Bears over Jaguars: Chicago playing hard to the wire

The Bears keep pace with the Minnesota Vikings and cling to hope.

Kyle Orton looked to be back in a groove as he orchestrated a few scoring drives early for the Bears. Orton was stifled in the second half mostly due to the pressure put on by the Jaguars in their desperation.

Matt Forte has quietly made history and broken the mark of total yards from scrimmage by a Bears rookie RB—a mark previously held by the great Gale Sayers.

Forte continues to grind it out every week and has a rushing tally to put him in the top 10 of the league. If the Bears make a run this year or next, the young man from Tulane will play a large role.

The Bears defense, perhaps also in desperation, was able to constantly put pressure on the quarterback, as David Garrard was never able to hit his stride and make plays with his arm or legs. Save a few big plays on their touchdown drive, the Jaguars were held in check most of the afternoon.

The only thing that bothers me about this game was the number of drops by Bears receivers. Even Forte had one that, if caught, could have resulted in a first down.

While this may just be an anomaly, it’s not encouraging when your quarterback is putting the ball on the hands almost every time only to be dropped. It's something the Bears will need to correct if they’re to keep up with the high-powered Saints offense.

Special teams played a big role in this victory as Brad Maynard averaged 44 yards on six kicks and put four of those inside the 20. Pinning the opposition that far back time and time again makes the defense's job that much easier.

The Bears do not control their own destiny, as they didn’t take care of the Vikings when they had the chance, but here’s hoping the Bears can win out and play hard the rest of the season.   

The Good: Kyle Orton

He bounced back from a dismal performance against the Vikings to find his rhythm again. He found his favorite targets for scores and used his arm to seal the deal at the end of the game.

The Bad: The offensive line in the second half

The Bears couldn’t get anything going for much of the second half, mostly due to pressure by the Jaguars' front four. The Bears' O-line, which has played average at best, is showing signs of fatigue.

The Ugly: Dropped passes

This game could have been over in the third quarter if it weren’t for some drops by Bears receivers. Rashied Davis isn’t helping his own cause for a roster spot next year, while Hester and Clark showed uncharacteristic trouble making the catch.

The Difference: QB pressure

David Garrard was hounded most of the day save the only Jaguars touchdown drive. Rookie Marcus Harrison really stood out as he freed up a few of his players by drawing a double team.

Five Questions

Was that a Mark Anderson sighting this past Sunday?

Why was Craig Steltz essentially stripped of his Nickel duties?

Will Daniel Manning return one for six this season?

With making the playoffs doubtful, do we have a reason to be excited about next year?

Is the short week a plus or minus for the Bears?