Marion Barber rushed for over 100 yards for the first time since 2009 Sunday, but it is safe to say, no one has been thinking about that in the last 24 hours. While no one player is solely responsible for the loss this week, one does seem to stand out as more tied to the outcome than any other on the Bears after a 13-10 overtime loss to the Denver Tebows (Broncos).
After running out of bounds on a six-yard run on second and 10 in the final two minutes set the stage for Tebow to lead a last-minute drive, leading to a game-tying 59-yard field goal, Barber was on the hook for allowing the game to go to overtime, although the Bears defense going into a super soft Cover 2 didn't exactly help wiggle Barber off said hook.
The Bears ended up winning the overtime coin toss and were in the process of getting into field goal range for Robbie Gould when Barber took a handoff and was set to at least reach the Broncos 35-yard line when on third and 10 from the Denver 38 he was stripped of the ball by Wesley Woodward. When Elvis Dumervil recovered the fumble the camera quickly went to Barber on the sideline, who was getting consultation from quarterback Caleb Hanie.
Things are pretty rough for Barber right now if you consider his not lining up on the line of scrimmage in the Chiefs game cost the Bears a touchdown which would have changed the whole complexion of the game. And should have ended in a win against Tyler Palko and company.
Again the defense allowed the Broncos to pick their way down the field and set up a 51-yard field goal. As the Bears fell for the third straight time, it became clear to my while everyone piled on Barber for his clear mistakes, this team specifically on offense, does not have a margin for error at all.
That point was clear thoughout this game. Despite the offense not doing much of anything in the first half, they did not have the big turnover that put the defense in a bad spot. That's about as perfect as Caleb Hanie has played. Well, throwing for less than 100 yards shows how little Mike Martz and the coaching staff trusted him to throw the football.
Then when the field position was in their favor Barber broke a nice run and scored a touchdown and Gould hit a Bears record 59-yard FG. Even when the defense handed the offense solid field position with a Peanut Tillman interception and a Chris Conte forced fumble of Tebow, the offense had little luck getting anything going. Add in big blunders like a run out of bounds at the end of the game which gives an offense 35 more seconds and a fumble near the 40 yard-line in overtime and most teams will find a way to make you pay.
If anything has been shown these past two weeks was how valuable Jay Cutler has been to this offense. He made the offensive line look better and the receivers the same with what his presence. This team, especially on offense and even moreso without Matt Forte, is just lacking playmakers. Credit has to go to the coaches for putting the team in a position to win this game with what they have, but it falls on the players to execute when it matters and they did not.
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