Nov 23, 2008 - 5:49 PM
2 shoutsST. LOUIS (Ticker) -- For the fourth straight week, the St. Louis Rams basically had their fate sealed after the first two quarters.
This time it was the Chicago Bears who put together a half of dominance over the inept Rams, racing to a 21-point halftime lead en route to a 27-3 victory on Sunday.
Rookie Matt Forte ran for a season-high 132 yards and scored touchdowns in each of the first two quarters as Chicago took a 24-3 halftime lead.
The Bears' defense returned to form after receiving a beat-down last week at the hands of division rival Green Bay, limiting the Rams to just 14 yards on the ground.
Kyle Orton completed 18-of-29 passes for 139 yards and a 7-yard touchdown to Jason McKie as Chicago (6-5) avoided a three-game losing streak to remain tied atop the NFC North standings.
"We really wanted to open the playbook today and really not be afraid to call anything," Orton said. "We go into every game trying to start fast and finish strong and for the most part we did that today. We got up on the Rams and did several things right to start off the game and went from there."
Chicago dropped a 37-3 decision the Packers last week, missing out on a chance to gain control in the tightly contested division.
Orton and the Bears bounced back against the hapless Rams (2-9), who have been outscored, 123-13, in the opening 30 minutes over the last four weeks.
Forte got the Bears on the board quickly, scoring from 13 yards out just 1:50 into the opening quarter.
"I just run through the holes and they do the dirty work up front," Forte said. "That is where it starts in the passing and running game. Those guys move the big guys up front and I just try to run through the holes and make somebody miss."
St. Louis starting quarterback Marc Bulger was knocked out with a head injury in the opening drive and backup Trent Green struggled in his place, completing 16-of-30 passes for 219 yards and four interceptions.
"We just could not get anything going," Green said. "We had a lot of breakdowns and I would have to sit down with you and watch the film and go through it, but we had a lot of breakdowns in a lot of areas."
"I will do anything I can to help these guys be successful. Anything," Rams coach Jim Haslett said. "I'll put them in positions where they can succeed individually and as a team. But I can't tackle, I can't tackle anymore for them. I can't do it anymore. I can't take care of the football."
Orton and McKie connected to extend the lead to 14-0, and after a fake punt attempt by the Rams was stopped near midfield, Forte broke off a 47-yard run two plays later to open up a 21-point bulge.
The St. Louis rushing attack struggled again in the absence of Steven Jackson, who missed his fourth game in the last five while nursing a strained thigh.
A week after allowing 145 yards to Green Bay's Ryan Grant, the Bears took care of the shorthanded Rams' ground game with ease.
Josh Brown accounted for the only offense for St. Louis, connecting on a 43-yard field goal late in the second quarter.
"The penalties, the special teams put the offense into bad field position. But I don't know if the offense would have scored anyways as bad as they were playing," Haslett said. "We can emphasize it, we can work on it but if they are going to go out and hold and get pre-snap penalties, I can't help them. I'm helpless on the sideline. I will do anything I can for them."
Robbie Gould kicked a pair of field goals for Chicago, which has a key division matchup with Minnesota next Sunday night.
"It is crucial," Forte said. "It is another division game and we have to stay on top of these division games. We need a win up there on the road."
Chicago and Minnesota, which cruised past Jacksonville, 30-12, are tied for first in the NFC North, with Green Bay sitting at 5-5 and facing New Orleans on Monday night.
From the Bleachers
-
CHICAGO: 27
ST. LOUIS: 3
Final
Nov 23 3:54 PM -
CHICAGO: 27
ST. LOUIS: 3
End of 3rd
Nov 23 3:18 PM -
NFL
FG CHI
ROBBIE GOULD 38 YD
CHICAGO 27
ST LOUIS 3 5:13 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Nov 23 3:04 PM -
CHICAGO: 24
ST. LOUIS: 3
Halftime
Nov 23 2:29 PM -
NFL
FG CHI
ROBBIE GOULD 43 YD
CHICAGO 24
ST LOUIS 3 1:38 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Nov 23 2:19 PM -
NFL
FG STL
JOSH BROWN 43 YD
CHICAGO 21
ST LOUIS 3 5:01 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Nov 23 2:08 PM -
NFL
TD CHI
MATT FORTE 47 YD RUN
(ROBBIE GOULD KICK)
CHICAGO 21
ST LOUIS 0 9:22 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Nov 23 1:58 PM -
NFL
TD CHI
JASON MCKIE 7 YD PASS FROM KYLE ORTON
(ROBBIE GOULD KICK)
CHICAGO 14
ST LOUIS 0 1:44 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Nov 23 1:36 PM -
NFL
TD CHI
MATT FORTE 15 YD RUN
(ROBBIE GOULD KICK)
CHICAGO 7
ST LOUIS 0 13:05 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Nov 23 1:07 PM -
Sweetness34
The Bears would have a good WR corps of:
Brandon Rideau
Brandon Lloyd
Rashied Davis
Mike Hass and
Earl Bennett
You have to build around your Franchise QB, which for the Bears is Kyle Orton. The Bears need to get a RB to complement Matt Forte and give him some rest during games and the season. Forte is a workhorse, but it's been shown that RB that are overused during one season blow out their knees the next.
Nov 22 8:19 PM -
Sweetness34
Finally
The Bears brought Brandon Rideau up from the Practice Squad.
The Bears need to stop the Hester experiment. He's a amazing Kick/Punt Returner that punters fear. He always has a chance to take back for a TD.He's an average WR and it's destroying him as the Bears KR/PR.
The Bears should also promote Mike Hass and cut Marty Booker. He's washed up, injured, and slow.
Nov 22 8:08 PM
