The Chicago Bears have started their voluntary, offseason workouts today, though the practices will be somewhat different than last year. The new NFL regulations have taken effect, which change the terms of the practice. There will also be some familiar faces back despite injuries or lack of contracts, and at least one noticeable absence. Here is a preview of what to expect from the offseason program.

Changes in Program

New regulations this year will limit the voluntary practices to nine weeks. Previously, they could last as long as 14 weeks. During the first two weeks, players can participate in drills, but they are not allowed to handle the football. The exception for quarterbacks allows them to practice passing, but not to other players. No one is allowed to wear a helmet on the field until the final four weeks, and one-on-one drills between members of the offense and defense are not allowed.

Essentially, players are not allowed to participate in contact football during the offseason practices. The rules were enacted as part of the collective bargaining agreement last year, and are designed to prevent injuries to players. The NFL has come under close scrutiny for injuries due to several lawsuits by former players alleging that the league did not do enough to prevent serious injuries and traumas over the years.

Chris Conte Returns

Chris Conte will be back to practice after suffering from a foot injury he received in the Seattle Seahawks. His injury, a Lisfranc injury, usually requires surgery to heal. Conte was lucky; he was able to recover without having to go under the knife.

Matt Forte Holds Out

Forte has not been quiet this offseason about his feelings regarding his contract. The Bears slapped him with a franchise tag, and have not yet signed him to the long-term deal that he is hoping for. After losing his cool on Twitter, it was assumed that he had simmered down a bit. Now, he is skipping the workouts, and may possibly miss part of training camp if he is not satisfied with the way the team handles his contract.

Kahlil Bell to Participate Regardless of Status

Bell is a restricted free agent, and the Bears tendered an offer of $1.26 million. He has vowed to take part in the practices whether he is signed or not. Bell actually stepped in for Matt Forte at the end of last season when he suffered an injury. Even though Forte has always seemed like a team player, Bell ends up looking like the classier guy in the contract situation.

Whitney Levon is a Chicago native whose dedication to the Bears goes back to her first football memory; the Bears’ 1985 Super Bowl victory. She has been covering the Chicago Bears and other Chicago teams since 2010.

Lovie Smith long has talked about the excellent attendance the Chicago Bears get in their voluntary offseason workout program, where much of the groundwork is laid for training camp and the regular season.

This year’s offseason workouts begin next Monday, the starting date and the period in which teams can conduct such programs having been pushed back under the new collective bargaining agreement. The Bears will be without running back Matt Forte for the sessions if he does not sign the tender he received as the team’s franchise player or a long-term contract is not worked out. To this point, there’s been no sign of progress. Publicly, general manager Phil Emery says the team continues to work toward the goal of a multi-year deal.

So, barring a breakthrough, Forte will be a high-profile absence as the Bears get going. That’s not necessarily a reason to fret. For starters, the key word for players in the offseason program is “voluntary.” The only mandatory period for them is one full-squad minicamp. The Bears have not announced it, but their minicamp will be held in early June, about two months from now. Forte cannot attend that either if he’s not signed, so it’s only “mandatory” for players under contract.

Without an offseason program last year, Forte reported to training camp in the best shape of his career. He then enjoyed the best season of his career until a minor knee sprain in Week 13 put him on the shelf. Forte led the NFL in yards from scrimmage at the time of his injury, and averaged 4.9 yards per carry. He also led the team with 52 receptions — 15 more than any other player.

Although the Bears have changed offensive coordinators, Mike Tice has said nothing will change in regard to the running game, how it’s blocked or anything like that.

“There will be no need to change the running game at all,” Tice told the Tribune in January.

So, it’s not like any missed time this spring will put Forte behind the rest of the offense, including new running back Michael Bush.

Forte is unhappy he doesn’t have a long-term deal. While the franchise tag will pay him $7.742 million — a raise of more than $7.1 million from 2011 — he doesn’t have the security that comes with deals other running backs have received the last few years. That’s what he feels he’s earned and it’s a sticky situation but one in which the Bears hold the ultimate leverage with the franchise tag, something they could apply to Forte again in 2013 at a cost of about $9.29 million.

The key date isn’t next Monday or the first day of minicamp or training camp. It’s July 16. That is the deadline for the Bears to reach a multi-year agreement with Forte. If no deal is in place by then, he has to play 2012 for the franchise tag amount. So, a holdout after that date might show the team how upset he is, but it’s not going to result in any negotiating leverage for him.

Forte is a well-prepared professional who turned up in the best shape of his career for a contract year in 2011. This could turn out to be another contract year for him and the Bears probably won’t worry too much if he’s not at Halas Hall next Monday.

bmbiggs@tribune.com

While I love the Chicago Bears as much as any fan, part of being a fan of this organization has been having deal with –for the most part– “improvements” via free agency over the years. You know the kind I’m talking about: “we need a number one wide receiver, let’s sign Muhsin Muhammad or Marty Booker (again).” For whatever reason, the Bears consistently looked for the bargain –Julius Peppers’ signing not withstanding. They rarely seem to buckle down and go after major contributors in free agency. It never really made sense to me. Most recently, it was the Marion Barbers, Amobi Okoyes, and Vernon Gholstons of the league that fit this mold.

While I’m hesitant to crown new general manager Phil Emery based on a few signings that look good on paper, and bash ex-general manager Jerry Angelo because of the difference in approach, this has been one of the most active –and best (on paper) — free agency periods for the Bears in quite some time. With the Bears signing Jason Campbell, Eric Weems, and Michael Bush (and acquiring Brandon Marshall via trade), they aren’t illustrating the “let’s hope we find a diamond in the rough” attitude. They are signing players that appear to have plenty left in the tank and who could be key contributors for years to come.

The only downside is that in signing Michael Bush (to a four-year contract, no less), the Bears appear to have further alienated running back Matt Forte –who has been wanting a long-term contract of his own. While he’s going to command a higher salary than Bush, you can kind of see where his frustration is coming from. While I’m all for signing Forte, part of it is just the nature of the running back position in the NFL. Their shelf life just isn’t very long. It’s dangerous for a team to sign a running back to a long term deal. That’s not to say Forte doesn’t deserve this raise, it’s just that you might see where the Bears cringe at the thought.

Overall, I love the Bush signing. He’s a powerful back that has the potential to compliment Forte well. We said the same thing about Marion Barber, but I think Bush is, at this time, a much better back. Time will tell. Whether it’s simply the change in general manager or something else, I like the direction the Bears are going. A lot.

Now, I just ask the Bears to use this draft to continue to improve the offensive line to help block for these great new additions.

Brian is a lifelong Chicago Bears fan, having lived in Illinois his entire life and having followed the NFL throughout.

Sources

Bears Sign Bush

Bears Active in Free Agency

(WSCR) The Chicago Bears and Matt Forte will resume negotiations in hope of agreeing to a new contract.

According to reports, new Bears GM Phil Emery and Forte’s agents will begin negotiation during the NFL Combine.

Forte earned a trip to his first Pro Bowl in 2011 after rushing for 997 yards, despite missing the team’s final four games of the season with a knee injury.

If the two sides cannot come to an agreement, the Bears will likely use the franchise tag on the running back.

If franchised, Forte will make roughly $7.7 million in 2012, a considerable drop from the $9.6 million designated for franchise-tagged running backs in 2011.

I’ve been a Chicago Bears’ fan for over 55 years. I’ve been a Chicago Cubs’ fan for over 55 years. I’m one of the very few people who also cheer for the Chicago White Sox as well.

Ever since Chicago has had the Bulls I have been a supporter and every year I’ve come to love the Chicago Blackhawks more and more.

There are other Chicago teams I care about as well but my point is that coming from downstate Peoria, Illinois, I was raised to be for Chicago teams and as an adult have continued to wish them the best.

I tell you this to try and convince you that I have no reason at all to wish the Chicago Bears bad luck. I have no desire to try to be negative in my comments about the Bears or their future.

I am forced to say however that the Bears have no future for at least the next couple of years.

Matt Forte:

The Bears refused to lock Forte into a contract according to Melissa Isaacson of ESPN Chicago despite his prowess as a player. It appears from Isaacson’s comments that Forte felt the Bears didn’t feel loyal towards him. Then Forte was injured.

Now the Bears have an injured star whose future abilities are unknown. Further if you think Forte is “bearing” Chicago any love right now you may want to think again.

This is not a situation where the Bears are simply going to pick up next year where they left off physically or emotionally with their star running back.

Jay Cutler:

Jay Cutler was also injured and had to have thumb surgery. Is he going to be able to throw as well in the future?

Bears Receivers:

Johnny Knox was severely injured. Roy Williams was a huge disappointment. These are just a couple of issues.

Other Issues:

The Bears have ongoing problems with their offensive line and for the life of me I don’t know what has happened to the defense other than to say perhaps it’s time for a change, an “upgrade.” Man to man coverage is really better but you have to have a consistent pass rush and we don’t.

As far as the coaches go I respect Lovie Smith and Rod Marinelli. However I think Mike Martz has lost his touch and indeed think the Bears need a coaching overhaul. It is simply time for a change. We have seen many instances over the years particularly with quarterbacks where the coaching decision to change came way to slow.

As I look at all these issues, physical, emotional and functional, I don’t see a team capable of returning to sound competition for at least two years, probably three.

Reference:

ESPNChicago.com, Melissa Isaacson, “Matt Forte doesn’t feel Bears’ loyalty”

NBCChicago.com, Maggie Hendricks, Bear Bites: What Forte’s Injury Means”

SportingNews.com, Gene Chamberlain, “Bears Johnny Knox injured back on hit, won’t return”

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LAKE FOREST — Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher was selected to his eighth Pro Bowl, while teammate Lance Briggs made it for the seventh year in a row.

Running back Matt Forte made his first Pro Bowl on Tuesday, hours after being placed on injured reserve because of a sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee. Veteran cornerback Charles Tillman was also picked for the first time as was special teams contributor Corey Graham.

The five selections were the most for Chicago since it had eight in the 2006 season.

Urlacher is the sixth player in team history to be voted to eight Pro Bowls as a Bear. He is second on the team with 125 tackles behind fellow linebacker Briggs (140) and is tied for the lead with three interceptions and two fumble recoveries.

Briggs became the fourth linebacker in franchise history to be selected to seven straight Pro Bowls, joining Hall of Famers Dick Butkus (eight in a row), Bill George (eight) and Mike Singletary (10).

Tillman has 11 pass break-ups, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries to go with 107 tackles.

Cutler, Forte placed in IR

The Chicago Bears placed quarterback Jay Cutler and running back Matt Forte on injured reserve on Tuesday, meaning they will miss the season finale at Minnesota this week.

The moves were hardly surprising given Chicago’s recent struggles.

The Bears (7-8) have lost five straight since Cutler broke his right thumb late in a win over San Diego on Nov. 20, and things took another bad turn two weeks later when Forte sprained the medial collateral ligament in his right knee against Kansas City.

Cutler, who was scheduled to have surgically inserted pins removed Tuesday, threw for 2,319 yards with 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Forte finished with 997 yards rushing and 490 receiving and was selected to his first Pro Bowl hours after being placed on IR. He’s the first Chicago running back to make it since Neal Anderson after the 1991 season.

With Cutler and Forte on IR, the Bears elevated defensive tackle Jordan Miller from the practice squad and signed guard Mansfield Wrotto.

Chicago also announced on its website that rookie offensive lineman Gabe Carimi had surgery Tuesday on his right knee to repair connective tissue around his patella and medial collateral ligament.

The first-round pick started the first two games before injuring his knee and briefly returned to practice before having an arthroscopic procedure on the knee in November.

He is expected to be ready before the start of training camp.

Cutler’s injury sent Chicago into a tailspin, knocking out of contention a team that appeared on its way to the playoffs after last year’s run to the NFC title game.

The Bears were eliminated with a loss at Green Bay on Sunday, but they were just about out of it by the time they arrived at Lambeau Field.

One reason was the lack of a reliable backup quarterback.

Chicago put in a waiver claim on Kyle Orton after Cutler went down, but Kansas City had priority and got him. The Bears wound up signing Josh McCown, who was coaching quarterbacks at a North Carolina high school, and passed on going after Donovan McNabb after Minnesota let him go.

Meanwhile, backup Caleb Hanie struggled and went 0-4 as the starter. McCown got the nod against the Packers and performed better, throwing for 242 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions in his first NFL appearance since 2009, but the Bears saw their playoff hopes vanish in a 35-21 loss.

A healthy Forte might have made a difference, but his season ended when he took a hit to the knee against Kansas City. It didn’t help that backup Marion Barber committed costly mistakes in losses to the Chiefs and Denver the following week.

He had a touchdown catch in a 10-3 loss to Kansas City called off because he lined up illegally, forcing Chicago to settle for a field goal, and things only got worse for him the following week.

Barber got pushed out of bounds on a run near the end of regulation, helping give Denver enough time to tie the game. In overtime, his fumble led to the winning field goal.

Graham has 20 special teams tackles.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — The Chicago Bears placed quarterback Jay Cutler and running back Matt Forte on injured reserve on Tuesday, meaning they will miss the season finale at Minnesota this week.

The moves were hardly surprising given Chicago‘s recent struggles.

The Bears (7-8) have lost five straight since Cutler broke his right thumb late in a win over San Diego on Nov. 20, and things took another bad turn two weeks later when Forte sprained the medial collateral ligament in his right knee against Kansas City.

Cutler, who was scheduled to have surgically inserted pins removed Tuesday, threw for 2,319 yards with 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Forte finished with 997 yards rushing and 490 receiving and was selected to his first Pro Bowl hours after being placed on IR. He’s the first Chicago running back to make it since Neal Anderson following the 1991 season.

With Cutler and Forte on IR, the Bears elevated defensive tackle Jordan Miller from the practice squad and signed guard Mansfield Wrotto.

Chicago also announced on its website that rookie offensive lineman Gabe Carimi had surgery Tuesday on his right knee to repair connective tissue around his patella and medial collateral ligament.

The first-round pick started the first two games before injuring his knee and briefly returned to practice before having an arthroscopic procedure on the knee in November.

He is expected to be ready before the start of training camp.

Cutler’s injury sent Chicago into a tailspin, knocking out of contention a team that appeared on its way to the playoffs after last year’s run to the NFC title game.

The Bears were eliminated with a loss at Green Bay on Sunday, but they were just about out of it by the time they arrived at Lambeau Field.

One reason was the lack of a reliable backup quarterback.

Chicago put in a waiver claim on Kyle Orton after Cutler went down, but Kansas City had priority and got him. The Bears wound up signing Josh McCown, who was coaching quarterbacks at a North Carolina high school, and passed on going after Donovan McNabb after Minnesota let him go.

Meanwhile, backup Caleb Hanie struggled and went 0-4 as the starter. McCown got the nod against the Packers and performed better, throwing for 242 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions in his first NFL appearance since 2009, but the Bears saw their playoff hopes vanish in a 35-21 loss.

A healthy Forte might have made a difference, but his season ended when he took a hit to the knee against Kansas City. It didn’t help that backup Marion Barber committed costly mistakes in losses to the Chiefs and Denver the following week.

He had a touchdown catch in a 10-3 loss to Kansas City called off because he lined up illegally, forcing Chicago to settle for a field goal, and things only got worse for him the following week.

Barber got pushed out of bounds on a run near the end of regulation, helping give Denver enough time to tie the game. In overtime, his fumble led to the winning field goal

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — The Chicago Bears placed quarterback Jay Cutler and running back Matt Forte on injured reserve on Tuesday, meaning they will miss the season finale at Minnesota this week.

The moves were hardly surprising given Chicago‘s recent struggles.

The Bears (7-8) have lost five straight since Cutler broke his right thumb late in a win over San Diego on Nov. 20, and things took another bad turn two weeks later when Forte sprained the medial collateral ligament in his right knee against Kansas City.

Cutler, who was scheduled to have surgically inserted pins removed Tuesday, threw for 2,319 yards with 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Forte finished with 997 yards rushing and 490 receiving and was selected to his first Pro Bowl hours after being placed on IR. He’s the first Chicago running back to make it since Neal Anderson following the 1991 season.

With Cutler and Forte on IR, the Bears elevated defensive tackle Jordan Miller from the practice squad and signed guard Mansfield Wrotto.

Chicago also announced on its website that rookie offensive lineman Gabe Carimi had surgery Tuesday on his right knee to repair connective tissue around his patella and medial collateral ligament.

The first-round pick started the first two games before injuring his knee and briefly returned to practice before having an arthroscopic procedure on the knee in November.

He is expected to be ready before the start of training camp.

Cutler’s injury sent Chicago into a tailspin, knocking out of contention a team that appeared on its way to the playoffs after last year’s run to the NFC title game.

The Bears were eliminated with a loss at Green Bay on Sunday, but they were just about out of it by the time they arrived at Lambeau Field.

One reason was the lack of a reliable backup quarterback.

Chicago put in a waiver claim on Kyle Orton after Cutler went down, but Kansas City had priority and got him. The Bears wound up signing Josh McCown, who was coaching quarterbacks at a North Carolina high school, and passed on going after Donovan McNabb after Minnesota let him go.

Meanwhile, backup Caleb Hanie struggled and went 0-4 as the starter. McCown got the nod against the Packers and performed better, throwing for 242 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions in his first NFL appearance since 2009, but the Bears saw their playoff hopes vanish in a 35-21 loss.

A healthy Forte might have made a difference, but his season ended when he took a hit to the knee against Kansas City. It didn’t help that backup Marion Barber committed costly mistakes in losses to the Chiefs and Denver the following week.

He had a touchdown catch in a 10-3 loss to Kansas City called off because he lined up illegally, forcing Chicago to settle for a field goal, and things only got worse for him the following week.

Barber got pushed out of bounds on a run near the end of regulation, helping give Denver enough time to tie the game. In overtime, his fumble led to the winning field goal

Read More: Jay Cutler (QB – CHI), Devin Hester (WR – CHI), Charles Tillman (CB – CHI), Marion Barber (RB – CHI), Sam Hurd (WR – CHI), Matt Forte (RB – CHI), Caleb Hanie (QB – CHI), Henry Melton (DL – CHI), Edwin Williams (C – CHI), Thaddeus Gibson (LB – CHI), Major Wright (S – CHI), Chicago Bears, Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Seahawks at Chicago Bears, Dec 18, 2011 12:00 PM CST

The Chicago Bears have released their Week 15 Injury Report:

Out

QB Jay Cutler
RB Matt Forte
WR Sam Hurd (released)

Questionable

DT Henry Melton
WR Devin Hester

Probable

CB Charles Tillman
G Edwin Williams
S Major Wright

The biggest news of the week has surrounded now-released WR Sam Hurd, who was arrested on federal drug charges on Thursday. The Bears used Hurd mostly on special teams, and have since promoted DE Thaddeus Gibson.

The Bears are also struggling on the injury front, with DT Henry Melton (7.0 sacks) and Devin Hester (league-leading 18.5 yards per punt return) questionable against the Seattle Seahawks. The Chicago offense will also be turning once again to backups QB Caleb Hanie and RB Marion Barber to lead the offense with Cutler and Forte still on the mend.

Stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago for more information, and for in-depth analysis on the Chicago Bears be sure to visit Windy City Gridiron. Visit SB Nation NFL for more news and notes around the league.

Read More: Anthony Adams (DT – CHI), Jay Cutler (QB – CHI), Matt Forte (RB – CHI), Major Wright (S – CHI), Nathan Enderle (QB – CHI), Ricky Henry (G – CHI), Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos

A Chicago Bears season that was proving to be as promising as any in recent memory has proven to be quite far from that, as injuries have piled up and left the Bears with a fraction of the team that began to look like a possible Super Bowl contender. First there was the potentially season-ending injury to Jay Cutler, but things were only compounded by the injuries that fellow starters Matt Forte and Major Wright suffered last week against Kansas City. Michael C. Wright of ESPN Chicago has the full list of inactives for the Denver game, which is shown below:

- QB Jay Cutler

- RB Matt Forte

- S Major Wright

- QB Nathan Enderle

- OG Ricky Henry

- TE Andre Smith

- DT Anthony Adams

The Bears aren’t missing that many players, but the ones that are missing are integral to the team. Cutler was the crux of the Bears offense as a near-elite quarterback, and the team can’t turn to Forte to handle some of that workload now that he’s on the mend, as well. 

For updates on this Week 14 matchup, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more on this week’s game, visit Bears blog, Windy City Gridiron, and Broncos blog, Mile High Report. Head over to SB Nation NFL for more from around the league.

LAKE FOREST — With Jay Cutler and Matt Forte, the short passing game keyed the Bears five-game winning streak. But with Caleb Hanie, and now Marion Barber and Kahlil Bell out there, that short passing game has been missing.

As have the victories.

“There’s definitely a huge sense of urgency, and no choices but to go get a win right here,” Hanie (0-2 as a starter) said of Sunday’s game at Denver (7-5).

Hanie has yet to find a rhythm, going 18-for-36 for 254 yards with two TDs in Oakland and 11-for-24 for 133 yards against the Chiefs in two games since Cutler broke his thumb. Hanie threw three interceptions in each game.

Forte, out for 2-4 weeks with a sprained MCL, has been up and down, but still heads into his first week “off” as the league’s No. 3 rusher (997 yards) and tops the charts in yards from scrimmage (1,487). He has just 71 yards receiving in his last five games after having 287 in his first three.

But Forte is still easily the team’s top pass catcher, hauling in 52 receptions for 490 yards. Johnny Knox (33-675), Devin Hester (25-355) and Roy Williams (24-335) are way behind Forte when it comes to targets and yards after the catch.

“Matt was unusual, he was very unusual. Putting him out as a wide receiver and some of the things we’ve done in the past, it’s a little different,” offensive coordinator Mike Martz said. “But each one of those other players, both Kahlil and Marion, have different strengths … Between the two of them, we can get what we need, to be able to do what we do on offense.”

The numbers tell a different story.

Barber had 174 receptions for 1,280 yards in six seasons with the Cowboys, with fewer than 300 yards in his best season.

“He’s not that type of player. He’s more of an in-the-tackles type of runner,” coach Lovie Smith said. “Kahlil can probably do more of the things that Matt Forte can do.”

Barber, who has three catches for 18 yards this year, would not stop to discuss his receiving abilities after practice Wednesday. He has refused to talk to reporters on all but two occasions since signing with Chicago in July.

When Bell was asked if he could get Barber to make a couple of comments, Bell replied: “Good luck; good luck with that one.”

As for Bell’s pass-catching skills, he has caught one ball for four yards in his two-plus years in a Bears’ uniform. He had 196 career yards receiving at UCLA and only 160 receiving yards in high school.

“I feel like I can catch the ball. If they need me to do that, I’m going to do that to the best of my abilities,” Bell said Wednesday. “I just think as you get older, you see what an every-down back in the league has to do. I didn’t really catch a lot of balls coming out of college. Since I’ve been here, we’ve worked on it every day.

“As you get older, the coaches get more comfortable with you and you earn their trust.”

Bell has definitely earned Hanie’s trust.

“Kahlil does a great job catching the ball. He’s only got one catch, but I’ve had a lot of work with him on the scout team in the last two or three seasons, and I feel very comfortable with him,” Hanie said. “I’m confident in his ability. He’s a good receiver, and he can make plays on the edge.”

Denver’s speedy defense will test that theory on Sunday afternoon.

Bears reporter Jay Taft can be reached at 815-987-1384 or jtaft@rrstar.com.

As my co-worker Phil Zaroo said via Twitter, “I think the #Lions will have a tape-burning session in Allen Park on Monday.” 

As cathartic as the act would be, there is certain to be some audible groaning when the team does review the film.

For our own benefit, let’s look at all the mistakes from the Detroit Lions’ 37-13 loss to the Chicago Bears. As you might imagine, this list is going to be quite long. I’m you’re just looking to move forward with you life, I strongly suggest skipping to the next article.

• Already facing a hole because of a holding call on first down, quarterback Matthew Stafford swung a bubble screen to Calvin Johnson on the outside. The receiver tried to cut back inside, but was unable to avoid Bears defensive end Julius Peppers, who wrapped the receiver up around the neck and brought him violently down to the turf. The hit also forced Johnson to drop the ball – a fumble that was recovered by the Bears – ending a Lions’ opening drive.
• On 2nd-and-8 on the Bears ensuing possession, the Lions stopped running back Matt Forte on a screen pass, setting up what would have been a 3rd-and-5 at the 25-yard line, but Kyle Vanden Bosch was flagged for a late hit on Forte, giving the Bears a first down at the 12. The Lions have been good on third down this year, and could have held Chicago to a field goal. Instead, the Bears punched it into the end zone two plays later to take a 7-0 lead.
• Another fumble, this time by Nate Burleson, derailed the Lions’ second drive. Burleson caught a hitch route near the right sideline at the Lions 46, and made a move on cornerback Tim Jennings to pick up another 10 yards. But as Burleson, avoided a second tackle, Jennings recovered to punch the ball out from behind.
• On a 2nd-and-10 run, near midfield, Forte is forced out of bounds after a six-yard gain. Instead of facing a third down, the Bears are awarded a first after defensive end Cliff Avril is flagged for a face mask. The penalty moved the Bears into field-goal range, where they extend their lead to 10-0 with 4:42 to go in the first quarter.
• On a quick in route from the slot, Johnson dropped his first of three passes on the day. It would have only been a 4-7 yard gain on first down, but Detroit failed to convert on second and third down, forcing them to punt.
• Early in the second quarter, trailing 13-0, the Lions designed a nice screen pass for Maurice Morris. Stafford ran play-action, first to Morris up the gut, then to Burleson, running in motion from right to left. The Bears defense focused on Burleson as Morris leaked out to the right flat with three blockers. Unfortunately for Morris, he ran into Jeff Backus and fell to the ground, allowing Stafford’s pass to fall incomplete. Who knows what would of happened, but there was a lot of open field and plenty of Lions blockers to believe Morris missed out on a huge play.
• It’s fair to ask why anyone would kick to Devin Hester, but if you were to kick to him, Robert Malone’s punt in the second quarter was about as good as it gets. The fill-in punter booted the ball 60 yards, forcing Hester to scramble back nearly 20 yards and attempt to haul it in over his shoulder. The returner then proceeded to drop the ball, yet it didn’t provide enough time for the Lions to stop him. Hester returned it 82 yards, with only Malone getting a hand on him. This should solidify any doubt that you should always punt out of bounds against the Bears.
• On Detroit’s next possession, 2nd-and-10, Johnson dropped his second pass. This one, on a hitch route, hit him right in the hands and would have been a first down. Instead the Lions were forced to punt.
• Chicago gifted the ball back to Detroit when Cutler fumbled the ball on the first snap of the drive. Starting in the red zone, the Lions opened with an eight-yard run from Morris, but immediately stalled, settling for a field goal. On 3rd-and-2, Stafford got Johnson in single-coverage on the outside, but sailed an attempt out of his big wide receiver’s reach.
• Still down 20-3, the Lions go three-and-out after Titus Young drops a second-down pass, and Calvin Johnson runs his third-down route a yard short of the sticks.

• After Stafford led a solid drive down to the Chicago 18 – going 6-9 along the way -the quarterback was sacked on first down. Facing 2nd-and-15, Stafford fed a beautiful pass to Johnson in the seam after the wideout ran an out-and-up from the slot. The ball hit Johnson in the hands at the six-yard line, but he wasn’t able to maintain possession after being hit by Charles Tillman. It was Johnson’s third drop of the first half.

  Stafford actually picked up the first down with a third-down completion to tight end Brandon Pettigrew, but the Lions again stalled deep in the red zone. On first down, Young and Johnson collided, taking both out of the play as Stafford’s pass was nearly intercepted. On second down, Stafford overthrew another fade attempt to Johnson. And on third down, Stephen Peterman was badly beaten by Peppers, who gobbled up Stafford for the sack.

• Toward the end of the half, Cliff Avril forced a fumble that was ruled an incomplete pass. The play was reviewed and ruling was reversed, but since no Detroit Lions player immediately recovered the football during the play, the possession stayed with Chicago. Defensive tackle Nick Fairley and cornerback Chris Houston were both in the vicinity of the loose ball, but neither thought to pick it up off the ground. Honestly, it’s tough to fault the players on this one, but you can bet they’ll be coached to pick up every loose football from this point on in case of a similar situation.
• Despite being grossly outplayed in the first half, the Lions were only down two scores (20-6) when they forced a three-and-out to start the third quarter. But things unraveled quickly, starting on a 2nd-and-8 play, where Stafford seemed to be throwing to a different spot than where tight end Tony Scheffler was running his route. The result was a pick-six and a 21-point deficit.
• Things went from bad to worse as Stafford threw another pick-six on the Lions’ next drive – this one to Charles Tillman. This pushed the Bears lead to 34-6.
• Detroit’s next drive is derailed on a 3rd-and-4, when Stafford missed Scheffler on a post route from the slot. Scheffler did a nice job absorbing the contact from the defensive back near the line of scrimmage and getting separation to the inside, but Stafford’s sidearm throw was out of the reach of his tight end.
• The Lions bottled up Forte all day, but allowed the back to get free for a 40-yard gain in the third-quarter. The Bears blocked the play well at the line of scrimmage, and used a pulling guard to pick up linebacker DeAndre Levy to give Forte the lane on the left side. Safety Louis Delmas came up and had a one-on-one shot at Forte five yards beyond the line of scrimmage, but whiffed on a diving attempt.
• Down 37-6 in the third quarter, the Lions offense kept fighting, and worked it down into Bears red zone once again. Detroit had four shots from the 11-yard line, but failed to punch it in. On first down, Johnson ran a post, but Stafford led him a bit far and the receiver was unable to make the diving catch. This is a pass Johnson usually catches, but not a pass you can label a drop. This incompletion is on Stafford. On second down, there was a communication breakdown as Stafford’s pass went one way and Johnson went another. On third down, Scheffler dropped a perfectly placed touchdown pass on a post route. And on fourth down, Stafford locked on, and tried to force it to, Johnson in the middle of the field, surrounded by three defenders, despite having Pettigrew wide open.

• The Lions found themselves in the red zone again late in middle of the fourth quarter, but again couldn’t finish. On 2nd-and-10 from the Chicago 13, Nate Burleson ran a nice stutter-and-go route from the slot. Recognizing the safety had vacated his spot, Stafford laid a nice pass over the top. It hit Burleson in the hands, but the receiver couldn’t haul it in.

  On the next play, Stafford again tried to force it to Johnson, this time lobbing one off his back foot, into triple coverage. The pass came up woefully short and was intercepted by cornerback Corey Graham. Even if Johnson had managed to come down with the poor throw, it would have been negated by a holding call.

Yeah, that’s a lot of miscues, mental errors and bad plays. There were some positives in the game, especially the play of the defense, but the Lions have to clean up these elementary mistakes from all three units. They’re not going to win many football games committing dumb penalties, dropping first down and touchdown passes and recklessly turning the ball over. 

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, the tape can be burned. 

Philadelphia • Matt Forte was standing on the sideline after losing two fumbles and Chicago faced a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter.

No problem for Jay Cutler and these resilient Bears.

Cutler threw a go-ahead 5-yard TD pass to Earl Bennett, Forte ran for 133 yards and the Bears rallied to beat the Philadelphia Eagles 30-24 on Monday night.

“We cannot afford to fall behind against anyone in this league, so we needed a good start,” Forte said. “We had that, and even with that fast start, we still fell behind against that team. But we stayed focused and recovered. We tried not to worry about the past, and just focus on the next play. For us, that is the key.”

It was a crushing loss for Michael Vick and the Eagles (3-5), who blew a fourth-quarter lead for the fourth time this season. Jeremy Maclin fell down and was tackled at the Chicago 30 after a 9-yard catch on fourth-and-10 with just under two minutes left, and the Bears ran out the clock.

The defending NFC East champions trail the New York Giants (6-2) by three games.

“We need to keep getting better,” Eagles coach Andy Reid said. “We have to continue to work hard and learn from our mistakes.”

Chicago (5-3) won its third straight game, but remains third in the NFC North behind Green Bay (8-0) and Detroit (6-2). The Bears entered as an 8-point underdog despite coming off a bye.

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After LeSean McCoy’s 33-yard touchdown run following Forte’s second fumble gave the Eagles a 24-17 lead in the third quarter, the Bears answered with 13 straight points.

Robbie Gould kicked a 38-yard field goal to cut it to 24-20, and then Chicago’s defense forced a punt after three plays.

The Bears drove 51 yards for the go-ahead score, with Cutler tossing a 5-yard TD pass to Bennett over Asante Samuel for a 27-24 lead.

“All you ever hear is DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin and all of the plays that they can make,” Bennett said of Philadelphia’s standout receivers. “So, we just wanted to go out there, make some plays, and prove the critics wrong.”

The Eagles reached the Bears 42 on their next drive. On fourth-and-6, punter Chas Henry bounced a pass to a wide-open Colt Anderson and Chicago took over.

Henry, recruited as a quarterback at Florida, spent a lot of time throwing passes to long snapper Jon Dorenbos on the sideline in the second quarter, presumably warming up for the fake punt. He got his chance and badly underthrew the pass.

“Pretty seldom do we have a guy completely uncovered and have a chance to make a big play. We didn’t execute,” Reid said.

The Bears took advantage. A pass interference penalty on Nnamdi Asomugha at the Eagles 7 prolonged the drive. The defense stiffened and Gould hit a 22-yarder to extend the lead to 30-24.

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