Report Card vs. Lions: No A's for this road win

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Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010
4:54 PM

By John Mullin
CSNChicago.com

A win is a win and thats what the Bears took on the plane home with them from Detroit. Workmanlike, sometimes decidedly lackluster, but the Bears did manage to rally in the second half and deliver several key stops when the game was in danger of getting away from them.

Quarterback B

Jay Cutler had a very effective if unspectacular game, managing to avoid interceptions despite pressure that sacked him four times and forced a fumble. He completed 21 of 26 passes for 234 yards and a score to give himself a 117.0 passer rating with his fourth game without an interception since the off week.

Running backs B

Chester Taylor got the Bears even with a one-yard run at the end of the first quarter and he and Matt Forte combined for 97 rushing yards on 22 carries (4.4 per rush). Taylor also caught five passes and Forte two for an additional 67 yards.

Receivers B

Earl Bennett caught three passes for 35 yards on a game-tying drive in the first quarter, two for third-down conversions. Bennett led all receivers with seven catches for 104 yards, just the second 100-yard game for a Bear receiver this year. TE Brandon Manumaleuna was overrun for a Cliff Avril sack in the third quarter but scored the winning touchdown on a seven-yard flip from Cutler.

Offensive line C

Cutler was repeatedly unable to achieve rhythm in the pocket as the pressure was in his face too often and flushed him into running five times in addition to being sacked four. Run blocking against DTs Ndamukong Suh and Corey Williams was solid but RT JMarcus Webb had problems with end Cliff Avril, who had two sacks at his expense and abused a number of protectors.

Defensive line C

Pressure on neophyte Drew Stanton was next to nil too much of the game, allowing him to gain confidence and let receivers work open. DEs lost containment in situations to allow corners to be turned and the Lions ran for 134 yards, too many of them before runners were hit. Julius Peppers had the only sack of Stanton and only Israel Idonije among DLmen was credited with a quarterback hit.

Linebackers B

Stanton was able to score easily on a QB draw in the first quarter. Losing Pisa Tinoisamoa with a knee coming in and Nick Roach (hip) during the game sent Rod Wilson in at SLB. But Brian Urlacher turned in his best game of the year with 17 tackles and a half-sack while Lance Briggs added seven. Wilsons three tackles off the bench were all contributions.

Secondary C

Poor tackling in run support contributed to 110 Detroit rushing yards in the first half and 134 for the game. Charles Tillman drew a tough assignment covering Calvin Johnson and held Megatron to three catches but one was for 46 yards and a TD just before halftime in a blown coverage among DBs. D.J. Moore had a sack of Stanton

Special teams B-

Robbie Gould converted a career-long 54-yard field goal to salvage something from a 30-yard Devin Hester punt return in the third quarter, Brad Maynard put two of his three punts inside the 20 and averaged 45 yards. But Stefan Logan averaged 38.7 yards on three kickoff returns and hurt Bears coverage units.

Coaching C

The Bears were flat in a game with much at stake even against a sub-standard opponent. Execution was a problem but credit OC Mike Martz with sticking with the run against a fifth straight opponent to help take heat off the offensive line. Special teams seemed out of positions at times and disorganized, and the defense was run over in the first half when the game was close to getting away from the Bears.

John "Moon" Mullin is CSNChicago.com's Bears Insider, and appears regularly on Bears Postgame Live and Chicago Tribune Live. Follow Moon on Twitter for up-to-the-minute Bears information.

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