Flyer

Issue date: 9/23/05 Section: Sports

With several new starters and a new
coordinator, the Chicago Bears hoped to
improve on an offense that ranked at the
bottom of most major categories in 2004.
In its fi rst test of the season on Sunday,
the unit failed miserably.

Chicago, which averaged a leagueworst
238.5 total yards per game a year
ago, gained just 166 yards in a 9-7 loss
to the Washington Redskins. Though a
defense that is expected to rank among the
NFL's best held the Redskins without a
touchdown, the Bears simply did not put
enough points on the board.

Quarterback Kyle Orton, a fourthround
draft pick from Purdue forced into
action because of an injury to expected
starter Rex Grossman, received mixed
reviews following his effort. He showed
poise for most of the game, but made
several key mistakes that cost the Bears
the opportunity to seize the advantage.

A 22-yard completion from Orton to
rookie WR Mark Bradley had set the
Bears up at the Washington 22 yard line.
But on the very next play, Orton tried to
force the ball into triple coverage to WR
Muhsin Muhammad, resulting in it being
tipped into the air and intercepted by
Redskins LB Lemar Marshall.

Orton's other turnover came when
the Bears had gotten the ball down two
points late in the fourth quarter. He was
stripped by defensive tackle Cornelius
Griffi n with under 2 minutes to play and
with the Bears out of timeouts, leading to
three Redskins kneel-downs to run out the
clock.

Perhaps the drive that most symbolized
the day the Bears had offensively came
prior to the fumble. Orton drove the Bears
from their own 25 all the way to the
Redskins' 34 on fi rst-down throws to tight
end Desmond Clark and Muhammad and
a 9-yard pass to wide receiver Bernard
Berrian.

But on the next play, halfback Thomas
Jones was stopped for a 3-yard loss.
Veteran linemen Fred Miller, John Tait
and Ruben Brown were then called for

Continued...

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