Bears vs. Dolphins: Analyzing Chicago's Shutout Victory in Miami

The last time the Chicago Bears were in Miami was in February of 2006, when, after a roller-coaster season, they were defeated on a rainy night by the Colts in Super Bowl XLI.

Over three seasons later, the Monster of the Midway returned to beautiful Miami to face off against a solid Dolphins team on Thursday night.

In this game, under the bright lights of prime time, the Bears dominated an injury-plagued Dolphins team in a 16-0 rout. With this victory, Lovie Smith earned his first win against Miami as a head coach. More importantly, the Bears are now 7-3 and in command of the NFC North, extending their winning streak to three games coming out of their Week 8 bye.

Keys to Victory

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CHARLOTTE, NC - OCTOBER 10: Running back Matt Forte #22 of the Chicago Bears runs with the ball against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on October 10, 2010 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images)

Defensive Line Play

The Bears defensive line schooled a patchwork Dolphins offensive line. DE Julius Peppers had his best game as a Bear, as he compiled three sacks to raise his total to five for the year. Meanwhile, DT Henry Melton and DE Israel Idonije each recorded one sack. As a result of this persistent Bears pass rush, Dolphins QB Tyler Thigpen was harassed and hurried throughout the night.  

Running Productivity

In a game that Jay Cutler was slightly off in terms of accuracy, the Bears running attack came to life to keep the Bears offense moving. 

Robbie Gould Is “Good As Gold”

When the Bears couldn’t capitalize inside Dolphins territory, Robbie Gould picked up the slack by converting all three of his field goal attempts, including a big 50-yard boot.  

MVPs, Goats and the Play of the Game

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ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 19: Cornerback Charles Tillman #33 of the Chicago Bears at Cowboys Stadium on September 19, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Defensive MVP

Peppers had a dominate performance against  the Dolphins offensive  line. The Pro Bowl defensive end racked up three sacks and a tipped pass that led to a Charles Tillman interception. Peppers has certainly lived up to his hype.

Offensive MVP

Bears offensive of coordinator Mike Martz called a well-balanced game that kept the Dolphins defense on the field. The Bears' ability to dial up the right plays to convert third downs drained the Dolphins defense of its pregame energy. By the second half, the Dolphins defense was tired and demoralized.

Goat

For a second consecutive week, RT J’Marcus Webb performed poorly. This week he allowed one sack and drew four penalty flags. Despite showing improvements against Seattle and Washington, Webb has increasingly become the weak link on the offensive line. Then again, what should fans expect from a seventh-round rookie?

Play of the Game

In the first quarter, CB Charles Tillman intercepted a Thigpen pass that Peppers had tipped. This early pick shook the confidence of Thigpen and set the tone for the rest of the game. 

What Does This Mean?

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CHICAGO - NOVEMBER 22: Members of the Chicago Bear offense line up against the defense of the Philadelphia Eagles at Soldier Field on November 22, 2009 in Chicago, Illinois. The Eagles defeated the Bears 24-20. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Although tonight’s game was outside the NFC, Chicago’s shutout of the Dolphins was highly important.  With a tough December schedule ahead, Chicago needs to prevail in winnable games the way it did against an average Dolphins team tonight.

At 7-3, the Bears are in a good position to make a run at the playoffs, which would be their first appearance since their 2006 Super Bowl run. 

Bears coaches and fans should be highly impressed with their performance on defense. However, Chicago remains inconsistent offensively, as Jay Cutler had an off night in throwing one interception and nearly three more. 

Next weekend Chicago has its biggest test of the year against the surging Philadelphia Eagles. This matchup against Michael Vick and Co. will provide the Bears a chance to demonstrate they can hang with the NFL’s elite.