Heading into Sunday’s game, Bears offensive coordinator John Shoop had planned to spell running back Anthony Thomas with rookie Brock Forsey every third series. That came as a surprise to Thomas.
“I just heard about it right before game time,” an annoyed Thomas said after the Bears’ 34-21 loss to the Packers.
Suffice it to say Thomas didn’t like carrying the ball only nine times, his lightest workload since the season opener against San Francisco, when he had six carries. He missed last week’s game with viral pneumonia but said he felt 100 percent Sunday.
“You have to ask the coaches, [and] I’m not a coach,” Thomas said. “When my number’s called, I just go out and play. I don’t think [my health] had anything to do with it. I’m healthy, take it from there. I’m not a coach, I don’t have a say.”
Forsey had gained the coaching staff’s favor with a 134-yard effort against the Cardinals in Thomas’ absence. He played the bulk of two series Sunday and carried three times for minus-4 yards.
The lack of a consistent running game forced the Bears into throwing the ball 40 times. Quarterback Kordell Stewart completed 17 for 256 yards, but the one-dimensional nature of the offense hurt the Bears. “You’d like to have [a running game] to help you do a little play-action and have a little more balance, but that’s not an excuse,” Stewart said. …
Rookie defensive end Michael Haynes expects to hear from the league after getting flagged for roughing the passer and knocking helmets with Brett Favre on a third-quarter drive. The penalty came on a second-down incompletion and helped lead to a Ryan Longwell 45-yard field goal that made the score 19-14. “There’s not anything I can do about it, just pay the fine,” Haynes said. “It doesn’t matter what I think, the flag’s there.” …
Lance Briggs’ 45-yard interception return for a touchdown marked the first time a Bears defender had run back an interception since Walt Harris scored on a 39-yard interception return Dec. 30, 2001, against Detroit. … Stewart reprised his role of “Slash” on the final play of the first half–but as a defensive back. Stewart, who looked like the only man between Packers safety Darren Sharper and the end zone, made a nice tackle of Sharper after a 50-yard return. … The Bears gained 137 yards in the first half, 104 on three pass plays and 33 on the other 23 snaps. …
After a long, cold day, defensive tackle Keith Traylor found time to be fan-friendly. Traylor gave his gloves to a young Bears fans in the first row of Lambeau Field seats as the final seconds ticked off.
