Pompei: Observations From Bears-Packers
By Dan Pompei--
(CBS) It wasn't just losing that made Sunday seem calamitous. It was the way the Bears lost. Their previous loss to the Saints, by comparison, seemed like it deserved a rally in Grant Park.
Here are my observations:
1. There were three mistakes on the Benny Cunningham challenge in the second quarter. 1) The reward of getting a touchdown as opposed a first down on the 2-yard line wasn't worth the risk of losing a timeout for John Fox. 2) The assistant coach in the replay booth missed the ball coming loose. 3) The replay official didn't have enough evidence to overturn the play.
2. The numbers lied about quarterback Mitch Trubisky, who threw for a career-high 297 yards. He was below average.
3. The Bears' pass protection was poor, and Trubisky's response to pressure was poor.
4. The game wasn't decided by Trubisky and Brent Hundley. It was decided in the trenches, on both sides of the ball. The Packers won the battle of wills.
5. By my count, Bears offensive linemen and tight ends were flagged eight times. But most of that isn't lack of discipline — it's lack of continuity. The Bears have been playing musical chairs up front all season long.
6. The Bears missed Kyle Long. And Zach Miller. And Danny Trevathan. And Cameron Meredith. And Jerrell Freeman. And Willie Young. And…
7. The Bears were playing without 10 players who would 've been starters if not for injuries (including nickelback Bryce Callahan).
8. How did Leonard Floyd and Akiem Hicks end up with only a half-sack between them playing against a gimpy backup in Justin McCray?
9. The Bears tackled poorly. It probably was their worst game of the season for tackling.
10. Kyle Fuller picked a heck of a time to turn back the clock to 2015.
11. Fuller had substandard performances against the Packers twice this season. If you want to make the Pro Bowl and get paid like a premier corner, it helps to play well against the Packers.
12. Something is all screwed up when you go to Josh Bellamy seven times and you go to Tarik Cohen three times. Thirteen offensive snaps for Cohen and 38 for Daniel Brown? What?
13. It took Dontrelle Inman two quarters to establish he is the Bears' best receiver — which says a lot more about the other receivers than him.
14. Connor Barth kicked like Robbie Gould on Sunday.
15. As bleak as it feels for the Bears, they will have a real opportunity to reverse the narrative if they can upset the Lions on Sunday.
Dan Pompei has been covering the NFL since 1985 and is a regular contributor to 670 The Score and a host on 670's Bears pregame show. He writes for Bleacher Report and theathletic.com. You can follow him on Twitter @Dan Pompei.