ball ability.
Fields dropped back and tossed a rainbow dime to Dante Pettis for a 40-yard touchdown. The second-year quarterback was walloped on the play and stayed down at midfield for a few moments after the play before doing a push-up and popping up with a smile.
It was a four verticals play the Bears called against a single-high safety. Fields hit the outside receiver in one-on-one coverage.
Disaster strikes
Two weeks after a crucial muffed punt in the Week 4 loss to the Giants, rookie Velus Jones Jr. once again had a moment to forget.
Leading 7-6, the Bears’ defense forced Washington to punt with 8:18 remaining.
The ball got caught up in the Chicago wind. Jones drifted back inside the 10-yard line but couldn’t beat the ball to the spot. The ball clanged off his body, and the Commanders recovered at the 6-yard line.
Two plays later, Brian Robinson plowed into the end zone to give Washington a 12-7 lead after a failed two-point conversion.
Hero time
Fields and the Bears’ offense got the ball down five with 7:21 remaining. That’s enough time for Getsy to have his entire playbook available.
Fields and David Montgomery moved the ball to the Washington 42-yard line, but that’s where the drive stalled.
Fields threw incomplete for Cole Kmet on first down, and Ihmir Smith-Marsette lost 1 yard on a rush on second down. Fields’ pass for Dante Pettis fell incomplete on third down. On fourth-and-16, after a delay of game, Fields fired a pass over the middle toward Smith-Marsette, but the receiver cold dropped the ball. He was also several yards short of the line to gain.
The Bears would get one more chance, though.
One Fields would almost deliver on.
After Commanders kicker Joey Slye missed a 48-yard field goal, Fields took over with 1:49 remaining at the Bears’ 38-yard line.
On second-and-15, Fields hit Pettis for 10 and then hit David Montgomery for 13. On the ensuing play, Fields rolled left and had no one open. Instead of throwing it away, Fields took off, found a lane, and scrambled for 39 yards down to the Washington 5-yard line.
But the red-zone woes hit the Bears one final time.
On fourth-and-goal from the 4, Fields tossed a ball up to Darnell Mooney. The receiver outjumped the corner and caught the ball but came down at the inch line, leaving the Bears just short of a Thursday night win.
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