How the Bears Jeselnicked the Game Away

After watching last week's unraveling, I was rather frustrated by what some people would call play calling and others would call gutlessness. First off, the Bears really had no business winning that game in the first place, but the loss still stung. Their third down defense was a joke all game, and their secondary was full of second and third stringers. But somehow they were able to finally take the lead with 11 seconds left after trailing for nearly the whole time. 

So, now that they had the lead, with virtually no time on the clock, what does Lovie decide to do? A stinking squib kick. I will never understand the rationale behind this totally gutless approach. We are talking about professional players who are paid hundreds of thousands, if not millions to tackle one man with a ball in his hands. Did Lovie forget that the Bears are the team that have Devin Hester, not Atlanta? Anyways, I'm sure that we all know how this blew up in the Bears' face and Atlanta kicked a game winning field goal as time expired after starting on their own 44-yard line and completing a 26-yard pass. 

Dr. Z. of Sports Illustrated put it perfectly:

"Chicago Bears (3-3)

Chicken football, by way of a squib kick, did them in.Jerious Norwood ranked 18th in the league in kick returns, going in. I mean we're not talking about Gale Sayers here. OK, he broke one against you the time before, so you get your special teamers on the sideline and grab 'em by the throat and say, "Cover, dammit. This is the ballgame." Instead, with 11 seconds left, you played puss in boots and set the Falcons up at the 44, which required one 26-yard pass to move them into field goal range and end the contest. You were playing on the road, so you know what the clock was going to be like. Having only five seconds run off, counting return, etc., and then only five more after the pass, never would have happened in Chicago, but...ah, why go on? No more short kickoffs, OK? If you're going to go down, go down like men!"

I have remained loyal to Lovie and his methods from the beginning, but after squandering three fourth-quarter leads this year, I'm starting to question some of the team's play calling. Let's hope they can get their act together and take advantage of a weak division before we find ourselves mired in another under performing season.