National Football League

This time, no one has answers for pass rush

Published Oct. 14, 2010 10:10 p.m. ET

foxsports

Not even offensive coordinator Mike Martz could save Jay Cutler this time.

When the Dallas Cowboys staggered Cutler with a relentless pass rush two weeks ago, Martz made an adjustment to the game plan, and Cutler made Martz look like a genius.

But against the New York Giants on Sunday, the Bears had no answers -- and it was costly. Not only did they lose 17-3, but they lost Cutler indefinitely with a concussion.

What was the difference?

''We did make adjustments,'' coach Lovie Smith said. ''You know, sometimes they just don't work. Sometimes we're pretty critical of what we did, but you have to give the Giants a lot of credit, too.''

Cutler took so many hits that the Bears don't even know which one knocked him out.

''He took some hits, so it's hard to say exactly when,'' Smith said. ''Right now I don't have all that information. But we need to protect him more. You can only take so much, and tonight was a little too much for him.''

Smith said he didn't know what Cutler's status would be for the game Sunday against the Carolina Panthers.

''We know what type of competitor he is,'' Smith said. ''If he's healthy and ready to go, he'll be out there.''

ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS?

Cutler's injury puts even more heat on the Bears' beleaguered and banged-up offensive line. Frank Omiyale committed a motion penalty on the Bears' first play from scrimmage, and it was all downhill from there.

Smith seemed at a loss about what to do next.

''Well, we only have so many new guys we can bring in,'' Smith said. ''We do have to do a better job. We will be evaluating what we're doing and try to come up with a plan.

''We have given up a few sacks, but nothing like tonight. Tonight is one of those games, and you have those every once in a while, I guess. ... But we will make the necessary corrections.''

BLAME GAME

While Cutler never really had a chance, he also put himself at risk by holding on to the ball for too long. Isn't that right, Lovie?

''It would be hard to say,'' Smith said. ''You saw the pressure he was under. When you get [sacked], it's a combination of things. Tonight it [was] all of the above. We need to get rid of the ball quicker. We need to block better. We need to have better situations. None of us did a good enough job to win the game.''

ON A POSITIVE NOTE

Cornerback Zack Bowman obviously got the message to take advantage of every opportunity.

Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw appeared to be on his way to a 36-yard touchdown that would have all but clinched the game at 17-3 with seven minutes left. But Bowman poked the ball out from behind at the 10-yard line and recovered it at the 1.

''I saw he was pushing the ball to his right arm,'' said Bowman, who was benched last week for Tim Jennings. ''I saw the ball hanging out and saw it was an opportunity to make a play. ... I stuck my hand in there, and the ball came out. And I just had to recover it.

''I don't think he saw me coming. If he would have seen me coming, he would have changed the ball [to the other arm].''

SCHEDULE

Sept. 12

W DETROIT

19-14

Sept. 19

W at Dallas

27-20

Sept. 19

W GREEN BAY

20-17

OCT. 3

L at NY Giants

17-3

OCT. 10

At Carolina

Noon, Fox-32

OCT. 17

SEATTLE

Noon, Fox-32

OCT. 24

WASHINGTON

Noon, Fox-32

BYE WEEK

NOV. 7

at Buffalo in Toronto

Noon, Fox-32

NOV. 14

MINNESOTA

Noon, Fox-32

NOV. 18

at Miami

7:20 p.m., NFLN

NOV. 28

PHILADELPHIA

Noon, Fox-32

DEC. 5

at Detroit

Noon, Fox-32

DEC. 12

NEW ENGLAND

Noon, Ch. 2

DEC. 20

at Minnesota

7:30 p.m., ESPN

DEC. 26

NEW YORK JETS

Noon, Ch. 2

JAN. 2

at Green Bay

Noon, Fox-32

SCORING SUMMARY

First Quarter

NYG--FG Tynes 22, 3:29. Drive: 11 plays, 76 yards, 5:08. Key plays: Bradshaw 11 run; Bradshaw 20 run; Manning 10 pass to Nicks; Manning 23 pass to Nicks on 3rd-and-7. Giants 3, BEARS 0.

Third Quarter

NYG--Bradshaw 3 run (Tynes kick), 2:48. Drive: 8 plays, 90 yards, 5:18. Key plays: Manning 21 pass to Nicks; Bradshaw 13 run; Manning 25 pass to Beckum; Bradshaw 25 run. Giants 10, Chicago 0.

Fourth Quarter

BEARS--FG Gould 40, 10:58. Drive: 4 plays, 7 yards, 0:52. Key play: C.Harris fumble recovery (Manning). Giants 10, Chicago 3.

NYG--Jacobs 2 run (Tynes kick), 4:31. Drive:

2 plays, 32 yards, 0:50. Key play: Manning 30 pass to Nicks. Giants 17, Chicago 3.

A--77,716. T--2:56

TEAM STATISTICS

BEARS NYG

FIRST DOWNS 6 18

Rushing 2 11

Passing 3 7

Penalty 1 0

THIRD DOWN EFF 0-13 3-12

FOURTH DOWN EFF 0-1 0-0

TOTAL NET YARDS 110 372

Total Plays 52 64

Avg Gain 2.1 5.8

NET YARDS RUSHING 59 189

Rushes 16 32

Avg per rush 3.7 5.9

NET YARDS PASSING 51 183

Sacked-Yds lost 10-63 2-12

Gross-Yds passing 114 195

Completed-Att. 15-26 18-30

Had Intercepted 2 0

Yards-Pass Play 1.4 5.7

KICKOFFS-EndZone-TB 2-0-0 4-1-1

PUNTS-Avg. 9-41.7 7-42.0

Punts blocked 0 0

FGs-PATs blocked 0-0 0-0

TOTAL RETURN YARDAGE 57 59

Punt Returns 2-6 5-14

Kickoff Returns 3-51 2-44

Interceptions 0-0 2-1

PENALTIES-Yds 8-40 6-44

FUMBLES-Lost 3-1 3-3

TIME OF POSSESSION 26:35 33:25

INDIVIDUAL STATS

RUSHING-- BEARS, Forte 12-26, Taylor 3-22, Hester 1-11. N.Y. Giants, Bradshaw 23-129, Jacobs 6-62, Manning 3-(minus 2).

PASSING-- BEARS, Cutler 8-11-1-42, Collins 4-11-1-36, Hanie 3-4-0-36. N.Y. Giants, Manning 18-30-0-195.

RECEIVING-- BEARS, Olsen 5-39, Bennett 4-26, Hester 3-16, Forte 2-7, Knox 1-26. N.Y. Giants, Nicks 8-110, Smith 4-30, Bradshaw 2-14, Beckum 1-25, Boss 1-11, Jacobs 1-4, Hedgecock 1-1.

PUNT RETURNS-- BEARS, Hester 2-6. N.Y. Giants, Reynaud 5-14.

KICKOFF RETURNS-- BEARS, Manning 3-51. N.Y. Giants, Reynaud 2-44.

TACKLES-ASSISTS-SACKS-- BEARS, Manning 8-3-0, Tinoisamoa 6-1-0, Urlacher 4-1-0, Graham 4-0-0, C.Harris 3-3-0, Tillman 3-2-0, Peppers 3-1-1, Anderson 3-0-0, Bowman 3-0-0, Briggs 3-0-0, Jennings 3-0-0, D.Moore 3-0-0, Idonije 2-1-1, Toeaina 2-1-0, Olsen 2-0-0, Wolfe 1-1-0, Adams 1-0-0, Bennett 1-0-0, Iwuh 1-0-0, T.Harris 0-1-0, Roach 0-1-0. N.Y. Giants, Tuck 7-0-3, Thomas 6-0-0, Goff 5-5-0?, Canty 4-1-1, Phillips 4-1-0, Umenyiora 3-1-3, Cofield 3-1-1?, Ross 3-0-1, Webster 2-1-0, Grant 2-0-0, Rolle 2-0-0, Boley 1-1-0, Blackburn 1-0-0, Boss 1-0-0, Bradshaw 1-0-0, Diehl 1-0-0, Dodge 1-0-0, Hedgecock 1-0-0, Joseph 1-0-0, Tollefson 1-0-0, Wilkinson 1-0-0, Sintim 0-1-0.

INTERCEPTIONS--N.Y. Giants, Thomas 1-1, Grant 1-0.

MISSED FIELD GOALS--N.Y. Giants, Tynes 38 (WL).

OFFICIALS--Referee Carl Cheffers, Ump Undrey Wash, HL Kent Payne, LJ Darryll Lewis, FJ Boris Cheek, SJ Jeff Lamberth, BJ Todd Prukop, Replay Larry Nemmers.