Biggest Takeaways from Chicago Bears' Week 14 Loss

The Chicago Bears came into Week 14 with a 5-7 record following a disappointing loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 13, and they dropped another disappointing game on Sunday against the Washington Redskins.

Chicago gained 377 yards of total offense, including 315 yards through the air with quarterback Jay Cutler, but the offense struggled to find a rhythm all afternoon. The defense gave up 374 yards of total offense to the Redskins—including 132 yards and two touchdowns in the first quarter.

The Bears had a chance to send the game into overtime late in the fourth quarter, but kicker Robbie Gould missed a 50-yard field-goal attempt.

After the game, Cutler was unable to explain why Chicago has struggled to close out games this year.

“I feel like we’ve had so many of these," he said, per Chicago Bears radio network sideline reporter Zach Zaidman. "In the games we win, we figure out a way. In the games we don’t, we don’t figure out a way."

The loss dropped the Bears to 1-6 at Soldier Field on the season, and their chances of making the postseason are now slim.

What are our takeaways from Chicago's Week 14 loss to the Washington Redskins?

Defense Could Not Stop TE Jordan Reed

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When the Bears and Redskins last met in 2013, Chicago's defense struggled to contain tight end Jordan Reed. The former Florida Gator hauled in nine catches for 134 yards with one touchdown in Week 7 in 2013, and he was just as impressive on Sunday at Soldier Field.

Reed was targeted nine times by Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins, and he caught all nine passes for 120 yards with one touchdown in Week 14. The Bears used inside linebackers Shea McClellin and Jonathan Anderson—as well as cornerbacks Sherrick McManis and Alan Ball—against the young tight end in coverage, but they could not slow down Reed in the passing game.

“He’s an extremely good route-runner,” Anderson said after the game, per Arthur Arkush of ChicagoFootball.com. “He was running a lot of option routes, reading our position on the field and going the opposite way.”

Reed did a good job of creating separation with his speed against Chicago's linebackers early in the game, and when defensive coordinator Vic Fangio opted to use his defensive backs to offset Reed's speed, the third-year tight end used his size (6'2", 237 lbs) to his advantage in the open field. Reed fought through tackles all afternoon and was great with the ball in his hands.

“He’s just a good player,” safety Chris Prosinski said, per Arkush. “We knew that coming into the game. They have a lot of weapons on the offensive side of the ball with their speed, so you can’t put everything on [Reed]. He made some plays; he’s really good after the catch.”

Rookie nickelback Bryce Callahan likely would have lined up opposite of Reed on Sunday, but he missed the game due to a quadriceps injury. 

The Bears have struggled to defend the middle of the field this season, and Reed exposed that weakness all throughout the game on Sunday.

Kyle Long Struggled in Pass Protection

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Kyle Long made the move from right guard to right tackle in Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers, and while he has not played at the same level at tackle as he did the last two seasons at guard, he has proven this season he can handle his own on the outside. 

While he has been impressive at times at right tackle, he struggled on Sunday against the Redskins. He gave up a sack on the outside to edge-rusher Trent Murphy in the first half that resulted in a turnover after Cutler lost the football, and he also gave up a sack to outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan in the second half. The former Oregon Duck was also called for a false-start penalty.

Long was disappointed in himself after the game, per Mark Potash of the Chicago Sun-Times:

"

I can’t expect to get beat like that and have a spot on the team and have a happy locker room. False start — uncharacteristic for myself; getting beat for two sacks — uncharacteristic of myself.

A lot of things I did today that I wasn’t happy with. I’ve said before where there’s a few plays I could have back. I honestly feel like I cost this team the game in the first half. No matter how good our team played in the second half, I dug ourselves enough of a hole to put us behind the eight ball.

"

The young offensive lineman has been successful in his career because of his strength and athleticism, but he struggled with his hand placement all afternoon against the Redskins. Both Kerrigan and Murphy were able to gain leverage off the snap of the ball, and Long had no answer for them on the two sacks he allowed.

Long is still a key part of Chicago's offensive line moving forward, and even though he had a rough day on the outside in Week 14, he is a talented player who should flourish at the position in the future.

Robbie Gould Failed Late for the Second Week in a Row

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In Week 13 against the San Francisco 49ers, Gould had a chance to win the game in regulation, but he missed a 36-yard field-goal attempt. With a chance to potentially send the game into overtime on Sunday against Washington, Gould missed yet another key field goal.

The Bears got themselves into field-goal position following a 50-yard completion from Cutler to wide receiver Alshon Jeffery late in the fourth quarter, and when it came time for Gould to kick the potential game-tying field goal, he felt confident he could get the job done.

"Last week I felt that I rushed the kick," Gould said after the game, per BearReport.com's Beth Gorr. "That's something I worked on all week to correct. This week I didn't feel that pressure. When the ball left my foot I was certain that it was going in."

Gould's kick went wide right, and the Bears were forced to watch the Redskins celebrate their first victory on the road this season. After the game, Gould felt like the loss was on him.

"The guys did a great job getting into range and I just didn't execute," said Gould after the game, per CSNChicago.com. "It's frustrating. It's tough. Obviously you've got guys out there competing and doing a great job all game and it comes down to one play. My teammates rely on me. In the last two weeks, I just haven't got it done."

After making his first 17 field goals this season, Gould has made just nine of his last 15 field-goal attempts. 

According to Spotrac, Gould still has two years remaining on his contract after this season, but the Bears may have to look for a replacement for the soon-to-be 34-year-old kicker at some point this offseason if he continues to struggle in the final three games of the year.

Willie Young Is Earning Himself a Starting Job for Next Season

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Last week against the 49ers, outside linebacker Willie Young recorded three tackles and 1.5 sacks. On Sunday against the Redskins, he backed up that performance by recording four tackles and his fifth full sack of the season.

Viewed as an afterthought when the season began because the team was stocked at the outside linebacker position with guys like Pernell McPhee, Jared Allen, Sam Acho and Lamarr Houston, Young has quickly become the team's most reliable pass-rusher in the second half of the season.

McPhee was dominant at times this year, but he has struggled with a knee injury in recent weeks and did not play on Sunday against Washington. Allen was traded to the Carolina Panthers early in the year because he did not fit the team's scheme at outside linebacker, leaving Young to battle with Acho and Houston for playing time opposite of McPhee.

Young has now recorded 4.5 sacks in his last four games, and he has been a relentless pass-rusher when given the opportunity to go after the quarterback. In addition to recording a sack on Sunday against Washington, he was also credited with a team-high two quarterback hits.

He is at his best when asked to attack the opposing team's signal-caller, but he also has the ability to make plays against the run.

The former Detroit Lion led the Bears in sacks last season with 10 before injuring his Achilles in Week 16, and while it has taken him some time to get comfortable in Fangio's system this season, he is proving on a weekly basis he has what it takes to be an outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme after playing nothing but defensive end in his career before this season.

If he continues to play at the level he has played at in the last four weeks, Young has a chance to solidify himself as a starter in 2016 opposite of McPhee.

Bears Are Committed to a Running-Back-by-Committee Approach

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Since his return from an injury on Thanksgiving against Green Bay, running back Matt Fore (22) has been splitting reps with rookie Jeremy Langford (33).

Running back Matt Forte injured his knee in Week 8 against the Minnesota Vikings and missed Chicago's next three games. In his absence, rookie running back Jeremy Langford gained 170 yards on the ground on 51 carries with three touchdowns, and he also caught 13 passes for 196 yards with one touchdown.

When Forte returned on Thanksgiving night against Green Bay, he received 15 carries and gained 44 yards, while Langford received 12 carries and finished the night with 48 rushing yards. Against San Francisco last week, Forte led the way with 21 carries for 84 yards with one rushing touchdown, and Langford carried the ball 12 times for 59 yards.

On Sunday against the Redskins, Forte carried the ball 10 times for 45 yards and was targeted two times in the passing game, while Langford carried the ball 11 times for 37 yards, but he was targeted seven times through the air by Cutler.

Offensive coordinator Adam Gase has done a nice job of splitting up carries between the two running backs in recent weeks, but he admitted earlier this month he wishes he could give both more opportunities.

“I wish we could just get more plays in a game, so both those guys could get more touches,” said Gase, per the Chicago Sun-Times' Adam Jahns. “We should only get better from here on out, and those guys will get in the flow of it. You don’t want to have three-and-outs, where they’re kind of in and out. You want to try to give them a little rhythm, and you need to have an eight- to 12-play drive for that to happen.”

Forte turned 30 years old earlier this month, and he is in the final year of his contract. The Bears could always look to re-sign him to a team-friendly deal in the offseason, but it would not come as a surprise if Forte looks for the best deal he can get on the open market.

Langford has been impressive at times this season, and with the Bears seemingly out of the playoff hunt, he could end up getting more carries over Forte in the final weeks while the team tries to evaluate its roster heading into the offseason.

Statistical information courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise noted.

Matt Eurich is a Chicago Bears featured columnist for Bleacher Report and a member of the Pro Football Writers of America.

Follow @MattEurich.