Chicago Bears: 10 Lessons Learned Against the Oakland Raiders

Caleb Hanie took hits. But he got up.

And he showed improvement with every play.

Oakland is a talented team that played smart, beating the Bears 25-20.

But Chicago should survive the next few weeks without Cutler, needing only minor adjustments to pull it together. Not throwing three interceptions in the first half would be a good start.

Because despite (many) mistakes, the Bears kept it close.

And that means winning three of the next five games, and capturing an NFC wild card spot, is still possible.

Downright likely.

No. 1: Hanie Can Run

His runs were part desperation and part good decision-making. But there's no denying Hanie can run. 

He totaled 50 yards on five carries and showed an elusive quickness in the pocket.

Ultimately, his mobility will buy more time to look downfield in the coming weeks. It also prevents teams from playing too much man coverage, because when defenders turn their backs to follow receivers Hanie knows to take off running.

That's how he beat the Raiders for two big gains.   

No. 2 : Julius Peppers Is Still a Game-Changer

Peppers had two sacks against Oakland, bringing his season total to eight. 

His first sack was a momentum-killing, touchdown-saver on third down that forced the Raiders to settle for a field goal.

The second sack forced Oakland into a second and long that effectively ruined the drive; Carson Palmer was intercepted two plays later trying to convert on third and 19. 

No. 3: Martz Is a Master of Misdirection

The Bears were stuffed on running plays early in the game due to Oakland's stacked and aggressive defensive front. 

Instead of giving up, Martz tweaked the playbook to capitalize on the aggression.

Chicago found success using counters, traps, delayed runs and and fake end-arounds to keep the Raiders off balance. The more they loaded up against the run, the more room Forte and Barber found in cutback lanes.

Until Hanie is more comfortable with the offense, Chicago must continue mixing in misdirection plays to keep the ball moving. 

It didn't translate to a victory this week, but as teams begin to prepare for the Bears these plays will force teams to think twice.

No. 4: Hanie Isn't Far from Being Effective

His passes were inconsistent, some late, some early, and some high. But most of them were catchable.

Yes, Caleb's three interceptions hurt the Bears.

But so did three passes that hit Bears' receivers in the hands—and were dropped.

That happened twice on third down. 

And while the Raiders managed to sack Hanie four times, Caleb actually looked good against the blitz. His first touchdown pass was a hot read against pressure that found Johnny Knox, who sprinted for the score untouched. (See video.)

This is evidence the game doesn't move too fast for him: a critical step in his progression.

The Raiders backed off heavy blitzes after that, a true sign of respect against a young quarterback.

No. 5: Tim Jennings Has Good Instincts, Bad Hands

In the second quarter, cornerback Tim Jennings jumped a route and should have had an easy interception. He beat the receiver to the ball so well he looked like the intended target. 

But like Bears receivers often do, Jennings couldn't hang on (see left). 

*Sigh*

Those same instincts were exploited later in the game, when Jennings beat Raiders receiver Louis Murphy to the inside. But Murphy ran a double-move and Palmer found him down the sideline for a big gain in the fourth quarter.

Hey, it's a tough league.

No. 6: Bears Defense Is Built for Takeaways

It's not a pure Cover-2 defense anymore. It's not even a bend but don't break defense.

It's a turnover machine.

The Bears didn't have much luck against the Raiders, getting just one interception. But the system is in place, and follows some simple rules.

On running plays:

1. First guy to the ball carrier holds him up.

2. All other defenders go for the strip.

On passing plays:

1. Pressure the QB.

2. Force a bad throw.

3. Bat/tip/intercept the throw.

4. Rinse, lather, repeat.

On their interception, Chicago got pressure, created a holding penalty, forced Palmer to throw before he wanted, and the ball was tipped and intercepted by Corey Graham.

It was textbook. Everything went right. 

No. 7: Amobi Okoye Needs to Play More

In limited duty, Okoye has four sacks on the year, including one against Oakland. 

He also batted down a pass and managed to generate inside pressure when he wasn't double-teamed.

He's quicker than some of the other defensive tackles but less of a run stuffer.

And it's true, the Bears like to rotate lineman to keep them fresh, and utilize their strengths according to what the situation dictates.

But Okoye needs to see the field more often.

When he plays, he produces. 

No. 8: Marion Is Still a Barbarian

Barber actually outgained Forte on the ground, getting 63 yards on 10 carries.

He runs violently, which has caused injuries to himself and others over his career. Hence, his well-deserved nickname, "Marion the Barbarian."

When he's healthy, like he was against the Raiders, he can be a force. 

Oakland was intent on stopping Forte so Martz switched gears and got a great performance from Marion. He was a good change-of-pace and sparked the Bears with big bursts, including three straight runs totaling 27 yards in the second quarter.

He also added a 21 yard scamper, showing good speed in addition to strength.

A tailback tandem of these two will continue to cause problems for opponents over the final weeks of the season. 

Expect more touches by Barber.

No. 9: Johnny Knox Is Still a Threat

It hasn't been a great year for Knox. He hasn't had nearly as many return opportunities or offensive chances as he'd like.

But he was showcased against Oakland, catching four passes for 145 yards and a touchdown, including an 81 yard bomb Bears fans have been hoping to see more of. 

And while the Raiders weren't interested in giving Devin Hester return opportunities, they should have feared Knox as well. He returned four kicks for another 133 yards, and did his part to give the Bears decent field position.

Johnny looks like an integral part of the offense moving forward; He and Hanie have a good rapport due to their time working together as second stringers.

Chicago's opponents can go back to worrying about Knox.

No. 10: Bears Defense Is Still Great

With their backs to the wall, and the offense turning it over three times, the Bears defense was stout.

Despite losing the field position battle all afternoon, they forced Oakland to convert six field goals.

(Yup, SIX.) 

How is that possible? Oakland was stifled in the red zone and converted just three times on third down. That's how. 

At one point, Oakland attempted a third and goal from the 27 yard line. There's no way a team gets into that position without facing a strong defense.

This unit is good enough to keep the Bears in close games the rest of the season. And any playoff chances rest on their shoulders until Cutler comes back. 

Hanie will be fine. But he's not going to win games for the Bears.

Like always, it will be up to the defense to do that.