Bears and Panthers Live Blog
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Fourth Quarter
- Good grief.
- The Bears can't even execute a kneel-down play right. They got penalized trying to kill the clock at the end. Panthers declined the 10-second runoff. Can't believe they were intelligent enough to decline it. They're as fouled up as the Bears.
- For some reason they throw on third down and Mooney pays the price for the clinching first down with a big hit. But the Bears have won. Or we'll say the Panthers lost. Bears 16, Panters 13
- Two Foreman runs and it's the last timeout by the Panthers.
- Eddy comes up a bit short. Hits a yard past the C on the ground in the end zone. Bears ball with 1:35 left.
- Sanborn drops the pick and Eddy Piniero will try a 59-yard field goal
- Carolina takes a timeout with the clock stopped. Must be trying to scheme something up here.
- Blitz forces incompletion on first down and overthrow on second down.
- Young finds Miles Sanders at the sidelines out of bounds at the 41 of the Bears. A 13-yard gain.
- Panthers facing third-and-9 at their 39 with 2:30 to go. Again they go over the middle underneath and Hurst gets tough yards but not the first down. Fourth-and-2. TWO-MINUTE WARNING!!!!!
- Sheem with the sack. Rasheem Green, but only lost 4. Second-and-14.
- Thielen gets one slanting on a skinny post for 11 and the Panthers are moving.
- Brisker delivers the goods to Hurst and he drops a pass at the 40. So Panthers face third-and-4 at the 26.
- A Hayden Hurst sighting. He catches a 6-yarder over the middle.
- Bryce Young boots it for 2 yards but got a good spot. He really only made a yard and got the first down. Just barely.
- Panthers appeared to ge ta rushing first down but didn't make it so they're going for fourth-and-1 at the 18.
- Thielen sneaks his way open for 9 and it's third-and-1 at the 18.
- Gordon coming out of the slot stops Hubbard for no gain. Second time that happened on the same play.
- Panthers have 91 yards to go for the lead or field goal to tie.
7:10
- Had screen set up perfect against the blitz but Lucas Patrick couldn't get over and take care of another DB so they have to punt after a short gain.
- Foreman plows ahead for 4 so Bears face third-and-6 at the 42.
- Bagent has Robert Tonyan wide open and looks away from him then throws one away.
- Johnson with 4 up the middle on first down. then 6 on second down off right guard. The bears have first down at the 46 of Carolina.
- There's a play Bagent can run, a naked boot pass to Kmet for 14 yards. Should have had even more.
- Roschon Johnson with a 5-yard run on first down is good to see. He hasn't been able to get anything going since his concussion.
- Kickoff by Pineiro bounced over the crossbar. That doesn't count for anything but it looked funny.
- Drive finally ends on Kyler Gordon's pass breakup on third down and Eddy Piniero kicks a 39-yard field goal to end an eight-play, 20-yard drive in 4:42. Bears 16, Panthers 13
- Another penalty flag, this one on the Bears for holding on a completion for the first down. Two holdings actually on Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson. Looked more like illegal contact.
- Starting fourth quarter it's 258-131 in yardage for the Bears.
Third Quarter
- They got 6 on a short pass and face fourth-and-6 now at the Bears 36.
- DeMarcus Walker jumps offsides on third-and-17 and gives the Panthers yards they could need to get a first down or even try a long field goal. Dumb.
- Now it's offensive interference on Smith-Marsette on a screen. Quarter ends on a handoff for 3.
- After they had eight seconds to pass and no one got open Calvin Throckmorton got flagged for holding. What do you know another opposing penalty.
- Gill shanks the punt. Never good when the long snapper downs the punt. Downed at the Bears 40. A 26-yard "effort." About as good as Gill's tackle attempt earlier.
- Getsy gets booed on third-and-15 draw but that was a good call in a tight game. They'll punt from the 14. That drive was promising and ended in disaster.
- A short pass off his back foot to Trent Taylor and the first down is negated by OPI on DJ Moore. A lousy call. The two ran into each other. There was a pick. He had a right to run the route and the defender ran into him.
- Big Derrick Brown (320) decks Foreman for a TFL and the Bears are facing third-and-9 at their 24. He beat Teven Jenkins' block.
- Foreman pounding away for 11 yards on two carries. Then Bagent with a terrible play. He had Foreman for about 7 yards on pass or even more, but chose to run it and went OB for only 3.
- Bears in a position on the field not to get too cute. Protecting only a six-point lead with a rookie, mistake-prone QB.
- They try a wide receiver screen to Mingo and if he had cut to the sideline after his first cut inside he had a first down but he didn't and it's fourth-and-4. So Hekker comes on.
- Thielen coughs up a hard throw and no one can get the deflection for an easy pick. Panthers face a third-and-15. Good pass rush down.
- Sweat flushes him out of the pocket and he throws it away on first down. Looks like they've given up on the run
- They finally did something nice on a pass play, moving the Bears to the right and then throwing back across for a afirst down. Then to Thielen for a first down at the 50.
- Sweat pressure forces another incompletion. But Young had plenty of time. He just couldn't find anyone open in all that tim
- Eventually you figured that Panthers defense would crack. They give up more rushing TDs than any team in the league and were 28th against the run.
6:33: Bears 16, Panthers 10
- Foreman smashes into the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown, bouncing off a few tacklers on a 4-yard second-down run. Bears kick the PAT. A nine-play, 38-yard drive in 3:56. Bears 16, Panthers 10
- Kmet on the tight end wildcat sneak on third-and-1 at the 5 and he gets it but I hate that play.
- First really good Foreman run. He bolted off right guard cutting back for 11 to the 14. First down. Then tight end screen to Kmet that he bobbled but snared and gained six.
- Boot pass sidearmed to Moore for 9 and a Foreman dive for the first down to the Panthers 26. No need to force the issue if they're giving up yardage. Then he runs it on a bootleg for only 1 yard when he had Marcedes Lewis open for about 5 if he wanted.
- Bears take over in Carolina territory at the 38 after a 7-yard Trent Taylor return. They need to end this three-and-out thing.
- Yannick Ngakoue with the sack, his team-high third of the season at the 4-yard line. Now they'll get good field position.
- Third-and-10 for Carolina after Jaylon Johnson gives up a 6-yard catch but delivers a punishing tackle.
- Kyler Gordon gets his mitts on Miles Sanders for a 6-yard loss back to the 3. Good tackle as he went low, a hamstring tackle as Matt Eberflus likes to call it.
- Blackwell and Noah Sewell smear Smith-Marsette at the 9 after a 62-yard Gill punt. If they had that kind of coverage earlier it would be 9-3 not 10-9.
- Bagent overthrow to Moore deep and out of bounds. He wasn't open. They're taking that "get it to Moore" thing a little too literally. Two three-and-outs
- Panthers are unloading on Bagent in passing situations and on second-and-8 a blitz doesn't get him but he has to throw short and the Bears face third-and-8.
- They went after Hekker and he made a great punt after it was nearly blocked. A 52-yarder that rolled OB. Bears at the 27. That was a gamble worth taking since it was so far for the first down.
- Panthers delay of game on a punt? That's horrible.
- On third down they tried a play similar to the 45-yarder but shorter and Tyrique Stevenson got his head around then knocked it down. Bears to get the ball back looking for the lead.
- Trying to move the pocket, nice play for first down. Young didn't complete it but it looked nice.
- The Bears' worst quarter has arrived. They've been outscored by almost five points on average per third quarter.
Second Quarter
- Panthers had 97 yards and 45 on one play.
- This is looking like a replay of last week. The Bears own a 205-97 yardage lead at the half and are losing. Except the edge was 250-170 last week at the half.
:00: Panthers 10, Bears 9
- Deja vu for Santos ? No. He was kicking from 39 and it's just before the half, just like last week when he missed. But he drilled this one and ended a nine-play, 70-yard drive in 1:12. Panthers 10, Bears 9
- Bagent nearly was stripped of the ball on a blitz and manages to scramble and call timeout at the 21 with three seconds left so it's a Santos 39-yard field goal try.
- A long time to throw against the blitz and they get it to Kmet to the 26 with 26 seconds left. He also went out of bounds, which is a plus.
- Two incompletions and the Bears face third-and-7 at the Panthers 40.
- Beautiful route by Moore and then out of bounds for a big gain to the Panthers 43. A 14-yard gain. He had plenty of time to find Moore too.
- Bagent got blindsided on a scramble and looks shaken up. The Bears took a timeout. They have one timeout left. Not sure why they took the earlier one after a 6-yard completion.
- Personal foul on Deion Jones after a short completion gets the ball out of the hole. Only the second penalty called against a Bears opponent in six quarters.
1:12
- Bears take over at their own 8. D'Shawn Jamison hit Trent Taylor after the fair catch and Bears fans were steamed but he had the right to hit him because Taylor bobbled the catch. Trouble is, I saw that called the other way. It just depends on how fast after the bobble the hit comes.
- On third-and-2 with 1:22 left in the half, Young threw it right into the hands of Tyrique Stevenson and he dropped it. That was a Pick-6, the third in two weeks. But he dropped it.
- Panthers playing it awfully safe in the last two minutes. Ran it straight up the middle for 2.
- Bears flagged on third-down incompletion for illegal contact on Kyler Gordon.
- When you need someone tackled, Sanborn is the best option. Or T.J. Edwards.
- Sanborn with a brilliant one-armed open-field tackle leaves Panthers facing third-and-3 at their 34. TWO-MINUTE WARNING!!!!!
- Raheem Blackshear returns kick to the 27. 3:00 left in the half.
- The Bears offense is plodding along like they're incapable of anything more than 7-yard passes and 3-yard runs. Sure could use some speed. What's Velus Jones Jr. doing tonight?
3:06: Panthers 10, Bears 6
- Bears settle for a 36-yard Santos field goal after the blitz nearly decapitates him. A 35-yard drive 11 play drive in 5:13. Panthers 10, Bears 6
- On fourth-and-4 from the 36, Bagent steps up calmly and drills it to Scott over the middle on the play that got picked last week. This time a completion to the 21.
- First down. On third-and-4 from the 36 after a completion to Kmet, Bagent throws a duck of a pass downfield deep to Mooney incomplete. Probably should have been picked. Is it time to think about Nathan Peterman?
- On first down they had a wall formed along the left sideline but Bagent threw it too quickly, before Johnson got set up for the screen. Might have gone for 30.Smart play by Bagent, he dumps it down to Roschon Johnson for a 6-yarder and first down.Short toss to Roschon Johnson nets only 3 and the Bears have third-and-5 at the Panthers 48. Big down for the Bears to get at least 4.
- Foreman stuggling to get anything going. The Panthers run defense has been much better than their stats say, which isn't saying a thing for the Bears offensive line.
- Hekker bombed a 55-yard punt and Trent Taylor couldn't break a tackle so the Bears are at their own 47.
- On third-and-10 from the 9, Justin Jones breaks in and sacks Young at the 3 and the Panthers must punt. The Bears pass rush definitely looks better so far this game.
- Sweat with his third big rush of the game a half step late but forces an incompletion at the goal line by Young.
9:18
- The Smith-Marsette we all know and love shows up finally. He muffed the punt but the Bears had no one near him and he was able to pick it up and advance it a few feet, then downed the ball when he wasn't going the be tackle, in totally gutless capitulation. Panthers ball at their 9.
- No first down on a short pass but the Bears get yet another penalty, this for OPI on DJ Moore. So the Bears will punt. The HITS principle is not working. I repeat, the HITS principle is not working.
- Bagent missed Scott wide open deep. Uncovered. Instead he threw incomplete to the side. Wow. Fans were all yelling for him to throw it to Scott.
- Bagent held the ball too long and then Teven Jenkins got called for the hold. That was a case where the sack obviously belonged to the QB. It wiped out a short completion, too. It's second-and-20 at Bears 43.
- Tyler Scott on the end-around toss. He's getting pretty good at that play now. Struggled at first. Gained 16.
11:44
- On second down after a 3-yard run, Cole Kmet gains 6 on a pass dragging along six or seven people. A pure effort play. Then they got a first down on a toss to Foreman at the Bears 37.
13:13: Panthers 10, Bears 3
- Piniero with the field goal. All 10 points came from former Bears. An 8-play, 60-yard drive. Panthers 10, Bears 3
- Young saw the rush coming and threw it into the dirt so Eddy Piniero, the former Bears kicker is on for a 33-yard field goal.
- Brisker with a great ankle tackle on Hubbard for a TFL when no one was there behind him to prevent a touchdown. Panthers face third-and-9.
- Actually the 45-yard completion went to Mike Strachan. They announced the wrong player in the press box and official stats keeper had it wrong initially too. But it was Strachan.
First Quarter
- Hubbard barrels forward for the first down at the Bears 14 on a slow-developing run. Quarter ends. Panthers 7, Bears 3
- Tackling terrible tonight like against Chargers. Jaylon Johnson misses one on a sh ort pass
- Panthers start at 25 Young to Terrace Marshall on the deep ball for 45 yards beat Jaquan Brisker.
I'm done with Cody Whitehair (although on replay I couldn't tell if he moved)
— Harrison Graham (@HGrahamNFL) November 10, 2023
2:29: Panthers 7, Bears 3
- If Whitehair moved on that first field goal before the snap, it must have been a bowel movement because he did not budge on the replay.
- Santos with a 54-yard field goal anyway. An 8-play, 39-yard drive. Panthers 7, Bears 3
- Bagent throws it away on third down and Cairo Santos drills a 49-yard field goal. Panthers 7, Bears 3. But no! False start on Cody Whitehair and the Bears will try it again from 55.
- At Panthers 31 after an 11-yard Foreman run and 3-yarder by Darrynton Evans and they run the boot-bomb to Moore but Bagent overthrew him. He wasn't really open but had single coverage.
- A little revenge for Foreman, a 12-yard catch. The Panthers didn't think he could fit into the passing game.
- Moore with a 13-yard catch and run to start series. Similar to his first catch. Then Foreman smashed out 5 cutting back. They only seem to get in trouble when they're dropping back straight from the pocket.
- Everyone talked about possible revenge for DJ Moore and D'Onta Foreman. Instead it's Ihmir Smith-Marsette with revenge.
5:46: Panthers 7, Bears 0
- A 57-yard punt and Ihmir Smith-Marsette, the player the Bears cut for losing a fumble, has returned it for a touchdown 79 yards. One cut and a missed tackle by Josh Blackwell, who just came off IR. Blackwell had him dead to rights. Then after he got downfield punter Trenton Gill with an embarrassing attempt to tackle Smith-Marsette along the sidelines. Panthers 7, Bears 0
- A third-and-3 pass by Bagent sails well out of bounds and Bagent looks a bit shaky, maybe nerves after three picks last week.
- Darnell Mooney with a nifty little cut on a pass in the flat nets a first down on third-and-2. So they Bears get out of a hole.
- Good QB sneak on first down by Bagent for 2. The old fashioned kind, no tush push.
- Not where you want the ball if you have a rookie QB.
- Special teams coordinator Chris Tabor of Carolina returns to Soldier Field and he has to feel good about his punter's first effort, Johnny Hekker. Killed one at the 1-yard line like a 65-degree wedge. Tabor lost as a head coach at Soldier Field. He took over for one game when Matt Nagy had Covid and was hiding out somewhere that wasn't revealed to media.
- Pass rush pressure wasn't nearly as good on third down but they tried running a minimal number of receivers to max protect and Young just threw it away finally. Bears get the ball.
- Sweat with a second QB hit on an incompletion. Panthers face third-and-7
10:00
- Panthers cross the 50 on a 3-yard Chuba Hubbard run.
- Scramble by Young for the first down on an 8-yard run and then Jaylon Johnson got flagged for illegal contact. Young's running hasn't been talked about much but he is fairly quick. The sea parted for him on the scramble. Then he scrambled on another third down for 8 and a first down. Bears defense acts like they thought they were playing against Andy Dalton.
- Sweat with a QB hit and hurry. He flushed out Bryce Young on second down and nearly had the sack.
- On second down after a dropped pass, blocking behind Lucas Patrick broke down for only a 2-yard gain. Then a near pick on a deflection and Bears punt. The Panthers came out in zone and Bagent had trouble with it. That's the way teams are going to play him. They'll try to take advantage of his lack of arm strength.
- Bears start at the 25 after a Scott return. of 24 yards. And they go right to work to DJ Moore with a short pass he breaks for 16 yards. Darnell Wright out front of him blocking. Impressive.
- The Bear-Raid siren is back.
- Game was supposed to kick off five minutes ago.
- Carolina won toss, Bears receive. Not favorable again, as the Panthers will get the ball to start the second half.
Pregame
- Stats two and three of the day, the Panthers are going nowhere fast. Their RBs average half a yard after contact, worst in the league. The Panthers average 1.6 yards after the catch, tied for last in the NFL.
- Stat of the day for the Bears to remember and an appropriate one when two teams with seven losses are playing: The Bears need to have less than 60 yards in penalties because the Panthers are 0-6 when their opponents have less than 60.
- So Khalil Herbert and Justin Fields get to come back against Detroit a week from Sunday. Not a good team to return against.
- A night game at Soldier Field and their terrible loser orange uniforms, but it all seems inappropriate that Velus Jones Jr. won't be involved muffing punts, facemasking, dropping short passes, and running into the punt returner for the other team.
Velus Jones is inactive for the #Bears tonight. pic.twitter.com/xK18DrRV8T
— Barroom Network | Aldo Gandia (@BarroomNetwork) November 10, 2023
It would seem unlikely the Bears would make a coaching change if they lost this game even though it's a 1-7 team with a rookie quarterback, two of the opponent's top three receiver options out, their top defensive player out and a starting cornerback as well. However, what grounds would there be for dismissal after the season? If they can't win consecutive games? Can't beat Green Bay? Can't win a game in the division? Finish with the same number of wins as last year or less? Or maybe they've already breached the reason for dismissal. If that's the case, they should really do it if they lose tonight, but don't expect it. Eberflus can always say he didn't have his starting QB for 4 1/2 games. The excuse for their defense? Injuries?
If Montez Sweat doesn't pick up the defensive line's pass rush heat, it would be a real indictment of their defensive system because he had no problem doing it in Washington.
If Matt Eberflus is retained as Bears head coach, I'm totally out as a Bears fan, so it's doubtful that I would remain a fan of them, but let's give it a little more time and see where I'm at, but I'm definitely out.
— Bill Zimmerman (@BillTZimmerman) November 9, 2023
- Kind of surprised Josh Blackwell has been brought back off IR and Greg Stroman Jr. waived. Stroman did some good things against Washington that some of the starters haven't even been able to do, like intercept a pass and make a sack. Blackwell replacing Velus Jones Jr. on punt coverage could be the reason. Blackwell was their leading tackler on special teams last year with 11, but it seems they often put too much emphasis on what players bring to special teams over what they do to help offense or defense
- Kick returner tonight? Tyler Scott? If Khalil Herbert had been healthy they could have tried him.
Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven