Sunday, Oct. 24, 2010
10:23 PM
By Jim Miller
CSNChicago.com
The Bears have dropped two games at Soldier field which could have had them sitting pretty in the NFC. Their shaky offense has played better on the road than in the confines of their own home. Sunday was no exception with six turnovers, two inside the red zone that could have put the Redskins away.
Indefensible
It is hard to defend the indefensible. You give Jay credit for getting the ball over the goal line on the QB sneak in the third quarter. I thought it was too far out to attempt, but they may have come right back with another QB sneak, but never got that opportunity due to the fumble.
Fault the coaches for not challenging the play because that might of put the Redskins in a bind as they were already on life support. It also could have given the Bears offense the confidence it needed to get back on track for just this game.
Things are not going to change offensively until players start doing the little things. Jay's four interceptions and fumble are a good place to start. Two interceptions can be attributed to Jay's inaccuracy and two others should be placed on the receivers shoulders.
NFL
Little things matter in the NFL. You attempt to have a perfect practice during the week, working on everything from your footwork to mesh points with backs on handoffs, and the timing of the passing game.
I would like to take this opportunity to ask all Bears fans if Jay's 92-yard pick-6 in the red zone looked like the proper technique to deliver the football? Feel free to reply below.
If that is how he practiced it, then that is the result you're going to get in the game. He was fading away and did not have his feet set properly when delivering the football. Mike Martz should hammer on him so those fundamental breakdowns do not happen again. It should not be too much to ask of your 30 million starting QB to deliver the football correctly.
Update
I do a show for Sirius NFL Rewind with Jack Arute on Sunday nights. We go over all the games in the NFL and were joined this week by Mike Pereira, who was the former head of officiating and now works for FOX.
I asked him specifically about the Jay Cutler fumble at the one-yard line. He said "the Bears coaching staff blew it."
He further added that the Bears should have never challenged the Bennett play to the one-yard line. If the Bears challenged the Cutler play, Mike said, "it was clearly a touchdown and an easy review for the officials."
All aspects of the Bears need to be reviewed, specifically, who is giving Lovie Smith faulty information when it comes to challanging plays. His record on challenges is not steller, but he is relying on others to give him the information needed to make sound decisions.
The decision to keep the red flag in his pocket cost the Bears seven points, and ultimately, the win.
Jim Miller, an 11-year former NFL quarterback, is a Comcast SportsNet Bears analyst who can be seen each week on U.S. Cellular Bears Postgame Live. Miller, who spent five seasons with the Bears, analyzes current Chicago QB Jay Cutler in his "15 on 6" blog on CSNChicago.com and can be followed on Twitter @15miller.