Bears defensive backs Ricky Manning Jr. and Adam Archuleta looked at each other dumbfounded, wondering how Cowboys running back Marion Barber III had slid through them for a 10-yard third-quarter touchdown.
The Bears were missing far more than tackles Sunday night at Soldier Field.
A defense thought to be one of the most dominant in the league suddenly was suspect. A quarterback expected to make progress reverted to his atrocious ways. And even Superman, return specialist Devin Hester, got blasted with a truckload of Kryptonite posing as the Dallas Cowboys’ coverage team.
No matter how you broke it down, the Bears were bad news in just about every facet of the game in a 34-10 loss to the undefeated Cowboys. The Super Bowl runners-up now literally limp into next week’s game at Detroit 1-2 overall.
If this was a showdown of teams expected to contend for the NFC title, the Bears are pretenders, at least for this week. Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo looked like a more mobile Tom Brady, sidestepping the intense pressure of the Bears’ front line to make play after play.
Romo completed 22-of-35 passes for 329 yards and two touchdowns, with a passer rating of 100.8.
In fairness to the Bears’ defense, it was depleted beyond belief. First linebacker Lance Briggs and then cornerback Nathan Vasher went down with groin injuries. Then Tommie Harris hobbled out of the game, his knee elevated on the sideline. The disgusted way Harris waved off the TV cameras told you it wasn’t pretty.
Nothing was more hideous than Grossman’s performance. Even when he made a big play, such as his 12-yard sprint that helped preserve a drive, Grossman would counter with a play that would make you say, “What were you thinking, man?”
Grossman’s final numbers told his story: 15-of-32, 195 yards, three interceptions, QB rating of 27.5.
Ouch.
