Oct. 20--Kicker Robbie Gould nonchalantly low-fived holder Pat O'Donnell after the Bears' third of four field goals against the Lions on Sunday. From one perspective, the successful try from 38 yards was a good thing. From another, though, it was not.
Yes, it reduced the Bears' deficit in a back-and-forth game. But it resulted from another failure to finish a red-zone possession with a touchdown.
Field goals are often a consolation, something the offense settles for. And the Bears did so too often in their 37-34 overtime loss.
"We've got to be more efficient," quarterback Jay Cutler lamented. "We've got to get touchdowns instead of three (points)."
That was painfully obvious after the Bears scored touchdowns on just three of their eight trips inside the Lions 20-yard line because of a variety of breakdowns and missed chances.
Coach John Fox considered it to be seven trips, excluding the final possession of regulation because the Bears ran out of time to attempt a game-winning touchdown. Nonetheless, they couldn't escape the feeling they left points on the field after moving the ball well.
"We've got to finish better," left guard Matt Slauson said. "Situations like that come back to get you in the end."
It has been a season-long problem that surfaced during exhibition games. Through Sunday, the Bears ranked 25th in the NFL in red-zone efficiency, and their six field-goal attempts from inside 30 yards were the most in the league.
Against the Lions, the Bears settled for field goals on separate drives that included first downs from the 10, the 5 and the 19. A closer look at why they stalled reveals an array of issues.
In the first quarter, on first-and-goal from the 10, the offensive line appeared to miss a blocking assignment. With right tackle Kyle Long and tight end Martellus Bennett double-teaming an edge defender, linebacker Josh Bynes entered the backfield unblocked and tackled Matt Forte for a loss of 1.
On the next play, Cutler kept the ball on a zone-read option, probably a misread considering how defensive end Devin Taylor attacked the mesh point. Cutler gained only 2 yards.
On third down, the Lions harassed Cutler in the pocket despite rushing only three. His off-balance pass to Bennett was broken up.
In the second quarter, on first-and-goal from the 5, rookie receiver Cameron Meredith lost a block on a screen pass to Eddie Royal. On second down, the Bears' seven-man protection picked up the Lions' eight-man blitz, but Cutler fell away from his throw and the ball sailed behind Royal on a slant.
"We've just got to get on the details, myself included," Cutler said. "We've just got to be more precise down there. Everything happens a little bit faster down there, so we've just got to be on it."
After the Bears recovered a muffed punt in the third quarter, Long's holding penalty on first-and-10 from the 19 put them behind the chains. After the game, he voiced his frustration in a tweet.
"I played like dog (excrement) today," he wrote. "Missed blocks, holding penalties. You should never hear my name. Sorry Chicago. You deserve great"
No wonder red-zone offense will be one of the areas coaches self-scout during the upcoming week off. Part of their focus will be on timing, Fox said.
"It's harder to run because the field is short; it's harder to pass because the field is short," he said. "It's an area that I wish we could have executed better."
rcampbell@tribpub.com
