Bears’ defensive players feel they could’ve done more

• Reprints

The Bears held Raiders running back Michael Bush to 69 yards on 24 carries Sunday. | Ezra Shaw~Getty Images

Updated: January 27, 2012 1:40AM

OAKLAND, Calif. — They remained united after the game even though they had opportunities to make excuses or point the finger away from themselves.

“We should have won that football game based on the way our offense played,” Bears middle linebacker Brian Urlacher said. “We didn’t play well enough on defense. We gave up too many big plays. We didn’t get enough takeaways.

“That’s why we didn’t win.”

Across the visitors’ locker room at O.co Coliseum, Bears defensive linemen refused to take comfort in limiting Raiders bruising running back Michael Bush to less than three yards per carry and providing consistent pressure (four sacks, nine hurries) on quarterback Carson Palmer.

“It was decent,” said defensive end Julius Peppers, who had two sacks and three pressures. “But it wasn’t good enough to win.”

Added defensive end Israel Idonije, “We were able to do some good things but not enough.”

The Bears’ defense forced the Raiders to settle for six field goals, which allowed Sebastian Janikowski to set a team record. But they weren’t satisfied with one turnover — an interception by cornerback Corey Graham for a third consecutive game — or a third-down play conceded with about four minutes left.

The Raiders were only 3-for-15 on third down, but the most important was a third-and-four from midfield. Cornerback Tim Jennings lined up opposite Raiders receiver Louis Murphy. The Raiders’ receiving corps was undermanned with Jacoby Ford and rookie Denarius Moore out.

Oakland dialed up a double move as Murphy got behind Jennings.

“First and foremost, great call,” Palmer said. “At that point in the game, just a great, [gutsy] call to pull out.”

Entering the game, Murphy had one catch for 23 yards. And in the second quarter, the Raiders had been aggressive on a third-and-one play.

“It’s a tough pill to swallow,” Jennings said. “But I felt I had to be aggressive on it because it was third-and-short. I didn’t want to give up an underneath route.

“You don’t expect a double move to happen, but that’s one where you tip your hat to them. They executed a play, and I didn’t.”

Raiders coach Hue Jackson said that was a play he had “kind of saved in my pocket.”

The Raiders needed everything, especially because the Bears’ defense stifled their ability to run the ball.

The Raiders were one of five NFL teams to have more runs than passes entering the game, but they averaged only 2.7 yards against the Bears with a long run of 14 yards.

Urlacher, though, pointed to that crucial fourth-quarter drive with the Bears trailing 18-13.

“We had a chance to stop them, and we gave up a touchdown,” Urlacher said. “That’s not good defense.”

Palmer, for his part, applauded the Bears’ defense despite its ranking as the 25th-best unit in yardage allowed.

“People questioned what their ranking was statistically. That’s a very good unit that’s played together a long time and understands their scheme,” said Palmer, who was 21-for-37 for 301 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.

“Once they get backed up against the goalposts in the red zone, they’re tough to get in the end zone.”

Caleb Hanie lamented his three interceptions, and running back Matt Forte also defended the defense.

“They kept us in the game even though we made a lot of mistakes on offense,” Forte said. “If we eliminate those mistakes, play a better game, we probably win that game.

“It was too many turnovers.”

But don’t expect the Bears’ defenders to feel any better.

Urlacher, in fact, flipped the script.

“He’ll get better,” Urlacher said of Hanie. “I didn’t think he did a bad job. He kept us in the game.

“If we played better defense, we win the game.”