Sparkey
02-05-2007, 11:09 AM
Grading the Bears
By John Mullin
Tribune staff reporter
February 4, 2007, 11:52 PM CST
MIAMI -- Tribune reporter John Mullin turns in his report card for Sunday's game.
QUARTERBACK
Grade: D-
Rex Grossman completed 6 of 8 passes in the first half, one for a touchdown. But his stumble and mishandled snap in the third quarter were disasters, and an ill-advised heave toward Muhsin Muhammad early in the fourth quarter was intercepted by Kelvin Hayden and returned for a touchdown to end any real chance of a comeback. His poor throw to Bernard Berrian was picked off one possession later. Two interceptions and two dropped snaps.
RUNNING BACKS
Grade: B
Thomas Jones ripped off a 52-yard scamper in the first quarter but was held to 12 yards on his other seven first-half carries. Losing Cedric Benson to a knee injury late in the first quarter cost the Bears their power runner. Jones could have used the relief, though the Bears rarely stayed on the field to get into an offensive rhythm against a Colts defense that was determined to make yardage expensive. Jones finished with 112 yards rushing on 15 carries and caught four passes. Fullback Jason McKie caught two passes.
RECEIVERS
Grade: C
Muhsin Muhammad held on to a Rex Grossman rocket for a 4-yard touchdown and made solid catches when Grossman and the offense gave him chances. The Colts took Bernard Berrian out of the offense entirely and forced Grossman into interceptions twice in the fourth quarter. Desmond Clark led the Bears with six catches for 64 yards, but he was never able to do more than irritate the Colts and never burned them.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Grade: C-
The line destroyed the Colts' front on a 52-yard run by Jones to set up a touchdown, and it opened occasional holes for Jones. But the line of scrimmage never belonged to the Bears, and too many of Jones' rushing yards came too late to make a difference. Protection was generally very good, with the only sack coming on a stumble. But being unable to take the game away from a much smaller Colts front seven was a difference in the game.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Grade: D-
The front four rarely pressured Peyton Manning, and the Colts ran almost at will. Mark Anderson and Tank Johnson shared the only sack of Manning, and the Bears were credited with only two hits on him. The Colts gashed the middle of the defense more than any opponent all season, finishing with 191 yards rushing, their second-highest total of the season.
LINEBACKERS
Grade: D
Brian Urlacher deflected Manning's first pass, but the Colts schemed to get passes to their backs, particularly Joseph Addai, underneath the linebackers. Addai and Dominic Rhodes combined for 264 yards of total offense. Addai caught a game-high 10 passes. Lance Briggs had a game-high 13 tackles and a pass deflection, but the Colts got the linebackers in bad positions and poor angles. Execution did the rest.
SECONDARY
Grade: D
Safety Chris Harris played deep coverage perfectly for an interception on the Colts' first possession, and cornerback Nathan Vasher broke up three passes. But Harris and Danieal Manning had a breakdown in deep coverage to yield a 53-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne, the defense started playing deeper to protect itself from big plays and Manning picked the defense apart for 247 yards on 25-for-38 passing.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Grade: C+
Devin Hester ran back the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown for an instant highlight, but Gabe Reid fumbled the second return. Brad Maynard averaged a very respectable 45.2 yards on five punts, but coverage allowed 42 yards on three returns. Other than Hester's score, kickoff returns were ragged. The Colts rarely allowed the Bears to establish anything for the four others who ran back kicks, none for more than 15 yards. Robbie Gould converted a 44-yard field goal, his only attempt.
COACHING
Grade: C-
It's difficult to evaluate the game-planning when the execution in so many areas was so poor at key times. The defense appeared content to make Manning beat the scheme with short throws, and he was more than happy to take what the Bears gave him. The Bears could not adjust, failing to find a way to take the game out of his hands. The offense was done in by late interceptions. The offense called 10 running plays and nine passes in the first half, but balance matters only when there are enough plays to do anything.
jmullin@tribune.com
By John Mullin
Tribune staff reporter
February 4, 2007, 11:52 PM CST
MIAMI -- Tribune reporter John Mullin turns in his report card for Sunday's game.
QUARTERBACK
Grade: D-
Rex Grossman completed 6 of 8 passes in the first half, one for a touchdown. But his stumble and mishandled snap in the third quarter were disasters, and an ill-advised heave toward Muhsin Muhammad early in the fourth quarter was intercepted by Kelvin Hayden and returned for a touchdown to end any real chance of a comeback. His poor throw to Bernard Berrian was picked off one possession later. Two interceptions and two dropped snaps.
RUNNING BACKS
Grade: B
Thomas Jones ripped off a 52-yard scamper in the first quarter but was held to 12 yards on his other seven first-half carries. Losing Cedric Benson to a knee injury late in the first quarter cost the Bears their power runner. Jones could have used the relief, though the Bears rarely stayed on the field to get into an offensive rhythm against a Colts defense that was determined to make yardage expensive. Jones finished with 112 yards rushing on 15 carries and caught four passes. Fullback Jason McKie caught two passes.
RECEIVERS
Grade: C
Muhsin Muhammad held on to a Rex Grossman rocket for a 4-yard touchdown and made solid catches when Grossman and the offense gave him chances. The Colts took Bernard Berrian out of the offense entirely and forced Grossman into interceptions twice in the fourth quarter. Desmond Clark led the Bears with six catches for 64 yards, but he was never able to do more than irritate the Colts and never burned them.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Grade: C-
The line destroyed the Colts' front on a 52-yard run by Jones to set up a touchdown, and it opened occasional holes for Jones. But the line of scrimmage never belonged to the Bears, and too many of Jones' rushing yards came too late to make a difference. Protection was generally very good, with the only sack coming on a stumble. But being unable to take the game away from a much smaller Colts front seven was a difference in the game.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Grade: D-
The front four rarely pressured Peyton Manning, and the Colts ran almost at will. Mark Anderson and Tank Johnson shared the only sack of Manning, and the Bears were credited with only two hits on him. The Colts gashed the middle of the defense more than any opponent all season, finishing with 191 yards rushing, their second-highest total of the season.
LINEBACKERS
Grade: D
Brian Urlacher deflected Manning's first pass, but the Colts schemed to get passes to their backs, particularly Joseph Addai, underneath the linebackers. Addai and Dominic Rhodes combined for 264 yards of total offense. Addai caught a game-high 10 passes. Lance Briggs had a game-high 13 tackles and a pass deflection, but the Colts got the linebackers in bad positions and poor angles. Execution did the rest.
SECONDARY
Grade: D
Safety Chris Harris played deep coverage perfectly for an interception on the Colts' first possession, and cornerback Nathan Vasher broke up three passes. But Harris and Danieal Manning had a breakdown in deep coverage to yield a 53-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne, the defense started playing deeper to protect itself from big plays and Manning picked the defense apart for 247 yards on 25-for-38 passing.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Grade: C+
Devin Hester ran back the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown for an instant highlight, but Gabe Reid fumbled the second return. Brad Maynard averaged a very respectable 45.2 yards on five punts, but coverage allowed 42 yards on three returns. Other than Hester's score, kickoff returns were ragged. The Colts rarely allowed the Bears to establish anything for the four others who ran back kicks, none for more than 15 yards. Robbie Gould converted a 44-yard field goal, his only attempt.
COACHING
Grade: C-
It's difficult to evaluate the game-planning when the execution in so many areas was so poor at key times. The defense appeared content to make Manning beat the scheme with short throws, and he was more than happy to take what the Bears gave him. The Bears could not adjust, failing to find a way to take the game out of his hands. The offense was done in by late interceptions. The offense called 10 running plays and nine passes in the first half, but balance matters only when there are enough plays to do anything.
jmullin@tribune.com