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2011 Chicago Bears season

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The 2011 Chicago Bears season was the franchise's 92nd overall season in the National Football League (NFL), and the 8th under head coach Lovie Smith. The Bears, defending NFC North Division champions, attempted a return to the playoffs after falling in the NFC Championship Game to their arch-rival Green Bay Packers. The club was scheduled to partake in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game but due to the lockout, the game was cancelled. The Bears traveled to Wembley Stadium in London to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFL International Series and played the Green Bay Packers on Christmas Day evening in the only scheduled game on that day.[1] Despite starting the season with a 7–3 record, the Bears went 1–5 the rest of the way, finishing the season with an 8–8 record and not qualifying for the playoffs. The season would begin somewhat of a lengthy playoff drought for the organization, as they would not return to the playoffs again until 2018.

2011 Chicago Bears season
OwnerThe McCaskey Family
General managerJerry Angelo
Head coachLovie Smith
Home fieldSoldier Field
Results
Record8–8
Division place3rd NFC North
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Pro BowlersMatt Forte, RB
Lance Briggs, OLB
Brian Urlacher, MLB
Charles Tillman, CB
Corey Graham, CB
AP All-ProsDevin Hester, PR/KR (2nd team)
Uniform

Offseason

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Main article: 2011 NFL lockout

After the 2010 season ended, the NFL entered its longest work stoppage in history. The lockout began after a failure to reach an agreement between the owners and the union in early March. Both sides agreed to extend the deadline another week.[2] However, the talks broke down and the union officially decertified,[3] after which a group of 10 players filed an antitrust lawsuit against the league. After months of failed negotiations, the two sides finally reached an agreement in late July. The owners announced on July 21 that it had approved a new collective bargaining agreement by a 31–0–1 margin (the Oakland Raiders abstained). On July 25, the players association's executive board voted to approve the new collective agreement and the players voted to ratify it on August 4.[4] The delayed start to the season brought free agency and the opening of training camps to coincide. This gave clubs a short period of time to get a full roster signed before camp opened.[5]

Roster changes

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Draft

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Gabe Carimi
Main article: 2011 NFL draft
2011 Chicago Bears draft
Round Pick Player Position College Notes
1 29 Gabe Carimi  OT Wisconsin
2 53 Stephen Paea  DT Oregon State
3 93 Chris Conte  FS California
5 160 Nathan Enderle  QB Idaho
6 195 J.T. Thomas  LB West Virginia
      Made roster    †   Pro Football Hall of Fame    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career
Draft Notes: Washington traded its second- (#53) round pick this selection to Chicago for Chicago's second- (#62) and fourth-round (#127) selections.[6]
The Bears forfeited their seventh-round selection, due to the use of a seventh-round selection in the 2010 Supplemental draft.

Undrafted free agents

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Following the end of the lockout, the Bears announced coming to terms with 26 undrafted free agents.[7]

Acquisitions

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Departures

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Free agents

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Bears did not come to terms with 13-year-veteran Olin Kreutz. Kreutz would go on and sign a 2-year deal with the New Orleans Saints.[14]
 
Brad Maynard left the Bears and signed with the Houston Texans.[15]
Position Player Free agency
tag		 Date signed 2011 team
DT Anthony Adams UFA July 29[9] Chicago Bears
WR Devin Aromashodu UFA July 26[16] Minnesota Vikings
RB Kahlil Bell ERFA July 29[9] Chicago Bears
SS Josh Bullocks UFA August 15[17] Oakland Raiders
TE Desmond Clark UFA August 2[9] Chicago Bears
QB Todd Collins UFA — —
WR Rashied Davis UFA July 27[18] Detroit Lions
CB Corey Graham UFA July 30[9] Chicago Bears
QB Caleb Hanie RFA July 29[9] Chicago Bears
OLB Brian Iwuh UFA July 31[9] Chicago Bears
C Olin Kreutz UFA August 5[14] New Orleans Saints
SS Danieal Manning UFA July 27[19] Houston Texans
P Brad Maynard UFA August 1[15] Houston Texans
OLB Nick Roach UFA July 29[9] Chicago Bears
OLB Pisa Tinoisamoa UFA — —
G/C Edwin Williams ERFA July 29[9] Chicago Bears
OLB Rod Wilson UFA — —
RB Garrett Wolfe UFA — —
RFA: Restricted free agent, UFA: Unrestricted free agent, ERFA: Exclusive rights free agent

Trades

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Coaching changes

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Preseason

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Training camp

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The Bears held training camp once again at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Illinois. The club has held annual training camp activities at the university since 2002.[23] The franchise opened up training camp with an expanded roster of 90 players. Over the next month players competed for spots on the final roster. By August 30, the club had cut down players from 90 to 75 after the third preseason game.[24] It was though announced on August 20, the roster cuts would be changed from 75 to 80 players.[25] The franchise then had to make another round of cuts at the conclusion of the fourth preseason game on September 3. The final roster consisted of 53 players.[26] The Bears wrapped up training camp with a final public practice on August 19 before heading back to team headquarters in Lake Forest, Illinois. The practice marked the end of the team's three-week training camp in Bourbonnais.[27]

Soldier Field turf issue

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The club had scheduled an evening practice at Soldier Field in front of fans in an event called "Family Fest". However, the event was cancelled hours before the event was scheduled to begin due to the unsafe playing conditions at Soldier Field.[33] This is not the first incident related to the playing surface at the stadium. Brian Urlacher and other players have called for the surface to be changed from natural grass to artificial FieldTurf.[34] Chicago's mayor Rahm Emanuel has called on the Chicago Park District to find a permanent solution to the decades-old turf battle at the venue.[35] However, Bears chairman George McCaskey has stated on record that the playing surface at Soldier Field will not change from grass to an artificial surface. McCaskey cited fewer injuries occur on natural grass and therefore believes the natural grass surface prolongs players' careers. He did admit a poorly maintained grass surface is unacceptable and promised the club will take a more active role in maintaining the playing surface so the field can be for home games.[36][37] In Week 13, the field was resodded for the Bears-Chiefs game.

Schedule

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Even though the league was in the midst of the lockout, the NFL announced the Bears' preseason schedule on April 12, 2011. The schedule contained the traditional four opponents and a fifth game to be played during the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2011 induction weekend.[38] The first scheduled preseason game for the Bears was to be the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game against the St. Louis Rams. However, with the lockout lingering into late July resulting in a delayed start to training camp, the NFL cancelled the game.[39] The Bears won their first preseason game defeating the Buffalo Bills 10–3.[40] The offensive line struggled in the game while giving up nine sacks over the course of the game.[41] The Bears continued their preseason campaign with a visit to New Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey to take on the New York Giants. The offensive line improved in the game by allowing only one sack of Cutler compared to the nine they gave up in a game last year.[42] Cutler even joked about the experience by responding "Yeah, upright" to the question asked to him if this game against the Giants felt any different than last year's debacle.[42] Cutler did express pleasure with the performance of the two young tackles, Webb and Carimi, when asked to assess their performance during preseason.[42] The team did however fail to score twice inside the red zone in the 1st half against the Giants in a 41–13 loss.[43] The game also saw the Bears had a punt blocked by the Giants and newly signed WR Roy Williams drop the first two passes thrown to him in his Bears career.[44][45] In the third game, the Bears's first team offense showed more effectiveness than in previous games. The offensive starters racked up 239 yards in the first half.[46] The team wrapped up the preseason season against the Browns by sitting out many key starters with instead going with various second-, third-, and even fourth-stringers in a very warm and humid night in Chicago.[47][48] On September 4, a day after rosters were trimmed down to 53 men, the Bears signed former first-round draft pick and two-time Pro Bowler safety Brandon Meriweather, who was released by the New England Patriots the previous day.[30] In response to adding Meriweather, the Bears released corner back Joshua Moore to keep the roster at 53 men.[29]

Week Date Kickoff (CDT) Opponent Results Game site TV NFL.com
GameBook		 NFL.com
Recap
Final score Team record
HOF August 7 7:00 p.m. vs. St. Louis Rams Cancelled due to the 2011 NFL Lockout[39]
1 August 13 7:00 p.m. Buffalo Bills W 10–3 1–0 Soldier Field WFLD[a] Gamebook Recap
2 August 22 7:00 p.m. at New York Giants L 13–41 1–1 New Meadowlands Stadium ESPN[b] Gamebook Recap
3 August 27 7:00 p.m. at Tennessee Titans L 13–14 1–2 LP Field WFLD[a] Gamebook Recap
4 September 1 7:00 p.m. Cleveland Browns W 24–14 2–2 Soldier Field WFLD[a] Gamebook Recap

Regular season

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Season summary

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Schedule

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The Bears' regular season schedule was announced on April 19, 2011.[51] One day earlier (April 18), the NFL announced that the Bears would face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the International Series at Wembley Stadium in London, England, on October 23.[52]

Week Date Kickoff Opponent Results Game site TV NFL.com
GameBook		 NFL.com
Recap
Final score Team record
1 September 11 12:00 p.m. Atlanta Falcons§ W 30–12 1–0 Soldier Field Fox Gamebook Recap
2 September 18 12:00 p.m. at New Orleans Saints§ L 13–30 1–1 Louisiana Superdome Fox Gamebook Recap
3 September 25 3:15 p.m. Green Bay Packers† L 17–27 1–2 Soldier Field Fox Gamebook Recap
4 October 2 12:00 p.m. Carolina Panthers§ W 34–29 2–2 Soldier Field Fox Gamebook Recap
5 October 10 7:30 p.m. at Detroit Lions† L 13–24 2–3 Ford Field ESPN Gamebook Recap
6 October 16 7:20 p.m. Minnesota Vikings† W 39–10 3–3 Soldier Field NBC Gamebook Recap
7 October 23 12:00 p.m. at Tampa Bay Buccaneers§ W 24–18 4–3 Wembley Stadium (London)^ Fox Gamebook Recap
8 Bye
9 November 7 7:30 p.m. at Philadelphia Eagles§ W 30–24 5–3 Lincoln Financial Field ESPN Gamebook Recap
10 November 13 3:15 pm.[53] Detroit Lions† W 37–13 6–3 Soldier Field Fox Gamebook Recap
11 November 20 3:15 p.m. San Diego Chargers≈ W 31–20 7–3 Soldier Field CBS Gamebook Recap
12 November 27 3:05 p.m. at Oakland Raiders≈ L 20–25 7–4 O.co Coliseum Fox Gamebook Recap
13 December 4 12:00 p.m. Kansas City Chiefs≈ L 3–10 7–5 Soldier Field CBS Gamebook Recap
14 December 11 3:05 p.m. at Denver Broncos≈ L 10–13 (OT) 7–6 Sports Authority Field at Mile High Fox Gamebook Recap
15 December 18 12:00 p.m. Seattle Seahawks§ L 14–38 7–7 Soldier Field Fox Gamebook Recap
16 December 25‡ 7:20 p.m. at Green Bay Packers† L 21–35 7–8 Lambeau Field NBC Gamebook Recap
17 January 1 12:00 p.m. at Minnesota Vikings† W 17–13 8–8 Mall of America Field Fox Gamebook Recap
NOTES: All times are Central. Intra-division games are in Bold text.

LEGEND:

 #  Games played with color uniforms.
 #  Games played with white uniforms.
 #  Games played with alternate uniforms.[54]
 –  Light green background indicates a victory.
 –  Light red background indicates a loss.
 †  Games against division opponents.
 §  Games against intra-conference non-division opponents.
 ≈  Games against inter-conference opponents.
 ^  Red/White (Blue border) indicates the International Series game in London.
 ‡  Green/White (Red border) indicates a Christmas Day football game.

Standings

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NFC North
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
(1) Green Bay Packers 15 1 0 .938 6–0 12–0 560 359 W2
(6) Detroit Lions 10 6 0 .625 3–3 6–6 474 387 L1
Chicago Bears 8 8 0 .500 3–3 7–5 353 341 W1
Minnesota Vikings 3 13 0 .188 0–6 3–9 340 449 L1

Game-by-game summaries

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Week 1: vs. Atlanta Falcons

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Week One: Atlanta Falcons at Chicago Bears – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Falcons 3 0 3612
Bears 10 6 14030

at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois

Game information

The Bears opened up the season against the Atlanta Falcons at Soldier Field. The Falcons were the top-seeded NFC team in 2010, and were picked by many to be a Super Bowl contender. The Bears dominated the game against the Falcons, forcing 2 turnovers, and battering quarterback Matt Ryan for five sacks. Brian Urlacher recorded an interception and returned a fumble for a touchdown resulting in Urlacher being named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week. Defensive end Julius Peppers recorded two sacks and forced a fumble. Jay Cutler in his first game since the criticism of the NFC Championship Game against the Green Bay Packers, had a solid performance throwing for 312 yards and 2 touchdowns. Cutler did have a pass tipped in the fourth quarter that was returned for an interception by Kroy Biermann. Falcons running back Michael Turner finished with 100 yards on 10 carries, but 53 came on one dash and the low carry total is what mattered. Ryan was forced to throw 47 times as the Bears made the Falcons one-dimensional by getting out to a 16–3 halftime lead.[55][56]

The victory places the Bears at 1–0.

Week 2: at New Orleans Saints

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Week Two: Chicago Bears at New Orleans Saints – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Bears 7 3 3013
Saints 3 13 7730

at Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana

Game information

During the game, three Bears players fell to injury; Bears rookie Gabe Carimi was lost for the season with a knee injury, receiver Earl Bennett was lost for a few weeks, and safety Major Wright sustained a head injury after colliding with Saints tight end Jimmy Graham. The Bears were only able to muster one takeaway by cornerback Charles Tillman, who stripped the ball from Mark Ingram II and recovered at the Bears 9-yard line. Saints quarterback Drew Brees' 79-yard touchdown pass to Devery Henderson was the longest that the Bears allowed since 2008 against the Vikings. The Bears had also been able to convert only 2 of 12 third down attempts, compared to New Orleans, who converted 8 of 17.[57]

With the loss, Chicago fell to 1–1.

In 2012, the Bears were considered as one of the possible targets of the Saints bounty program because of the injuries to Carimi and Wright, and Jay Cutler was sacked 6 times, and was kicked in the throat. Later in the game, Bears offensive tackle Frank Omiyale pulled a Saints defender off of Cutler after what Omiyale called "some dirty stuff"."[58]

Week 3: vs. Green Bay Packers

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Week Three: Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Packers 7 10 3727
Bears 0 10 0717

at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois

  • Date: September 25, 2011
  • Game time: 4:15 pm. EDT/3:15 pm. CDT
  • Game weather: 56 °F, Clear
  • Game attendance: 62,339
  • Referee: Mike Carey
  • TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, and Pam Oliver
  • Gamebook
Game information

Against their hated rivals, the Bears seemed lost for much of the game, allowing Aaron Rodgers to throw three touchdown passes to tight end Jermichael Finley, and the Bears running game was only able to collect 13 yards. Though Jay Cutler threw for 302 yards, two touchdowns, and a 78.9 passer rating, he was also intercepted twice by Morgan Burnett, and was sacked three times. After the Packers led 14–0 in the first quarter, Cutler would find rookie Dane Sanzenbacher on a 4-yard touchdown pass. After Mason Crosby made a field goal, the Bears would score on Robbie Gould's 25-yard field goal. The Packers would then score ten more points. After Cutler was intercepted, Lance Briggs would strip James Starks, and Julius Peppers would recover the loose ball. Cutler would then hit Kellen Davis on a 32-yard touchdown pass, but would fail to score for the rest of the game.[59] The Bears would have narrowed the score to three points on a trick play, but was nullified by a penalty. On a punt late in the game, Devin Hester drifted to the left with blockers covering him, giving them the impression that Hester will return, but the punt was actually heading towards Johnny Knox, who returned the punt 89 yards for a touchdown. However, the play would be nullified after cornerback Corey Graham was penalized for holding.[60]

The loss gave the Bears a 1–2 record.

Week 4: vs. Carolina Panthers

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Week Four: Carolina Panthers at Chicago Bears – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Panthers 3 17 0929
Bears 10 14 01034

at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois

Game information

Against former defensive coordinator Ron Rivera and tight end Greg Olsen,[61] the Bears scored touchdowns on all three phases (offense, defense, special teams). Matt Forte, who was only able to record two yards the week before, recorded 205 yards against Carolina, as well as a 17-yard touchdown run. Though the Bears defense was able to keep Carolina from converting only 2 of 12 third down attempts, and D. J. Moore was able to pick off Cam Newton, the defense did not record a sack, and allowed 547 yards. Devin Hester also returned a punt 69 yards for a touchdown, which broke the all-time punt return touchdown record.[62] Hester would also return a kickoff 73 yards. However, Newton completed 27 of 46 passes for 374 yards, 1 touchdown and an 83.1 passer rating while also rushing for 35 yards and two TDs on eight carries, and the score was 34–29 late in the game when Newton connected with Olsen with :04 left in the game. The Panthers attempted to kick an onside kick, but Hester would recover the kick and give Chicago the victory.[63]

The victory gave Chicago a 2–2 record.

Week 5: at Detroit Lions

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Week Five: Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Bears 0 10 0313
Lions 0 7 14324

at Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

Game information

Coming off their home win over the Panthers, the Bears flew to Ford Field for a Week 5 Monday Night duel with their NFC North foe, the Detroit Lions. After a scoreless first quarter, Chicago trailed in the second quarter with Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford completing a 73-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Calvin Johnson. The Bears would answer with a 44-yard field goal from kicker Robbie Gould, followed by quarterback Jay Cutler finding tight end Kellen Davis on a 9-yard touchdown pass.[citation needed]

Detroit responded in the third quarter with Stafford completing an 18-yard touchdown pass to tight end Brandon Pettigrew, followed by running back Jahvid Best getting an 88-yard touchdown run. Chicago tried to rally in the fourth quarter with a 49-yard field goal from Gould, but the Lions pulled away with kicker Jason Hanson nailing a 31-yard field goal.[citation needed]

With the loss, the Bears fell to 2–3.

Week 6: vs. Minnesota Vikings

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Week Six: Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Vikings 0 3 7010
Bears 16 10 10339

at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois

Game information

On Sunday night, the Bears would once again score on all three phases. The offensive line improved,[64] allowing Jay Cutler to be sacked only once. Cutler would complete 21 of 31 passes for 267 yards with two touchdowns and a 115.9 passer rating. On the Bears opening possession, Cutler would fire a 48-yard touchdown pass to Devin Hester; it was the first time that the Bears scored a touchdown on the opening drive. Making his NFL debut, Stephen Paea sacked Donovan McNabb in the end zone for a safety, increasing the score to 9–0. Marion Barber would then score on a 3-yard run. Ryan Longwell would then kick a 37-yard field goal to make the score 16–3, but Cutler's 18-yard pass to Dane Sanzenbacher and Robbie Gould's 51-yard field goal increased the lead to 26–3. In the second half, Vikings defensive end Jared Allen would then force a fumble, and Adrian Peterson would then score, making the score 26–10, but Devin Hester would then return a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown to increase the lead to 33–10.[65] Gould would then kick two field goals to end the game at 39–10. The Bears defense would record five sacks, including two by Julius Peppers, who started the game despite being listed as "Doubtful" due to a sprained knee. The defense would limit Peterson to just 39 yards, the lowest he recorded against the Bears.[66]

With the win, the Bears improved to 3–3.

Week 7: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (London, England)

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Week Seven: Chicago Bears at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Bears 7 7 7324
Buccaneers 2 3 01318

at Wembley Stadium, London, England (NFL International Series)

  • Date: October 23, 2011
  • Game time: 6:00 p.m. BST/12:00 pm. CDT
  • Game weather: 62 °F (Clear)
  • Game attendance: 76,981
  • Referee: Tony Corrente
  • TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, and Tony Siragusa
  • Gamebook
Game information

In the team's first international game since the 1997 American Bowl, the Bears traveled to London to take on the Buccaneers. The Bears struck first when Matt Forte scored on a 32-yard touchdown. However, Tampa Bay would then strike back when Ronde Barber tackled Forte in his own end zone for a safety. Jay Cutler would then hit Roy Williams for a 25-yard touchdown, and Tampa Bay would then score on a Connor Barth field goal. In the third quarter, Marion Barber would score on a 12-yard run. In the fourth quarter, Tampa Bay would attempt to fight back and scored 2 touchdowns, but a Robbie Gould field goal and a D. J. Moore interception would then put the game away.[67]

Chicago improved to 4–3 with the win.

Week 8: Bye

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After the game across the Atlantic, the Bears would have a bye week upon their return to the United States.

Week 9: at Philadelphia Eagles

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Week Nine: Chicago Bears at Philadelphia Eagles – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Bears 7 10 31030
Eagles 0 10 14024

at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

  • Date: November 7, 2011
  • Game time: 8:30 pm. EST/7:30 pm. CST
  • Game weather: 51 °F, Clear
  • Game attendance: 69,144
  • Referee: Scott Green
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, Jon Gruden, Suzy Kolber, and Rachel Nichols
  • Gamebook
Game information

Coming off their bye week, the Bears flew to Lincoln Financial Field for a Week 9 Monday night duel with the Philadelphia Eagles. Chicago delivered the game's opening punch in the first quarter as quarterback Jay Cutler found tight end Matt Spaeth on a 5-yard touchdown pass. The Bears added onto their lead in the second quarter with a 51-yard field goal from kicker Robbie Gould. The Eagles would answer with kicker Alex Henery getting a 47-yard field goal, followed by linebacker Brian Rolle returned a fumble 22 yards for a touchdown, yet Chicago closed out the half with a 2-yard touchdown run from running back Marion Barber.

Philadelphia took the lead in the third quarter with running back Ronnie Brown getting a 4-yard touchdown run, followed by running back LeSean McCoy getting a 33-yard touchdown run. The Bears replied with a 38-yard field goal from Gould. Afterwards, Chicago regained the lead in the fourth quarter with Cutler connecting with wide receiver Earl Bennett on a 5-yard touchdown pass. On the Eagles possession, punter Chas Henry attempted to pass to Colt Anderson on a fake punt, which fell short.[68] Gould would then make a 22-yard field goal. The Eagles tried to rally, but the Bears defense would hold on for the victory.[69]

With the win, Chicago improved to 5–3.

Week 10: vs. Detroit Lions

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Week Ten: Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Lions 0 6 0713
Bears 10 10 17037

at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois

  • Date: November 13, 2011
  • Game time: 4:15 pm. EST/3:15 pm. CST[53]
  • Game weather: 69 °F, Cloudy
  • Game attendance: 62,396
  • Referee: Pete Morelli
  • TV announcers (Fox): Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick, and Laura Okmin
  • Gamebook
Game information

The Bears made up for their Week 5 loss against the Lions by forcing six turnovers, and led 20–6 at halftime. Early in the third quarter, Major Wright and Charles Tillman returned interceptions of 24 and 44 yards, respectively, for touchdowns in a 1:52 span. This game was the first time the Bears returned two interceptions for touchdowns since the 1993 season, where they defeated Brett Favre's Packers 30–17.[70] Tillman had a career game against Lions receiver Calvin Johnson, who led the NFL in touchdown receptions at the time. Tillman allowed Johnson to catch only seven out of 19 passes that were thrown his way.[71]

During the game, Bears nickelback D. J. Moore was ejected from the game after fighting with Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, who had pulled Moore down by his helmet during Tim Jennings' interception return. The incident would eventually lead to a brawl between the two teams, and chanting from the crowd.[71]

Chicago became 6–3 with the win.

Week 11: vs. San Diego Chargers

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Week Eleven: San Diego Chargers at Chicago Bears – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Chargers 3 7 7320
Bears 3 14 14031

at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois

Game information

The Chargers struck first on a Nick Novak 28-yard field goal, but Robbie Gould's 42-yard field goal and Marion Barber's 1-yard touchdown run gave the Bears a 10–3 lead. Philip Rivers would then find Antonio Gates on an 8-yard pass, but Jay Cutler and Kellen Davis would connect to give the Bears the lead in the second quarter. In the third quarter, Rivers would find Vincent Jackson to tie the game, but Cutler would then score two more touchdowns on a one-yard run, and Charles Tillman would force a Ryan Mathews fumble. Cutler would then throw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Johnny Knox to make the score 31–17. Novak would then score on a 48-yard field goal to end the game with a Bears 31–20 victory. Cutler passed for two touchdowns and ran for a third. He also completed 18 of 31 attempts for 286 yards and a 97.0 passer rating.[72]

However, Cutler would break his thumb when he was attempting to tackle Antoine Cason early in the fourth quarter, who had intercepted his pass. The injury would end his season.[73]

Despite Cutler's injury, the Bears would improve to 7–3.

Week 12: at Oakland Raiders

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Week Twelve: Chicago Bears at Oakland Raiders – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Bears 0 7 01320
Raiders 6 6 6725

at O.co Coliseum, Oakland, California

  • Date: November 27, 2011
  • Game time: 3:05 pm. CST/1:05 p.m. PST
  • Game weather: 59 °F (Partly Cloudy)
  • Game attendance: 59,244
  • Referee: Ron Winter
  • TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, and Tony Siragusa
  • Gamebook
Game information

In Caleb Hanie's first NFL start, he threw three interceptions in the first half, but was able to rally by completing 18 of 36 passes for 254 yards, two touchdowns and a 56.9 passer rating.[74] However, Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski's six field goals would put the game away.[75] Late in the fourth quarter, with the Bears down 25–20, Hanie attempted to rally the Bears from their own 4-yard line. When the Bears reached their own 46-yard line with less than ten seconds in the game, Hanie dropped back and looked around as if he was going to throw before spiking, drawing an intentional grounding penalty. Since intentional grounding penalties have a ten-second runoff, the game ended in defeat for Chicago.[76]

The loss would put Chicago at 7–4.

Week 13: vs. Kansas City Chiefs

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Week Thirteen: Kansas City Chiefs at Chicago Bears – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Chiefs 0 7 3010
Bears 0 3 003

at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois

  • Date: December 4, 2011
  • Game time: 1:00 pm. EST/12:00 pm. CST
  • Game weather: 46 °F, Cloudy, wind gusts to 26 mph, temps to mid 40s
  • Game attendance: 61,973
  • Referee: Jerome Boger
  • TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan and Solomon Wilcots
  • Gamebook
Game information

The Bears ended up losing another player for the season when they lost Matt Forté after he sprained his knee.[77] The Chiefs would score the game-winning touchdown on a Hail Mary when Tyler Palko's pass was batted down by Brian Urlacher and Chris Conte, but the ball would land in Dexter McCluster's hands.[78]

The Bears fell to 7–5 with the loss.

Week 14: at Denver Broncos

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Week Fourteen: Chicago Bears at Denver Broncos – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34OTTotal
Bears 0 0 73010
Broncos 0 0 010313

at Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado

  • Date: December 11, 2011
  • Game time: 3:05 pm. CST/2:05 p.m. MST
  • Game weather: 50 °F (Sunny)
  • Game attendance: 76,487
  • Referee: Carl Cheffers
  • TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, and Tony Siragusa
  • Gamebook
Game information

Against Tim Tebow and the Broncos, the two teams would be in a 0–0 deadlock in the first half, though the Broncos would nearly score in the second quarter on a 28-yard field goal, which would then be blocked by Julius Peppers. The Bears would then score 10 points on Marion Barber's 9-yard touchdown run, and Robbie Gould's team record-breaking 57-yard field goal, but Tebow's touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas and Matt Prater's 59-yard field goal would tie the game. Barber would commit two costly mistakes during the late portion of the game. In the fourth quarter, Barber would run out of bounds with 1:55 left, and Barber would also fumble in overtime. The Broncos would then move downfield and kick a game-winning field goal.[79]

The overtime loss dropped Chicago to 7–6.

Week 15: vs. Seattle Seahawks

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Week Fifteen: Seattle Seahawks at Chicago Bears – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Seahawks 7 0 171438
Bears 7 7 0014

at Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois

  • Date: December 18, 2011
  • Game time: 1:00 pm. EST/12:00 pm. CST
  • Game weather: 39 °F (Sunny)
  • Game attendance: 61,542
  • Referee: Ed Hochuli
  • TV announcers (Fox): Chris Myers, Tim Ryan and Jaime Maggio
  • Gamebook
Game information

The Bears received a scare in the Seahawks game when wide receiver Johnny Knox bent his back awkwardly after taking a hit on Seahawk's defensive end Anthony Hargrove while trying to recover his own fumble. Knox remained down for nearly ten minutes leaving Bears fans in shock.[80] The major hit ended the receiver's season, and he was placed on injured reserve. In the game, the Bears would lead 14–7 in the first half, but would end in disaster when they were outscored 31–0 in the second half including two defensive touchdowns. First, Hanie threw a pass that was intercepted by the Seahawks Red Bryant and he returned it 20 yards for a touchdown. The second one which Hanie threw was picked off by Brandon Browner and he returned it 42 yards for a touchdown. Hanie would then be benched late in the game and replaced by Josh McCown.[81]

The loss gave the Bears a .500 winning percentage and a 7–7 record.

Week 16: at Green Bay Packers (Christmas Day)

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Week Sixteen: Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Bears 0 3 71121
Packers 7 7 14735

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

  • Date: December 25, 2011 (Christmas Day)
  • Game time: 8:20 pm. EST/7:20 pm. CST
  • Game weather: 37 °F (Cloudy)
  • Game attendance: 70,574
  • Referee: John Parry
  • TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, and Michele Tafoya
  • Gamebook
Game information

After backup quarterback Caleb Hanie showing poor performance in his starting of 4 games that were all losses, the Bears decided to start third-string quarterback Josh McCown who was recently signed after being waived by the 49ers.[82] McCown would complete 19 of 28 passes for 242 yards with one touchdown, two interceptions and a 76.8 passer rating, and wasn't sacked. He also rushed for 38 yards on eight carries. Kahlil Bell, filling in for Forte and Barber, would record 121 yards on 23 carries and caught four passes for 38 yards.[83]

The Packers would eliminate the Bears from playoff contention with a score of 35–21, and the Bears would fall to 7–8.[84]

Week 17: at Minnesota Vikings

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Week Seventeen: Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Bears 0 14 0317
Vikings 10 3 0013

at Mall of America Field at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota

  • Date: January 1, 2012
  • Game time: 1:00 pm. EST/12:00 pm. CST
  • Game weather: Played indoors (dome stadium)
  • Game attendance: 62,867
  • Referee: Mike Carey
  • TV announcers (Fox): Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, Tony Siragusa
  • Gamebook
Game information

The Bears finally snapped their five-game losing streak on New Year's Day by beating the Vikings 17–13. The Bears also suffered through another devastating injury when linebacker Brian Urlacher sprained his left MCL after colliding into safety Major Wright.[85] Vikings defensive end Jared Allen came close to breaking Michael Strahan's record for most sacks in a season, sacking Josh McCown 3½ times, and was ½ sacks away from breaking the record, but McCown was able to prevent Allen from breaking the record.[86] The Vikings scored on first on Ryan Longwell's 26-yard field goal and Percy Harvin's touchdown run, both stemming from fumbles by Earl Bennett and Kahlil Bell. However, the Bears would then score on McCown's 22-yard pass to Roy Williams and Charles Tillman's interception return for a touchdown after intercepting Christian Ponder. After Julius Peppers blocked Longwell's field goal, Cedric Griffin would intercept McCown, but the Vikings would then botch the snap on a field goal attempt. D. J. Moore would then close the game out by intercepting Joe Webb, ending the Bears season at 8–8.[87]

Statistical leaders

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Regular season

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Player(s) Value NFL Rank NFC Rank
Passing Yards Jay Cutler 2,319 yards 19th 9th
Passing Touchdowns Jay Cutler 13 TDs T-15th T-7th
Rushing Yards Matt Forte 985 yards 3rd 2nd
Rushing Touchdowns Marion Barber 5 TDs T-13th 7th
Receiving Yards Johnny Knox 622 yards 30th 17th
Receiving Touchdowns Kellen Davis 4 TDs T-32nd T-17th
Points Robbie Gould 100 T-5th T-4th
Kickoff Return Yards Devin Hester 519 yards 16th 9th
Punt Return Yards Devin Hester 368 yards 4th 2nd
Tackles Lance Briggs 80 T-18th T-11th
Sacks Julius Peppers 8.0 T-11th T-6th
Interceptions Brian Urlacher
D.J. Moore
Major Wright
Corey Graham		 3 INTs T-18th T-11th

stats are updated through the end of Week 12.[88]

Statistical league rankings

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  • Total Offense (YPG): 339.0 (16th)
  • Passing (YPG): 217.0 (20th)
  • Rushing (YPG): 121.8 (10th)
  • Points (PPG): 26.2 (6th)
  • Total Defense (YPG): 369.1 (23rd)
  • Passing (YPG): 270.5 (30th)
  • Rushing (YPG): 98.6 (8th)
  • Points (PPG): 21.2 (16th)

Stats will be added after Week 12.[89]

Awards and records

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Awards

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Weekly awards

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  • MLB Brian Urlacher was named NFC Defensive player of the week for games played during Week 1.[90]
  • RB Matt Forte was named FedEx Ground Player of the Week(Running Backs)for games played during Week 4.[91]
  • WR Devin Hester was named NFC Special Teams player of the week for games played during Week 4.[92]
  • WR Devin Hester was named NFC Special Teams player of the week for games played during Week 6.[93]
  • OLB Lance Briggs was named NFC Defensive player of the week for games played during Week 7.[94]
  • WR Devin Hester was named NFC Special Teams player of the week for games played during Week 10.[95]

Monthly awards

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  • WR Devin Hester was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for games played during the month of October.[96]
  • DE Julius Peppers was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Month for games played during the month of November.[97]

Annual awards

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Records

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Individual

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Career
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  • WR Devin Hester set the Bears and NFL record for Most career punt returns for touchdowns with 11 on his 69-yard punt return touchdown during Week 4 against Carolina Panthers at Soldier Field.

Personnel

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Staff

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Chicago Bears 2011 staff
Front office

Head coaches

Offensive coaches

 

Defensive coaches

Special teams coaches

Strength and conditioning

Final roster

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2011 Chicago Bears roster
Quarterbacks (QB)

Running backs (RB)

Wide receivers (WR)

Tight ends (TE)

Offensive linemen (OL)

Defensive linemen (DL)

Linebackers (LB)

Defensive backs (DB)

Special teams

Practice squad

Reserve

Rookies in italics
53 active, 10 reserve, 7 practice squad

Current depth chart

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Current official depth chart announced by the club before the first game of the season against the Atlanta Falcons

Footnotes

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  1. ^ a b c Preseason games aired and were produced by the team as the "Chicago Bears Network". WFLD-TV in Chicago is the flagship station but games are broadcast to other local affilities in Illinois, Indiana and Iowa. These include: KFXA – Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Ch. 28); KLJB – Quad Cities, Iowa-Illinois (Ch. 18); WCCU – Champaign, Illinois (Ch. 27); WMBD – Peoria, Illinois (Ch. 31); WIFR – Rockford, Illinois (Ch. 23); WRSP – Springfield, Illinois (Ch. 55); WSBT – South Bend, Indiana (Ch. 22)[49]
  2. ^ This game was televised locally on WLS-TV.[50]

References

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