When a team loses four straight, it gets a collective F, particularly an offense that has scored just two touchdowns in the last 12 quarters. No need to say more than that. No area played well but no area was good enough to overcome what was -- or wasnt -- happening at quarterback.
QUARTERBACK F-
This will end the Caleb Hanie Era in Chicago, replaced by Josh McCown with 5 minutes to play.
Not that McCowns appearance changed much; he scrambled on his first snap, completed a screen pass on his second, and threw the Bears fourth interception of the game on his third. Bears quarterbacks were a combined 11-for-25 for 123 yards, one TD and four interceptions.
Hanie turned in another dismal performance, throwing a stupid interception into the midsection of a defensive lineman, who obligingly returned it for a touchdown, and another one too high for his receiver to kill a scoring chance with the ball inside the Seattle 30. A fourth-quarter pass was miserably overthrown and intercepted and returned 42 yards for another Seahawks touchdown.
Hanies first pass was nearly intercepted by a defensive end dropping into short zone coverage. He subsequently wildly overthrew a wide-open Kahlil Bell on a short third-down conversion in the first quarter, a play that originated at the Seattle 38 and cost the Bears a shot at a field goal.
Hanies mis-throws got worse. A poorly thrown pass was tipped and intercepted in the second quarter. That play started at the Seattle 30.
NFL
The franchise position that looked at least level after the Oakland game is now in complete freefall.
RUNNING BACK C
Bell made a statement with 65 rushing yards on 15 carries and caught a 25-yard pass for his first-ever NFL touchdown. Bell totaled five receptions to lead all players.
Marion Barber added 33 yards on 11 carries and was unable to break anything longer than six yards. The Bears may not rule out another change at tailback with Bells energy and all-around play.
RECEIVERS D
Johnny Knox made a key third-down catch for a conversion but then fumbled to give Seattle a critical turnover. Knox appeared to be injured badly when hit by DE Anthony Hargrove trying for the recovery. The turnover ended up giving the Seahawks their first TD, with help from a special-teams foul up.
Dane Sanzenbacher had two catches but no receiver was able to do much with the play at quarterback.
OFFENSIVE LINE D
JMarcus Webb was flagged for two holding penalties in the second half and was not effective against Seattles pass rushers, allowing one clear sack being beaten with a counter move to the inside that shouldnt happen. Hanie was sacked four times but it was difficult to determine exactly. He wasnt responding with quick decisions but pressure also was getting on him faster than it should. The run blocking allowed Bell and Barber to combine for 99 yards against a defense that was only allowing 103 per game and the Bears virtually had to abandon the run late.
COACHING B
Game-planning cant be easy when the quarterback in particular cannot deliver key plays and avoid devastating mistakes. The offense was good enough to net 168 yards in the first half and had the ball for 17 minutes. Not enough apparently.