Too hot: Kahlil Bell
Maybe the struggles in the running game aren’t all the fault of the offensive line after all. Bell, an undrafted free agent released by the Vikings in August, left that impression after his first NFL carry — a 72-yard burst through the left side. It was the Bears’ longest run from scrimmage since Neal Anderson went 73 yards against Green Bay on Dec. 17, 1989. Bell gave the Bears’ offense a spark it was lacking and made a lasting impression. Most of all, rest assured that Forte noticed.
Just right: Robbie Gould
All Gould does is stay consistent. Is there a more overlooked player on the Bears? He took the pressure off Jay Cutler’s red-zone struggles by knocking it through the uprights after several Cutler overthrows. Instead of leaving the field without momentum and wondering what was wrong with the franchise quarterback, the Bears put three points on the board and put the game in the hands of a defense that got better as the night went on.
Too cold: Al Afalava
When you’re the deep safety in a Cover-2 defense, you have to stay deep as the deepest and play the ball. Afalava just looked lost on a 48-yard TD pass to DeSean Jackson in the third quarter that gave the Eagles a brief lead. The rookie returned to the starting lineup after missing a week with a shoulder injury, and don’t think Donovan McNabb didn’t think Afalava might be rusty.
