Chicago Bears Week 5 Report Card: Grading Every Position

The Chicago Bears, fearing an early season three-game deficit to the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions in the NFC North, laid another nationally televised egg on Monday Night Football. The Bears lost to the Lions 24-13, dropping their all-time Monday Night Football record to 20-35, fifth-worst among NFL teams. The weaknesses that have been apparent for the Bears in 2011 were on full display against the now 5-0 upstart Lions.

Here's my Week 5 report card for the Bears at every position.

Quarterback: B-

Jay Cutler, who visibly showed his frustration with his teammates and coaches in the last few weeks, was given more to hem and haw about Monday night. As Ron Jaworski pointed out during ESPN's broadcast of the Bears' loss Monday night, the Bears offense had no rhythm and most of their offense was created by Cutler's ability to turn broken plays into gains.

Cutler was constantly on the run, as he was squeezed from the pocket often. He wasn't sacked as much as in the previous four weeks, but he clearly was not given enough time to hit receivers at the end of their routes.

His performance of 249 yards, one touchdown, zero interceptions and a passer rating of 99.6 was one of the few positives for the Bears during a game that appeared to be winnable.

Running Back: B

Matt Forte continued to carry the load for the Bears offense, putting up 151 total yards from scrimmage and averaging 5.3 yards per carry.

Forte struggled early as the Bears and their offensive line piled up the penalty yards from false starts, but he eventually found his stride and broke a couple of nice runs.

As his price tag for a new contract continues to point north, Forte once again added some stability to the Bears' chaotic combination of poor offensive line play and offensive coordinator Mike Martz's complex and evidently antiquated playbook.

Wide Receiver: D

The Bears wide receivers once again proved that Chicago is still in need of a No. 1 receiver, a No. 2 receiver, a slot receiver, a deep threat who can get separation, a possession receiver and a receiver who can get open and make plays.

The Bears continue to rely on Matt Forte for most of their receiving yards. They also are getting decent contributions from Dane Sanzenbacher, an undrafted rookie out of Ohio State.

The Bears' "big" free-agent signing, Roy Williams, continues to be a ghost on the field, pulling in one catch for 11 yards against the team that drafted him.

Devin Hester once again showed why he may be the greatest special teams player in NFL history, but he should not be an every-down receiver in the NFL. A critical drop on a perfectly thrown Cutler pass, and a 10-yard loss on a catch was more evidence for the Bears' failed experiment of making Hester an NFL wide receiver.

Offensive Line: D-

Sigh. Will it ever get better? I thought Mike Tice was an offensive genius because the Bears allowed fewer sacks at the end of 2010 with a patchwork line. I think Mike Tice told everyone that much last year. The Bears continue to be one of the worst blocking teams in the NFL, and it is killing their offense and wasting a talented quarterback's prime years.

Cutler was sacked three times, but pressured constantly from Detroit's front four. Their three false start penalties on the opening drive were beyond an embarrassment to the Bears. The offense was only saved by Cutler's guile, Forte's running and a referee with an itchy whistle finger, who threw some flags on questionable roughing calls.

The line doesn't get an F because they did spring Forte for a couple nice runs, which kept the Bears in the game.

Defensive Line: D-

While the Bears' entire defense struggled mightily Monday night, some of the 395 yards of total offense given up could have been avoided if any sort of pressure up front was put on Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Julius Peppers was once again quiet, only managing pressure a couple of times, once missing a sure sack of Stafford.

The D-line shares in the blame of not stopping Jahvid Best's 88-yard touchdown run, yet another historic Monday night big play put up against the Bears in their appearances on MNF.

Linebackers: D

As Ron Jaworski and Jon Gruden pointed out repeatedly after Brandon Pettigrew's 18-yard touchdown that gave Detroit the lead for good, Brian Urlacher bit hard on a play fake to Jahvid Best, thus leaving Pettigrew wide open for the score.

That play, along with Jahvid Best's long runs, made for a miserable night for the Bears linebackers. Urlacher only registered two tackles on the night and also didn't contribute to stopping the Lions passing attack.

Secondary: D-

Charles Tilman had eight tackles on the night, and held Calvin Johnson to five catches. D.J. Moore had an interception on Matthew Stafford in the first half, cutting short a late drive that would have tied or given the Lions the lead at the half.

Besides those small triumphs, the Bears secondary performed poorly. Safety Chris Harris, playing in his first game since a Week 1 injury, looked out of place most of the game and completely ignored Jahvid Best blowing through the Bears defense on his way to an 88-yard score.

Brandon Meriweather, who was flagged for a late hit during the game, was way out of position to defend Calvin Johnson's 73-yard touchdown. The Bears' bread-and-butter defense, the Cover 2, completely failed to accomplish what it sets out to do—prevent the big play.

Special Teams: C+

The Bears' usually dynamic special teams unit was quiet on Monday night. While they weren't given too many opportunities (Detroit punted once), no turnovers were committed. Bears punter Adam Podlesh averaged 44.2 yards per punt, with one punt within the 20.

Miserable nights like the Bears' loss to Detroit Monday night have been salvaged in the past with brilliant special teams play, but the Bears special teams were not a factor in the game.

Coaching: F

The Bears' coaching performance hit an all-time low Monday night. The coaches have to take part of the blame when a team commits 14 penalties in a seemingly must-win game. The Bears' lack of preparation was no more apparent than during the Bears' first offensive series when the offensive line committed three false start penalties.

Lovie Smith performed at his usual poor level of clock management. The Bears blew through their timeouts quickly in the first half, as they usually do, due to confusion on offense and possibly more problems with plays efficiently being communicated to the quarterback. Smith also blew a challenge in the first quarter of a 0-0 game, costing another timeout.

The play he challenged? A fourth-down run stuff at the Detroit 30 after the Bears somehow drove 50 yards into Lions territory on the strength of some head-scratching penalties called against Detroit. Once again, announcers have to politely call Mr. Smith a moron for not kicking a field goal on the road in the first quarter of a scoreless game. Relying on your impotent offensive line to block for a run on fourth down, minutes after three false starts in a noisy stadium, is just poor coaching.

Jay Cutler having to ditch most of Mike Martz's plays because of their improbability of success with the Bears' current O-line was yet more proof of how much the game has passed Martz by. This offense needs simplicity, clarity and an identity. Martz's play-calling has none of that this year.

The Bears: D

More of the same from the Bears. Their three losses in 2011 have been tough to watch for Bears fans. The same problems have been evident, and the Bears look destined for a losing season if they don't right the ship quickly.

The two wins the Bears used to pencil in every year against Detroit are no longer there. The Bears' schedule looks harder every week. Now with an aging defense giving up yards by the truckload, there seem to be few positives the Bears can take into Sunday night against a struggling Minnesota Vikings team that won their first game on Sunday.

From top to bottom, the Bears performed poorly Monday night, and have probably seen the last of Detroit and Green Bay in the 2011 NFC North standings.