Phase facts: Top game in ’ 14
From Cutler to RBs to receivers to LBs, Bears excelled vs. Falcons
The Falcons game was the first Bears tape in a long time that was fun to watch. With their backs against the wall, the Bears played their best game in all phases.
The Jay Cutler in Atlanta is the quarterback who gets coaches to gush about his natural abilities and general managers to dole out $ 100 million contracts.
He was sharp, he was efficient, he made every play he had to and, most important, he was turnoverfree.
Cutler never will be one of the more accurate quarterbacks in the league, but he was more accurate than usual in playing his best game of the season, earning an A for his performance.
The running backs notched a B+. Matt Forte continues to play at a Pro Bowl level, and Ka’Deem Carey gave another glimpse of what coach Marc Trestman and general manager Phil Emery seem to like.
But both can pass- protect better, and Carey has to earn enough trust to give Forte more than seven plays off.
The receivers get an A-. Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery and Martellus Bennett received A’s. Josh Morgan deserves kudos for his first touchdown as a Bear.
Whether it was because he was more healthy or more focused, Marshall was Marshall again without having to steal targets from the rest of the group. And when Marshall is good, Jeffery usually is great and always better than he is on his own.
Bennett had several clutch catches and his best all- around game. All that hung the minus on this grade is Santonio Holmes, who doesn’t appear to be making any progress in the passing game, even if he is an able punt returner.
Roberto Garza was excellent, and Matt Slauson was much better in his second game back. Kyle Long has gotten so good, you often don’t notice him.
Unfortunately, Michael Ola struggled at times. Also, Jordan Mills had one of his worst games against a below- average defensive front.
The Falcons came in with four sacks and had three on Cutler, so the offensive line gets a B-, trending toward a C+.
Stephen Paea had another solid performance, Willie Young a good second half and Jared Allen a nice fourth quarter rushing the passer, but the defensive line still isn’t good enough.
Jeremiah Ratliff was fine coming back from his concussion. Lamarr Houston was, for the most part, missing in action again.
The rush was great once the jail break started at the end of the game, but for 60 minutes, the Bears were a B-/ C+.
Khaseem Greene, Darryl Sharpton, Christian Jones, linebackers coach Reggie Herring and defensive coordinator Mel Tucker get an A-.
Study the tape, and you’ll see them miss some plays, but you’d never guess they hadn’t really played until Sunday.
Take their numbers off, and you couldn’t see much difference with Greene’s effort compared to how the starters have performed.
Sharpton overran too many plays, but he played faster and with more aggression than we’ve seen from any Bears linebacker.
Kudos to Tucker and Herring for having him prepared to wear the green dot and call all the signals only two weeks off the street.
I’m giving the secondary a B. Kyle Fuller is just really good, and Tim Jennings played one of his better games. Roddy White didn’t want to come across the middle against Ryan Mundy, and Brock Vereen did enough to merit another look, but the Falcons dropped a lot of passes.
Special teams still aren’t special, but they get a B for not letting Devin Hester beat them.
Bottom line, this is the first time in 2014 that the Bears’ tape might be worth another look. Good movies are hard to find.