Chicago Bears’ Week 11 Report Card

Jay Cutler passed for his third 300-yard game of the year, along with three touchdowns. The nine-year veteran did a good job of avoiding pressure in the pocket and smartly ran the ball when receivers were covered. However, Cutler did have two ill-advised interceptions. Fortunately, those turnovers didn’t result in points for the Vikings.

Grade: B-

Matt Forte has been the epitome of consistency for Chicago all season long, and his performance in Week 11 showed no difference. Forte finished the day with 117 rushing yards on 26 carries and hauled in six receptions for 58 yards. The Pro Bowl running back was vital in the Bears’ attempt to melt the clock late in the game.

Grade: A

For the first time in a while, Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery looked like one of the best receiving duos in the NFL. Both receivers took advantage of one-on-one coverages, combining for 18 catches for 225 yards. They were on the receiving end of all three of Cutler’s touchdown passes. Tight end Martellus Bennett chipped in with four catches for 29 yards after being limited in practices.

Grade: A

The offensive front managed to keep Cutler upright for the duration of the game, surrendering zero sacks against a Vikings defense that entered Week 11 third in the NFL in sacks. Furthermore, they paved the way for Forte to rush for his third 100-yard game of the season. The O-line did commit two costly penalties on the opening drive, which resulted in a missed field goal attempt.

Grade: B

It would have been nice to see the Bears’ pass rush get more than two sacks in the game, but they did put constant pressure on rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. Defensive end Jared Allen made his presence known against his former team with five tackles and a sack, while his fellow defensive linemen helped by limiting Minnesota’s offense to just 48 rushing yards.

Grade: B+

Along with the defensive line, the linebacking corps played well against the 10th ranked running game in the league and also harassed Minnesota’s quarterback. Jon Bostic helped lead the way with five tackles, while veteran Lance Briggs looked a step faster than he did last week.

Grade: A

For the majority of the game, Bridgewater was unable to target his wide receivers thanks in part to the Bears' secondary. Minnesota’s wide receivers were held to a total of nine receptions for 115 yards. Safety Ryan Mundy sealed the deal late in the fourth quarter with an interception in the end zone.

Grade: A

Chicago’s special teams unit is still showing signs of struggle. They surrendered a 48-yard run on a fake punt in the first quarter (which resulted in a touchdown on the ensuing play). Kicker Robbie Gould missed his only field goal attempt and kicked the ball out of bounds on a kickoff in the third quarter. Luckily, those blunders didn’t cost the Bears the game.

Grade: C-

The good news is that head coach Marc Trestman decided to hand the ball to Forte more than 20 times. Unfortunately, his play selection on fourth-and-goal in the second quarter, and his choice to not speed things up on the final offensive drive of the first half still could have Bears fans doubting his coaching ability.

Grade: C-