Lovie: 'I Think You Can Imagine How I'm Feeling'
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Bears Coach Lovie Smith said three consecutive losses have "really hurt us," after the Bears blew a 10-0 lead and lost to the Denver Broncos in overtime Sunday.
"I think you can imagine how I'm feeling, you know, a lot of disappointment," Smith told WBBM Newsradio's Josh Liss Monday morning.
LISTEN: Lovie Smith talks with WBBM Newsradio's Josh Liss
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The Bears were poised to shut out the Broncos, when Tim Tebow hit Denver's Demaryius Thomas with a 10-yard touchdown pass. The Bears were about to win with 3 seconds left in regulation, when Denver's Matt Prater tied the score with a 59-yard field goal.
Then, 6 1/2 minutes into overtime, Prater kicked a 51-yard field goal, and the Bears lost.
"It's really pretty hard to explain," Smith said. "We had a lead in the fourth quarter. Normally, we win those games. We had opportunities on both sides of the ball, made some costly mistakes there late."
The Bears' unraveling late in the game has been blamed in large part on Marion Barber. He rushed 108 yards and scored the Bears' only touchdown in the game, but he made two critical errors.
After Tebow's touchdown, Denver got the ball back with 53 seconds left after Barber went out of bounds when the Bears were trying to run out the clock. Earlier, he broke through the first line of defense for the first down when Denver linebacker Wesley Woodyard reached out and grabbed his right arm, popping the ball loose.
"(Barber) ran hard, rushing total over 100 yards, but in those situations, you've got to stay in bounds, and you've got to protect the football," Smith said. "You know, it's simple as that."
So did the Bears' collapse on Sunday say more about the defense, or Tebow's prowess?
"I don't know; I can't really say about them," Smith said. We just have to think and look at what we did, and eventually, you know, we have a lead in the fourth quarter, you've got to hold onto the lead. We had opportunities there late; having them score two touchdowns, that just normally doesn't happen to us."
In just the fourth quarter and overtime, Tebow went 16/24 with 191 yards and a touchdown.
"He made plays there late. That's what it kind of comes down to, and he kept plays alive, scrambling. But he was accurate. They were throwing balls to their receivers," Smith said. "They did a good job with him in the situation. We didn't."
The Bears are now one game out of the running for the NFC Playoffs, with three games to go. Smith emphasized that there is still time to recover.
"We lost three games in a row and it really hurt us. We have a three-game season now. We can get right back in it if we can get these next three. Let's get the next three," Smith said. "We've got to get this. It's all about Seattle now."
(TM and © Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS Radio and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
