Dec. 08--The Bears gathered at team headquarters as usual Monday to turn the page after Sunday's game. Weightlifting, a team meeting and video review are part of a routine designed to be cathartic, regardless of Sunday's final score. But the cruel nature of their 26-20 overtime loss to the 49ers amplified the degree of difficulty in this instance.
With postseason qualification a consideration on the distant horizon, the Bears lost a seven-point lead with less than two minutes remaining in regulation. They missed a 36-yard field-goal attempt as the fourth quarter expired. And they surrendered a 71-yard game-ending touchdown to a team that had lost all five of its previous road games.
It left an extraordinary wound and a sense the season reached a disappointing climax.
The Bears, though, following their coach's lead and clinging to the spirit that propelled them to relevance, vowed to keep pushing through the final quarter of the season.
"One of the things I told the team today ... we've been a resilient, hard-playing group," coach John Fox said. "Sometimes we've just got to be better as far as our performance. Those are the things you practice every day. You work at them -- regardless of what the position is -- because you're competing against some pretty highly competitive people as well. We just try to keep getting better."
Getting back to work was a form of rallying cry, as the Bears dealt with life on the opposite end of the emotional spectrum from their Thanksgiving road victory over the Packers.
"In my experience in this league, it's either a carnival after you win or it's a crisis after you lose," Fox said.
But it's not as though the Bears plan to fold their tent.
Despite falling to 5-7 overall and 1-5 at home, right tackle Kyle Long said his pride is at stake in the final four games.
"You could go down the entire line of our roster and they'd all echo the same thing, and I know they'd mean it because I've seen these guys," Long said. "I've seen the preparation they've put in, the hard work, the long hours."
Added defensive lineman Jarvis Jenkins: "We can't go in these last couple of games saying the season is over. These last four games are definitely going to be a test of character for the whole team."
It has been a while since a team coached by Fox has had to play out the string -- his Broncos made the playoffs in each of the last four years -- but there were some strong finishes under those circumstances during his nine seasons with the Panthers.
In his first year there in 2002, the Panthers won four of their last five to finish 7-9. In 2004, the year after a Super Bowl berth, they turned a 1-7 record into a 7-9 finish.
Jenkins said Fox spoke to the Bears on Monday about trying to finish 9-7. The first step was reviewing why they failed to beat a 49ers team that had surrendered more than 35 points and 460 yards per road game this season.
The offense missed multiple opportunities for touchdowns, some because of inaccurate or late throws by quarterback Jay Cutler. The defense didn't react in time to prevent Blaine Gabbert's game-tying 44-yard touchdown scramble and then blew its coverage on the game-winning touchdown.
As for Robbie Gould, who missed two second-half field-goal attempts, Fox grouped the kicker's shortcomings with the rest.
"It's like missing a block, it's like missing a pass, it's like dropping a ball, giving up an explosive pass," Fox said. "You go back to work and try and get better and perfect your craft. You move on to the next one."
No matter how painful.
"I love this team," Long said. "They love the game, and we want to win. I promise you it will get better. Gosh, we're in every game. But it's not good enough, and we need to be better."
rcampbell@tribpub.com
