Gross, man: Tale ends badly for Bears fans
Brady outshines turnover-prone Grossman as Patriots prevent East Coast sweep
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- In these parts, folks have been saying for two seasons that the New England Patriots have not beaten a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
It will be interesting to see if the Bears are placed into that category after the autopsy on Sunday's sloppy affair is complete. But after the Bears' fourth and final turnover allowed the Patriots to pull out a 17-13 victory, the question lingers: What have the Bears proved, and whom have they proved it against?
It will be interesting to see if the Bears are placed into that category after the autopsy on Sunday's sloppy affair is complete. But after the Bears' fourth and final turnover allowed the Patriots to pull out a 17-13 victory, the question lingers: What have the Bears proved, and whom have they proved it against?
The opportunities were there for them to complete a sweep of three consecutive East Coast opponents, but it could be the Bears (9-2) are simply the best of a mediocre NFC. They racked up 153 rushing yards against one of the league's best run defenses, stuffed the Patriots' ground game and even survived the loss of another defensive back, Todd Johnson.
(David Banks/Daily Southtown)
PHOTO GALLERY
Bearing down
The opportunities were there for them to complete a sweep of three consecutive East Coast opponents, but it could be the Bears (9-2) are simply the best of a mediocre NFC. They racked up 153 rushing yards against one of the league's best run defenses, stuffed the Patriots' ground game and even survived the loss of another defensive back, Todd Johnson.
But in the fourth quarter, the difference in quarterbacks was highlighted. The Patriots' Tom Brady hit tight end Ben Watson for a 40-yard gain on third down, then juked out Brian Urlacher for an 11-yard gain on third-and-nine to set up the winning touchdown pass to Watson.
''I thought he was going to slide,'' Urlacher said. ''It was a good play by him.''
Rex Grossman, on the other hand, continued to struggle. He entered the game with the league's second-lowest passer rating in the fourth quarter, and Asante Samuel picked him off for the third time with less than two minutes to play after rookie Danieal Manning had stripped Patriots running back Corey Dillon.
''Obviously it is frustrating any time you lose and don't play the way you are capable of,'' said Grossman, who wound up 15-for-34 for 176 yards. ''We played a great team tonight, and it would be a dream come true to play them again.''
In addition to the three picks, an exchange between center Olin Kreutz and Grossman was lost at the New England 5-yard line in the second quarter.
''Maybe I was leaning out a little bit,'' said Grossman, whose right hand was stepped on in the scramble.
Said Kreutz: ''Rex is going to try to blame himself, but I didn't get the ball up and that's my fault.''
Either way, Brady (22-for-33, 269 yards) responded by marching the Patriots 92 yards for a 7-0 lead on Laurence Maroney's one-yard plunge.
The big plays Grossman had in the first half -- Bernard Berrian caught five passes for 104 yards -- didn't come in the second. The best downfield play was to toss it up to Berrian and get a pass-interference call, which happened twice. The first time -- a questionable 45-yard call on Artrell Hawkins -- set up Cedric Benson's two-yard touchdown run that tied it at 10 early in the fourth quarter.
The second, a 30-yard call on Ellis Hobbs, led to Robbie Gould's 32-yard field goal with 3:31 to play that pulled the Bears within four. Coach Lovie Smith elected to kick on fourth-and-six from the New England 14.
''I thought that was the right thing to do,'' he said. ''I felt like we would get the ball back, which we did, and have an opportunity. To win the game, we were going to need two scores.''
They never got the second one, and now Grossman doubters will be assembling. Change is not in the air.
''I'll say it right now,'' Smith said. ''Rex is our quarterback.''
The offense will need to respond better when the Bears see top competition again. The defense, which surrendered more than 300 yards for the first time, came up with three takeaways in the red zone.
The Bears don't have to be down long. They could wrap up the division title with the Minnesota Vikings coming to Soldier Field this week. But what does being atop the NFC North prove?
''They can keep saying whatever they want,'' Kreutz said. ''How many teams in the league could come on this three-game road trip and win two and then give New England a game at home? That's not an easy schedule.''
bbiggs@suntimes.com