This would fall under the two-steps-backward theory, two giant steps, from Monday night darlings to Sunday afternoon frumps. Same Bears, different reward.
“What we have to do,” Alonzo Spellman is saying, “is win, win, win, not win, lose, win. The mark of a great team is consistency. That’s what separates the San Frans from the Tampa Bays.”
This bit of inspiration does not invite argument, except for the illustration. This also is what separates the Bears from the Green Bays, who are of more immediate concern, not to mention twice a year.
“I’m telling you,” Spellman said, “if you win within your division, you are going to be there at the end.”
Ah, some cheerful news, then, to take out of a 10-3 noogie from the Redskins. This counts only in the large picture, not in the details. A loss to Washington is of equal value to the Bears’ dismissal of the Cowboys. Next week’s game with Minnesota will be worth as much as the Detroit game after that.
It is important to know whose scale is being used to weigh these things.
“If they can hold our offense to three points, we should be able to do the same to theirs,” said linebacker Joe Cain.
And, if this had been a division loss, it would have meant more. If Erik Kramer waits a split second more for Michael Timpson on the Bears’ final play, the game is into overtime. If Timpson doesn’t fumble the ball earlier, the Redskins can’t mount enough of an offense to bother a baby-sitter. If Kramer isn’t pounded into the ground play after play by a barely adequate rush, he doesn’t have one of his worst games as a Bear. If Carlos Huerta were Kevin Butler . . .
“Like I always say,” Bryan Cox said, “if my aunt was a man she’d be my uncle. You can’t go by ifs.”
No argument there either, and since we are dealing in the obvious, here is more.
Most Bear games will be like this. Most Bear games will come down to the last possession. Most Bear games will need all the pieces to work, all the time.
“This is not the Chicago Bear offense and the Chicago Bear defense,” Cox said. “This is the Chicago Bears.”
Well, OK, but on this day it was a lot easier to identify the one than the other.
“I can’t speculate on why we are not clicking,” Kramer said. “Key mistakes are being made in drives. We move the ball fine and then it’s second and 20 or third and 15.
“It’s not execution overall, it’s just breakdowns here and there.”
Here and there. The geography of losing.
“If we give up 10 points a game,” Dave Wannstedt said, “we’ll lead the league in defense.”
Another conclusion that is beyond argument, as is this one:
“I personally feel like I caused us to lose this football game,” Timpson said. “I know that no one play or one person can cost a football game, but I was a big part of it, put it that way.”
This is as Timpson should feel, as all the Bears should feel. And they all did. Except one.
“They’re supposed to be this big return team,” said the punter, Todd Sauerbrun. “He (Redskins returner Brian Mitchell) kind of challenged me to kick him the ball. I kept him running backward all day, so I guess I shut him up.”
The victory over Dallas had camouflaged the Bear offense. Most of the damage in that game came off trick plays, and on this day, Sauerbrun was not passing from punt formation. He was busy having a wonderful time, averaging 47 yards a kick, one for 72 yards, with no return yardage on any of them.
“I kind of kicked the ball like this at West Virginia,” Sauerbrun said. “I’m back. I’m back.”
While it is nice to see a young man happy in his work, it is not good form to gloat after losing.
When the punter feels good, he is the only one.
