2011 Chicago Bears season
Encyclopedia
The 2011
Chicago Bears
season is the franchise's 92nd overall season in the National Football League
, and the 8th under head coach Lovie Smith
. The Bears, defending NFC North Division champions
, will seek a return to the playoffs after falling in the NFC Championship Game
to their arch-rivals the 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 will play the Packers on Christmas Day evening
in the only scheduled game on that day.
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. However, the talks broke down and the union officially decertified, after which a group of 10 players filed an antitrust lawsuit against the league. After months of failed negations, 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. 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.
in Bourbonnais, Illinois
. The club has held annual training camp activities at the university since 2002. The franchise opened up training camp with an expanded roster of 90 players. Over the next month players will compete for spots on the final roster. By August 30, the club will cut down players from 90 to 75 after the third preseason game. It was though announced on August 20, the roster cuts would be changed from 75 to 80 players. The franchise will then have to make another round of cuts at the conclusion of the fourth preseason game on September 3. The final roster will consist of 53 players. 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.
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
. 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
. 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. 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 less injuries occur on natural grass and therefore believes the natural grass surface prolongs player 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.
Class of 2011 induction weekend. 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. The Bears won their first preseason game defeating the Buffalo Bills
10–3. The offensive line struggled in the game while giving up nine sacks over the course of the game. 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. 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. Cutler did express pleasure with the performance of the two young tackles, Webb and Carimi, when asked to assess their performance during preseason. The team did however fail to score twice inside the red zone in the 1st half against the Giants in a 41-13 loss. 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. 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. 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. On September 4th, a day after rosters were trimmed down to 53 men, the Bears signed former first-round draft pick and two-time Pro Bowl
er safety Brandon Meriweather
, who was released by the New England Patriots
the previous day. In response to adding Meriweather, the Bears released corner back Joshua Moore to keep the roster at 53 men.
in the International Series
at Wembley Stadium
in London, England, on October 23.
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.
The victory places the Bears at 1–0
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
fiding tight end Kellen Davis
on a 9-yard touchdown pass.
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.
With the loss, the Bears fell to 2-3.
, the Bears would have a bye week upon their return to the United States
.
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, followed by Gould's 22-yard field goal. The Eagles tried to rally, yet the Bears' defense held on to preserve the victory.
With the win, Chicago improved to 5-3.
broke his thumb, which some sources say will keep him out for the remainder of the regular season.
first NFL start, he threw 3 interceptions and 2 touchdown passes in a 25-20 loss.
stats are updated through the end of Week 4.
Stats will be added after Week 1.
2011 NFL season
The 2011 NFL season, the 92nd regular season of the National Football League, began on Thursday, September 8, 2011 with the Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers defeating the New Orleans Saints 42–34 at Lambeau Field and will end with Super Bowl XLVI, the league's championship game, on...
Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
season is the franchise's 92nd overall season in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, and the 8th under head coach Lovie Smith
Lovie Smith
Lovie Lee Smith is the head coach of the Chicago Bears professional football team of the NFL. Smith has been to the Super Bowl twice, as the defensive coordinator for the 2001 Saint Louis Rams and as the head coach for the Chicago Bears in 2006....
. The Bears, defending NFC North Division champions
NFC North
The NFC North is a division of the National Football League's National Football Conference, based in the Upper Midwest region of the United States...
, will seek a return to the playoffs after falling in the NFC Championship Game
NFC Championship Game
The National Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two semi-final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the...
to their arch-rivals the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
. The club was scheduled to partake in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game
Pro Football Hall of Fame Game
The Pro Football Hall of Game is an annual National Football League exhibition game that is held the weekend of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's induction ceremonies. The game is played at Fawcett Stadium, which is located next door to the Hall of Fame building in Canton, Ohio...
but due to the lockout
2011 NFL lockout
The 2011 National Football League lockout was a lockout that lasted from March 11 to July 25. It occurred primarily during the offseason for 18 weeks and 4 days...
, the game was cancelled. The Bears traveled to Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
in the NFL International Series
NFL International Series
Beginning with the 2005 season, the National Football League has hosted regular season American football games held outside the United States in a series known as the International Series.-Background:...
and will play the Packers on Christmas Day evening
National Football League Christmas games
The National Football League occasionally schedules matchups on Christmas, December 25 or Christmas Eve, December 24.Unlike their November holiday counterparts, the Thanksgiving Classic games, Christmas Day and Christmas Eve games in the National Football League are not a regular annual part of the...
in the only scheduled game on that day.
Offseason
After the 2010 season2010 NFL season
The 2010 NFL season was the 91st regular season of the National Football League.The regular season began with the NFL Kickoff game on NBC on Thursday, September 9, at the Louisiana Superdome as the New Orleans Saints, Super Bowl XLIV champions, defeated the Minnesota Vikings 14–9.Tom Brady,...
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. However, the talks broke down and the union officially decertified, after which a group of 10 players filed an antitrust lawsuit against the league. After months of failed negations, 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
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
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. 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.
2011 draft class
| Round | Selection | Player | Position | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 29 | Gabe Carimi Gabe Carimi Gabe Carimi , nicknamed "The Bear Jew", is an American football offensive tackle for the Chicago Bears.Carimi had 49 starts at left tackle in his four-year Wisconsin Badgers college career, which culminated at the 2011 Rose Bowl. He was awarded the 2010 Outland Trophy, as the nation's top... |
OT | Wisconsin Wisconsin Badgers football The Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football... |
| 2 | 53 | Stephen Paea Stephen Paea Stephen Paea is an American football defensive tackle for the Chicago Bears.He played college football at Oregon State University. He was taken with the 53rd overall pick in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Bears.-Early years:... |
DT | Oregon State Oregon State Beavers football The Oregon State Beavers football team represents Oregon State University in NCAA Division I-A college football. The team first fielded an organized football team in 1893 and is currently a member of the Pacific-12 Conference. The head coach is Mike Riley, with Danny Langsdorf as the offensive... |
| 3 | 93 | Chris Conte Chris Conte Chris Conte is an American football safety. He was drafted in the third round of the NFL 2011 draft by the Chicago Bears. He played college football at California.... |
FS | California California Golden Bears football The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to... |
| 5 | 160 | Nathan Enderle Nathan Enderle Nathan Enderle is a professional football player, a quarterback with the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He played college football at Idaho, where he was a four-year starter.-Early years:... |
QB Quarterback Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line... |
Idaho Idaho Vandals football The Idaho Vandals are a college football team that represents the University of Idaho. The Vandals currently compete in the Western Athletic Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I... |
| 6 | 195 | J.T. Thomas J. T. Thomas (linebacker) J.T. Thomas is an American football linebacker for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Bears in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft... |
LB Linebacker A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen... |
West Virginia |
- Draft Notes: Washington traded its second- (#53) round pick this selection to Chicago for Chicago's second- (#62) and fourth-round (#127) selections.
- The Bears forfeited their seventh-round selection, due to the use of a seventh-round selection in the 2010 Supplemental Draft.
Undrafted free agents
Following the end of the lockout, the Bears announced coming to terms with 26 undrafted free-agents.
|
University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States... ) South Carolina South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence... ) Southern University Southern University and A&M College is a historically black college located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Baton Rouge campus is located on Scott’s Bluff overlooking the Mississippi River in the northern section... ) Central Michigan Central Michigan, often called Mid Michigan, is a region in the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. Southern Michigan can be considered as a subregion of Central Michigan. As its name implies, it is the central area of the Lower Peninsula. Lower Michigan is said to resemble a mitten, and... ) Dane Sanzenbacher Dane Sanzenbacher is an American football wide receiver for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was signed by the Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football at Ohio State.-High school career:... , WR, (Ohio State) Winston Venable Winston Venable is an American football Safety for the Chicago Bears. He previously played college football for Boise State University... , S, (Boise State) Trevor Vittatoe Trevor Vittatoe is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2011... , QB, (UTEP) Delaware Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania... ) Texas Christian University Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ... ) |
Additions
- On July 29, the Bears signed former Dallas Cowboys2010 Dallas Cowboys seasonThe 2010 Dallas Cowboys season is the 51st season for the team in the National Football League, and the second season playing their home games at Cowboys Stadium...
WR Roy WilliamsRoy Williams (wide receiver)Roy Eugene Williams, Jr. is an American football wide receiver who is currently a member of the Chicago Bears. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions seventh overall in the 2004 NFL Draft...
, former Pittsburgh Steelers2010 Pittsburgh Steelers seasonThe 2010 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the team's 78th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League and the eleventh season under the leadership of general manager Kevin Colbert and the fourth under head coach Mike Tomlin...
TE Matt SpaethMatt SpaethMatt Spaeth is an American football tight end for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
for a three-year deal, former Jacksonville Jaguars2010 Jacksonville Jaguars seasonThe 2010 Jacksonville Jaguars season was the 16th season for the team in the National Football League. The Jaguars, who are in their second year of "rebuilding" under general manager Gene Smith, improved upon their 7–9 record from 2009, but narrowly missed the playoffs with an 8–8 record...
P Adam PodleshAdam PodleshAdam Podlesh is an American football punter for the Chicago Bears.-Early life:Podlesh, who is Jewish, is a graduate of Pittsford Sutherland High School. He played college football for the Maryland Terrapins....
for a five-year deal, and former New York Jets2010 New York Jets seasonThe 2010 New York Jets season was the franchise's 41st season in the National Football League, the 51st season overall and the team's first season at New Meadowlands Stadium. The team improved on their 9–7 record from 2009 and reached the playoffs again. The Jets played their first pre-season game...
DE Vernon GholstonVernon GholstonVernon Gholston is an American football defensive end who is currently a free agent. He played college football at Ohio State and was drafted sixth overall by the New York Jets in the 2008 NFL Draft....
. - On July 29, the Bears agreed to three-year contracts with DE Jake Laptad, TE Draylen Ross, RB Dan Dierking and T Mike Lamphear.
- On July 30, the Bears signed former Dallas Cowboys2010 Dallas Cowboys seasonThe 2010 Dallas Cowboys season is the 51st season for the team in the National Football League, and the second season playing their home games at Cowboys Stadium...
RB Marion BarberMarion Barber IIIMarion Sylvester Barber III is an American football running back for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Minnesota....
and former Houston Texans2010 Houston Texans seasonThe 2010 Houston Texans season was the team's 9th season in the National Football League. The Texans claimed their first winning season in franchise history, with a 9–7 record in 2009, but narrowly missed the playoffs. The Texans selected Kareem Jackson CB from Alabama, with the 20th overall all...
DT Amobi OkoyeAmobi Okoye-Houston Texans:Okoye signed a five-year deal with the Texans on July 26, which allowed him to begin training camp with his teammates the next day. With his first start, Okoye became the youngest player to appear in an NFL game since 1967....
. - On July 31, the Bears signed former Seattle Seahawks2010 Seattle Seahawks seasonThe 2010 Seattle Seahawks season was the 35th season for the team in the National Football League. Jim Mora was fired on January 8, 2010, leading the Seahawks to come to an agreement with Pete Carroll, instating him as head coach the following day. This marks the 9th season that the Seahawks will...
C Chris SpencerChris Spencer (American football)-Seattle Seahawks:In his first season with the Seattle Seahawks, he played 7 games. In the 2006 season, he played in all 16 games for Seattle, starting 13 of them, most at the guard position, next to longtime Seattle center Robbie Tobeck...
. - On August 2, the Bears resigned TE Desmond ClarkDesmond ClarkDesmond Darice Clark is an American football Tight End who is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Denver Broncos in the sixth round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Wake Forest...
on a 1 year deal. - On September 4, the Bears signed S Brandon Meriweather.
Departures
- On July 28, the Bears released TE Brandon ManumaleunaBrandon Manumaleuna-St. Louis Rams:Manumaleuna was selected in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams. He signed with the team on June 21, 2001. He agreed to a three-year $1.15 million contract including a $255,000 signing bonus. In 2001, Manumaleuna only had one reception on the season...
after a failed physical. - On July 30, the Bears waived G Herman JohnsonHerman JohnsonHerman Johnson is an American football guard who is a free agent. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the fifth round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
- On August 1, the Bears waived P Richmond McGeeRichmond McGeeRichmond McGee is an American football punter for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as a street free agent in 2008...
and DT Sean Murnane. - On August 2, the Bears waived S K.J. Gerard.
- On August 3, the Bears waived TE Draylen Ross.
- On August 8, the Bears waived RB Dan Dierking and QB Matt GutierrezMatt GutierrezMatthew Paul Gutierrez is an American football quarterback who is currently a member of the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League. He was signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2007...
. - On October 27, the Bears released S Chris Harris.
Free agents
| Position | Player | Free agency Free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise.... tag |
Date signed | 2011 team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DT | Anthony Adams Anthony Adams Anthony "Spice" Adams is an American football defensive tackle for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He previously played for the San Francisco 49ers... |
UFA | July 29 | Chicago Bears |
| WR | Devin Aromashodu Devin Aromashodu Gbolahan Devin Aromashodu is an American football wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Auburn... |
UFA | July 26 | Minnesota Vikings 2011 Minnesota Vikings season -Week 2: at Seattle Seahawks:-Week 3: vs. Dallas Cowboys:-Week 4: vs. Houston Texans:-Schedule:COLOR KEY & NOTES:-Week 1: at San Diego Chargers:-Week 2: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers:-Week 3: vs. Detroit Lions:-Week 4: at Kansas City Chiefs:... |
| RB | Kahlil Bell Kahlil Bell Kahlil Bell is an American football running back for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at UCLA.-Personal life:Kahlil was born to his parents Michael and Elizabeth Bell... |
ERFA | July 29 | Chicago Bears |
| SS | Josh Bullocks Josh Bullocks Josh Bullocks is the best football player to ever walk this earth.Josh Bullocks is an American football safety who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Nebraska.Bullocks has also been a member... |
UFA | August 15 | Oakland Raiders 2011 Oakland Raiders season The 2011 Oakland Raiders season is the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League and the 52nd overall. 2011 also marks the final season under the ownership of Al Davis, who died on October 8, 2011... |
| TE | Desmond Clark Desmond Clark Desmond Darice Clark is an American football Tight End who is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Denver Broncos in the sixth round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Wake Forest... |
UFA | August 2 | Chicago Bears |
| QB | Todd Collins | UFA | — | — |
| WR | Rashied Davis Rashied Davis Rashied Khalid Davis is an American football wide receiver for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the San Jose SaberCats of the Arena Football League as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He played college football at San José State... |
UFA | July 27 | Detroit Lions 2011 Detroit Lions season The 2011 Detroit Lions season is the franchise's 82nd season in the National Football League, the 10th playing its home games at Ford Field and the third year under head coach Jim Schwartz. Currently 7–4, the team has improved on its 6–10 record from 2010, which is its third consecutive improved... |
| CB | Corey Graham Corey Graham Corey Graham is a cornerback, who currently plays for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He played collegiate football at the University of New Hampshire. The Bears selected Graham in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft... |
UFA | July 30 | Chicago Bears |
| QB | Caleb Hanie Caleb Hanie Caleb Jeffrey Hanie is an American football quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was signed by the Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played high school football for Forney High School in Forney, Texas and led his team to consecutive top 3 finishes in... |
RFA | July 29 | Chicago Bears |
| OLB | Brian Iwuh Brian Iwuh Brian Iwuh is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at Colorado.... |
UFA | July 31 | Chicago Bears |
| C | Olin Kreutz Olin Kreutz Olin George Kreutz is an American football center who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football for Washington.Kreutz has also played for the New Orleans Saints.... |
UFA | August 5 | New Orleans Saints 2011 New Orleans Saints season The 2011 New Orleans Saints season is the franchise's 45th season in the National Football League, the 36th to host home games at the Louisiana Superdome and the sixth under head coach Sean Payton.-2011 draft board:-Schedule:... |
| SS | Danieal Manning Danieal Manning Danieal Manning is a professional American football safety for the Houston Texans. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears with the 42nd pick in the 2006 NFL Draft from Abilene Christian University, which made him the first player from a non-Division I school to be selected that year... |
UFA | July 27 | Houston Texans 2011 Houston Texans season The 2011 Houston Texans season will be the team's 10th season in the National Football League . The Texans have improved on their record from the 2010 season, and attempt to earn the franchise's first playoff berth... |
| P | Brad Maynard Brad Maynard Bradley "Brad" Alan Maynard is an American football punter for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft... |
UFA | August 1 | Houston Texans |
| OLB | Nick Roach Nick Roach Nicholas Alexander Roach is an American football linebacker for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2007... |
UFA | July 29 | Chicago Bears |
| OLB | Pisa Tinoisamoa Pisa Tinoisamoa -St. Louis Rams:Tinoisamoa was drafted out of the University of Hawaii by the St. Louis Rams in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft. On July 24, 2003, Tinoisamoa signed a four-year $2.90 million contract with the Rams.... |
UFA | — | — |
| G/C | Edwin Williams Edwin Williams Edwin Williams is an American football offensive guard for the Chicago Bears. He played college football for the Maryland Terrapins of the University of Maryland.-Early years:... |
ERFA | July 29 | Chicago Bears |
| OLB | Rod Wilson Rod Wilson Rodriques Wilson is an American football linebacker. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at South Carolina... |
UFA | — | — |
| RB | Garrett Wolfe Garrett Wolfe Garrett Wolfe is an American football running back. He was drafted by the Bears in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played his college football at Northern Illinois. He is currently a free agent.-Personal life:... |
UFA | — | — |
| RFA: Restricted free agent Restricted free agent A restricted free agent is a professional athlete who plays in the KHL, NFL, NHL, or NBA. Such players have special restrictions on the terms under which they can retain or change employment status with their athletic club teams.- NFL :... , UFA: Unrestricted free agent, ERFA: Exclusive rights free agent |
||||
Trades
- On July 28, the Bears traded TE Greg OlsenGreg Olsen (American football)Gregory Olsen is an American football tight end for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
to the Carolina Panthers2011 Carolina Panthers seasonThe 2011 Carolina Panthers season will be the franchise's 17th season in the National Football League and the first season for Ron Rivera as the head coach. In Week 16 of the 2010 season, the team clinched the NFL's worst record of the year and was given the #1 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, with...
for a 20122012 NFL DraftThe 2012 NFL Draft will be the 77th annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players.-Trades:...
third-round draft pick.
Coaching changes
- On January 31, defensive line coach Eric WashingtonEric WashingtonEric Maurice Washington is an American basketball player.He was selected in the 1997 NBA Draft as the 48th overall pick by the Orlando Magic, and appeared for the Denver Nuggets during two seasons, from 1997 to 1999...
left the team to take the same position with the Carolina Panthers2011 Carolina Panthers seasonThe 2011 Carolina Panthers season will be the franchise's 17th season in the National Football League and the first season for Ron Rivera as the head coach. In Week 16 of the 2010 season, the team clinched the NFL's worst record of the year and was given the #1 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, with...
. - On February 3, the Bears hired Mike Phair as their new defensive line coach.
Training camp
The Bears held training camp once again at Olivet Nazarene UniversityOlivet Nazarene University
Olivet Nazarene University is a Christian institution of higher education located in the Kankakee, Illinois village of Bourbonnais. Named for Olivet, Illinois, ONU was originally established as a grammar school in east-central Illinois in 1907...
in Bourbonnais, Illinois
Bourbonnais, Illinois
Bourbonnais is a village in Kankakee County, Illinois, United States. The population was 15,256 at the 2000 census, but it was estimated to have grown to 19,119 in 2009...
. The club has held annual training camp activities at the university since 2002. The franchise opened up training camp with an expanded roster of 90 players. Over the next month players will compete for spots on the final roster. By August 30, the club will cut down players from 90 to 75 after the third preseason game. It was though announced on August 20, the roster cuts would be changed from 75 to 80 players. The franchise will then have to make another round of cuts at the conclusion of the fourth preseason game on September 3. The final roster will consist of 53 players. The Bears wrapped up training camp with a final public practice on August 19 before heading back to team headquarters in Lake Forest, Illinois
Lake Forest, Illinois
Lake Forest is an affluent city located in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The city is south of Waukegan along the shore of Lake Michigan, and is a part of the Chicago metropolitan area and the North Shore. Lake Forest was founded around Lake Forest College and was laid out as a town in...
. The practice marked the end of the team's three week training camp in Bourbonnais.
Soldier Field turf issue
The club had scheduled an evening practice at Soldier FieldSoldier Field
Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears...
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
Soldier Field
Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears...
. This is not the first incident related to the playing surface at the stadium. Brian Urlacher
Brian Urlacher
Brian Keith Urlacher is an American football player for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He attended the University of New Mexico, where he was one of the school's most decorated athletes. In addition to setting multiple university records, Urlacher earned consideration for the...
and other players have called for the surface to be changed from natural grass to artificial FieldTurf
FieldTurf
FieldTurf is a brand of artificial turf playing surface. It is manufactured and installed by the FieldTurf Tarkett division of Tarkett Inc., based in Calhoun, Georgia, USA. In the late 1990s, the artificial surface changed the industry with a design intended to replicate real grass...
. Chicago
Mayor of Chicago
The Mayor of Chicago is the chief executive of Chicago, Illinois, the third largest city in the United States. He or she is charged with directing city departments and agencies, and with the advice and consent of the Chicago City Council, appoints department and agency leaders.-Appointment...
's mayor Rahm Emanuel
Rahm Emanuel
Rahm Israel Emanuel is an American politician and the 55th and current Mayor of Chicago. He was formerly White House Chief of Staff to President Barack Obama...
has called on the Chicago Park District
Chicago Park District
The Chicago Park District is the oldest and largest park district in the U.S.A, with a $385 million annual budget. It has the distinction of spending the most per capita on its parks, even more than Boston in terms of park expenses per capita...
to find a permanent solution to the decades-old turf battle at the venue. However, Bears chairman George McCaskey has stated on record that the playing surface at Soldier Field will not change from grass
Grass
Grasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the Poaceae family, as well as the sedges and the rushes . The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns ...
to an artificial surface. McCaskey cited less injuries occur on natural grass and therefore believes the natural grass surface prolongs player 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.
Schedule
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 FamePro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
Class of 2011 induction weekend. The first scheduled preseason game for the Bears was to be the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game
Pro Football Hall of Fame Game
The Pro Football Hall of Game is an annual National Football League exhibition game that is held the weekend of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's induction ceremonies. The game is played at Fawcett Stadium, which is located next door to the Hall of Fame building in Canton, Ohio...
against the St. Louis Rams
2011 St. Louis Rams season
The 2011 St. Louis Rams season will be the team's 74th season in the National Football League, the 17th overall in St. Louis and the third under head coach Steve Spagnuolo. The Rams are coming off a 2010 season, in which they compiled more victories than in the previous 3 years combined...
. However, with the lockout lingering into late July resulting in a delayed start to training camp, the NFL cancelled the game. The Bears won their first preseason game defeating the Buffalo Bills
2011 Buffalo Bills season
The 2011 Buffalo Bills season is the team's 42nd season in the National Football League and the 52nd overall. The Bills hope to improve on their record from the 2010 season, and attempt to make the playoffs for the first time since 1999, the longest standing playoff drought in the NFL, which is...
10–3. The offensive line struggled in the game while giving up nine sacks over the course of the game. The Bears continued their preseason campaign with a visit to New Meadowlands Stadium
New Meadowlands Stadium
MetLife Stadium is a stadium in the New York City Metropolitan Area, part of the MetLife Sports Complex, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It is the home of the New York Giants and New York Jets of the National Football League and is adjacent to the site of the former Giants Stadium, which was home...
in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
to take on the New York Giants
2011 New York Giants season
The 2011 New York Giants season is the 87th season for the team in the National Football League. The Giants finished with a 10–6 record in 2010 however they missed the playoffs...
. 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. 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. Cutler did express pleasure with the performance of the two young tackles, Webb and Carimi, when asked to assess their performance during preseason. The team did however fail to score twice inside the red zone in the 1st half against the Giants in a 41-13 loss. 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. 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. The team wrapped up the preseason season against the Browns
2011 Cleveland Browns season
The 2011 Cleveland Browns season will be the team's 65th season as a professional sports franchise and its 61st season as a member of the National Football League . The team will attempt to improve on its 2010 season, where it finished with a record of 5–11 and placed third in the AFC North...
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. On September 4th, a day after rosters were trimmed down to 53 men, the Bears signed former first-round draft pick and two-time Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
er safety Brandon Meriweather
Brandon Meriweather
Brandon Meriweather is an American football safety for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots 24th overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami.-Early years:Meriweather's mother gave birth to him when...
, who was released by the New England Patriots
2011 New England Patriots season
The 2011 New England Patriots season is the 42nd season for the team in the National Football League and 52nd season overall.The Patriots dedicated their 2011 season to the memory of Myra Kraft, the wife of owner Robert Kraft, who died on July 20, 2011 after a long fight against cancer...
the previous day. In response to adding Meriweather, the Bears released corner back Joshua Moore to keep the roster at 53 men.
| Week | | Date | | Kickoff (CDT) | | Opponent | | Results | | Game site | | TV | | NFL.com GameBook | | NFL.com Recap |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final score | Team record | ||||||||
| HOF Pro Football Hall of Fame Game The Pro Football Hall of Game is an annual National Football League exhibition game that is held the weekend of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's induction ceremonies. The game is played at Fawcett Stadium, which is located next door to the Hall of Fame building in Canton, Ohio... |
August 7 | 7:00 p.m. | vs. St. Louis Rams 2011 St. Louis Rams season The 2011 St. Louis Rams season will be the team's 74th season in the National Football League, the 17th overall in St. Louis and the third under head coach Steve Spagnuolo. The Rams are coming off a 2010 season, in which they compiled more victories than in the previous 3 years combined... |
Cancelled due to the 2011 NFL Lockout 2011 NFL lockout The 2011 National Football League lockout was a lockout that lasted from March 11 to July 25. It occurred primarily during the offseason for 18 weeks and 4 days... |
|||||
| 1 | August 13 | 7:00 p.m. | Buffalo Bills 2011 Buffalo Bills season The 2011 Buffalo Bills season is the team's 42nd season in the National Football League and the 52nd overall. The Bills hope to improve on their record from the 2010 season, and attempt to make the playoffs for the first time since 1999, the longest standing playoff drought in the NFL, which is... |
W 10–3 | 1–0 | Soldier Field Soldier Field Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears... |
WFLD | Gamebook | Recap |
| 2 | August 22 | 7:00 p.m. | at New York Giants 2011 New York Giants season The 2011 New York Giants season is the 87th season for the team in the National Football League. The Giants finished with a 10–6 record in 2010 however they missed the playoffs... |
L 13–41 | 1–1 | New Meadowlands Stadium New Meadowlands Stadium MetLife Stadium is a stadium in the New York City Metropolitan Area, part of the MetLife Sports Complex, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It is the home of the New York Giants and New York Jets of the National Football League and is adjacent to the site of the former Giants Stadium, which was home... |
ESPN Monday Night Football Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series... |
Gamebook | Recap |
| 3 | August 27 | 7:00 p.m. | at Tennessee Titans 2011 Tennessee Titans season The 2011 Tennessee Titans season will be the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League , the 52nd overall and the 15th in the state of Tennessee. It will also mark the first season under new head coach Mike Munchak, replacing longtime head coach Jeff Fisher, who resigned on January 27... |
L 13–14 | 1–2 | LP Field LP Field LP Field is a football stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, United States, owned by the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County.... |
WFLD | Gamebook | Recap |
| 4 | September 1 | 7:00 p.m. | Cleveland Browns 2011 Cleveland Browns season The 2011 Cleveland Browns season will be the team's 65th season as a professional sports franchise and its 61st season as a member of the National Football League . The team will attempt to improve on its 2010 season, where it finished with a record of 5–11 and placed third in the AFC North... |
W 24–14 | 2–2 | Soldier Field | WFLD | Gamebook | Recap |
Schedule
The Bears' regular season schedule was announced on April 19, 2011. One day earlier (April 18), the NFL announced that the Bears will face the Tampa Bay BuccaneersTampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
in the International Series
NFL International Series
Beginning with the 2005 season, the National Football League has hosted regular season American football games held outside the United States in a series known as the International Series.-Background:...
at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
in London, England, on October 23.
| 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 2011 Atlanta Falcons season The 2011 Atlanta Falcons season will be the franchise's 46th season in the National Football League and the fourth under head coach Mike Smith. After a disappointing loss to the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round of the playoffs, the Falcons will attempt to defend its NFC South division... § |
W 30–12 | 1–0 | Soldier Field Soldier Field Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears... |
Fox NFL on FOX NFL on Fox is the brand name of the Fox Broadcasting Company's coverage of the National Football League's National Football Conference games, produced by Fox Sports... |
Gamebook | Recap |
| 2 | September 18 | 12:00 p.m. | at New Orleans Saints 2011 New Orleans Saints season The 2011 New Orleans Saints season is the franchise's 45th season in the National Football League, the 36th to host home games at the Louisiana Superdome and the sixth under head coach Sean Payton.-2011 draft board:-Schedule:... § |
L 13–30 | 1–1 | Louisiana Superdome Louisiana Superdome The Mercedes-Benz Superdome, previously known as the Louisiana Superdome and colloquially known as the Superdome, is a sports and exhibition arena located in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Louisiana, USA... |
Fox | Gamebook | Recap |
| 3 | September 25 | 3:15 p.m. | Green Bay Packers 2011 Green Bay Packers season The 2011 Green Bay Packers season is the franchise's 91st season in the National Football League, the 93rd season overall and the sixth under head coach Mike McCarthy... † |
L 17–27 | 1–2 | Soldier Field | Fox | Gamebook | Recap |
| 4 | October 2 | 12:00 p.m. | Carolina Panthers 2011 Carolina Panthers season The 2011 Carolina Panthers season will be the franchise's 17th season in the National Football League and the first season for Ron Rivera as the head coach. In Week 16 of the 2010 season, the team clinched the NFL's worst record of the year and was given the #1 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, with... § |
W 34–29 | 2–2 | Soldier Field | Fox | Gamebook | Recap |
| 5 | October 10 | 7:30 p.m. | at Detroit Lions 2011 Detroit Lions season The 2011 Detroit Lions season is the franchise's 82nd season in the National Football League, the 10th playing its home games at Ford Field and the third year under head coach Jim Schwartz. Currently 7–4, the team has improved on its 6–10 record from 2010, which is its third consecutive improved... † |
L 13–24 | 2–3 | Ford Field Ford Field Ford Field is an indoor American football stadium located in Detroit, Michigan, USA, that is the current home field of the NFL's Detroit Lions. It is owned by the Detroit/Wayne County Stadium Authority. It regularly seats 65,000, though it is expandable up to 70,000 for football and 80,000 for... |
ESPN Monday Night Football Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series... |
Gamebook | Recap |
| 6 | October 16 | 7:20 p.m. | Minnesota Vikings 2011 Minnesota Vikings season -Week 2: at Seattle Seahawks:-Week 3: vs. Dallas Cowboys:-Week 4: vs. Houston Texans:-Schedule:COLOR KEY & NOTES:-Week 1: at San Diego Chargers:-Week 2: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers:-Week 3: vs. Detroit Lions:-Week 4: at Kansas City Chiefs:... † |
W 39–10 | 3–3 | Soldier Field | NBC NBC Sunday Night Football NBC Sunday Night Football is a weekly television broadcast of Sunday evening National Football League games on NBC that began airing on Sunday, August 6, 2006 with the pre-season opening Hall of Fame Game. Al Michaels serves as the play-by-play announcer, with Cris Collinsworth as the color... |
Gamebook | Recap |
| 7 | October 23 | 12:00 p.m. | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2011 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season The 2011 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season will be the club's 36th season as a franchise in the NFL. The team will compete in the NFC South. Both of their preseason home games, and seven of their regular season home games will be played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida... § |
W 24–18 | 4–3 | Wembley Stadium Wembley Stadium The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007... (London)^ |
Fox | Gamebook | Recap |
| 8 | Bye Bye (sports) A bye, in sports and other competitive activities, most commonly refers to the practice of allowing a player or team to advance to the next round of a playoff tournament without playing... |
||||||||
| 9 | November 7 | 7:30 p.m. | at Philadelphia Eagles 2011 Philadelphia Eagles season The 2011 Philadelphia Eagles season will be the 79th season for the team in the National Football League . The Eagles will play all of their home games at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-Personnel changes:... § |
W 30–24 | 5–3 | Lincoln Financial Field Lincoln Financial Field Lincoln Financial Field is the home stadium of the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles. It has a seating capacity of 68,532 . It is located in South Philadelphia on Pattison Avenue between 11th and 10th streets, also aside I-95 as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex... |
ESPN | Gamebook | Recap |
| 10 | November 13 | 3:15 p.m. | Detroit Lions† | W 37–13 | 6–3 | Soldier Field | Fox | Gamebook | Recap |
| 11 | November 20 | 3:15 p.m. | San Diego Chargers 2011 San Diego Chargers season The 2011 San Diego Chargers season will be the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League and the 52nd overall. The team hopes to improve on its 9–7 record from 2010, in which the team missed the playoffs. For Norv Turner, this will be his fifth season as the head coach of the... ≈ |
W 31–20 | 7–3 | Soldier Field | CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
Gamebook | Recap |
| 12 | November 27 | 3:05 p.m. | at Oakland Raiders 2011 Oakland Raiders season The 2011 Oakland Raiders season is the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League and the 52nd overall. 2011 also marks the final season under the ownership of Al Davis, who died on October 8, 2011... ≈ |
L 20–25 | 7–4 | O.co Coliseum | Fox | Gamebook | Recap |
| 13 | December 4 | 12:00 p.m. | Kansas City Chiefs 2011 Kansas City Chiefs season The 2011 Kansas City Chiefs season is the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League, the 52nd overall and the third under the head coach/general manager tandem of Todd Haley and Scott Pioli. The Chiefs are coming off a 10–6 record in 2010, in which the team won its first AFC West... ≈ |
Soldier Field | CBS | ||||
| 14 | December 11 | 3:05 p.m. | at Denver Broncos 2011 Denver Broncos season The Denver Broncos season is the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League and the 52nd overall. It also marks the first season under new head coach John Fox, as well as the first with John Elway as the team's Executive Vice President of Football Operations... ≈ |
Sports Authority Field at Mile High | Fox | ||||
| 15 | December 18 | 12:00 p.m.* | Seattle Seahawks 2011 Seattle Seahawks season The 2011 Seattle Seahawks season is the franchise's 36th season in the National Football League, the 10th playing their home games at CenturyLink Field and the second under head coach Pete Carroll... § |
Soldier Field | Fox | ||||
| 16 | December 25 National Football League Christmas games The National Football League occasionally schedules matchups on Christmas, December 25 or Christmas Eve, December 24.Unlike their November holiday counterparts, the Thanksgiving Classic games, Christmas Day and Christmas Eve games in the National Football League are not a regular annual part of the... ‡ |
7:20 p.m. | at Green Bay Packers† | Lambeau Field Lambeau Field Lambeau Field is an outdoor football stadium in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the home of the NFL's Green Bay Packers. Opened in 1957 as City Stadium, it replaced the original City Stadium as the Packers' home field... |
NBC | ||||
| 17 | January 1 | 12:00 p.m.* | at Minnesota Vikings† | Mall of America Field | Fox | ||||
Week 1: vs. Atlanta Falcons
The Bears opened up the season against the Atlanta FalconsAtlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
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
Matt Ryan
Matt Ryan is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre currently playing for Villacher SV of the Austrian Hockey League .-Playing career:...
for five sacks. Brian Urlacher
Brian Urlacher
Brian Keith Urlacher is an American football player for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He attended the University of New Mexico, where he was one of the school's most decorated athletes. In addition to setting multiple university records, Urlacher earned consideration for the...
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
Julius Peppers
Julius Frazier Peppers is an American football defensive end for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. Nicknamed The Freak of Nature, he was drafted by the Carolina Panthers second overall in the 2002 NFL Draft...
recorded two sacks and forced a fumble. Jay Cutler
Jay Cutler (American football)
Jay Christopher Cutler is a quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He played football at Vanderbilt University. Cutler began his professional football career with the Denver Broncos, who selected him as the 11th overall pick of the 2006 NFL Draft...
in his first game since the criticism of the NFC Championship Game
NFC Championship Game
The National Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two semi-final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the...
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
Kroy Biermann
Kroy Biermann is an American football defensive end for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Falcons in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Montana...
. 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.
The victory places the Bears at 1–0
Week 2: at New Orleans Saints
Week 3: vs. Green Bay Packers
Week 4: vs. Carolina Panthers
Week 5: at Detroit Lions
Coming off their home win over the Panthers, the Bears flew to Ford FieldFord Field
Ford Field is an indoor American football stadium located in Detroit, Michigan, USA, that is the current home field of the NFL's Detroit Lions. It is owned by the Detroit/Wayne County Stadium Authority. It regularly seats 65,000, though it is expandable up to 70,000 for football and 80,000 for...
for a Week 5 Monday Night duel with their NFC North foe, the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
. After a scoreless first quarter, Chicago trailed in the second quarter with Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford
Matthew Stafford
John Matthew Stafford is an American football quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Lions first overall in the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Georgia....
completing a 73-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Calvin Johnson
Calvin Johnson (American football)
Calvin Johnson, Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Lions second overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia Tech....
. The Bears would answer with a 44-yard field goal from kicker Robbie Gould
Robbie Gould
Robert Paul "Robbie" Gould III is an American football placekicker for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at Penn State...
, followed by quarterback Jay Cutler
Jay Cutler (American football)
Jay Christopher Cutler is a quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He played football at Vanderbilt University. Cutler began his professional football career with the Denver Broncos, who selected him as the 11th overall pick of the 2006 NFL Draft...
fiding tight end Kellen Davis
Kellen Davis
Kellen Davis is an American football tight end for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Bears in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan State...
on a 9-yard touchdown pass.
Detroit responded in the third quarter with Stafford completing an 18-yard touchdown pass to tight end Brandon Pettigrew
Brandon Pettigrew
Brandon Pettigrew is an American football tight end for the Detroit Lions. He was drafted by the Lions with the 20th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft.-High school:Brandon Pettigrew played high school football at Robert E...
, followed by running back Jahvid Best
Jahvid Best
Jahvid Andre Best is a running back for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was selected by the Lions with the 30th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. In college, he played for the California Golden Bears, setting several records, including most all-purpose yards in a single season and...
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
Jason Hanson
Jason Douglas Hanson is an American football placekicker for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League, where he has spent his entire 20 year career. He was drafted by the Lions in the second round of the 1992 NFL Draft...
nailing a 31-yard field goal.
With the loss, the Bears fell to 2-3.
Week 6: vs. Minnesota Vikings
Week 7: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (London, England)
Week 8: Bye
After the game across the AtlanticAtlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, the Bears would have a bye week upon their return to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Week 9: at Philadelphia Eagles
Coming off their bye week, the Bears flew to Lincoln Financial FieldLincoln Financial Field
Lincoln Financial Field is the home stadium of the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles. It has a seating capacity of 68,532 . It is located in South Philadelphia on Pattison Avenue between 11th and 10th streets, also aside I-95 as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
for a Week 9 Monday night duel with the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Chicago delivered the game's opening punch in the first quarter as quarterback Jay Cutler
Jay Cutler (American football)
Jay Christopher Cutler is a quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He played football at Vanderbilt University. Cutler began his professional football career with the Denver Broncos, who selected him as the 11th overall pick of the 2006 NFL Draft...
found tight end Matt Spaeth
Matt Spaeth
Matt Spaeth is an American football tight end for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
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
Robbie Gould
Robert Paul "Robbie" Gould III is an American football placekicker for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at Penn State...
. The Eagles would answer with kicker Alex Henery
Alex Henery
Alex Henery is an American football kicker for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, setting an NCAA record for field goal accuracy with a 89.5% success rate...
getting a 47-yard field goal, followed by linebacker Brian Rolle
Brian Rolle
-Philadelphia Eagles:Rolle was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He signed a four-year contract with the team on July 27, 2011.-Personal:...
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
Marion Barber III
Marion Sylvester Barber III is an American football running back for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Minnesota....
.
Philadelphia took the lead in the third quarter with running back Ronnie Brown
Ronnie Brown
Ronnie G. Brown, Jr. is an American football running back for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . After graduating from Cartersville High School in Georgia, Brown attended Auburn University to play college football for the Auburn Tigers...
getting a 4-yard touchdown run, followed by running back LeSean McCoy
LeSean McCoy
-Philadelphia Eagles:McCoy was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He signed a four-year contract with the team on June 29, 2009....
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
Earl Bennett
Earl Bennett is an American football wide receiver for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Bears in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
on a 5-yard touchdown pass, followed by Gould's 22-yard field goal. The Eagles tried to rally, yet the Bears' defense held on to preserve the victory.
With the win, Chicago improved to 5-3.
Week 10: vs. Detroit Lions
Week 11: vs. San Diego Chargers
Quarterback Jay CutlerJay Cutler (American football)
Jay Christopher Cutler is a quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He played football at Vanderbilt University. Cutler began his professional football career with the Denver Broncos, who selected him as the 11th overall pick of the 2006 NFL Draft...
broke his thumb, which some sources say will keep him out for the remainder of the regular season.
Week 12: at Oakland Raiders
In Caleb Hanie'sCaleb Hanie
Caleb Jeffrey Hanie is an American football quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was signed by the Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played high school football for Forney High School in Forney, Texas and led his team to consecutive top 3 finishes in...
first NFL start, he threw 3 interceptions and 2 touchdown passes in a 25-20 loss.
Week 13: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Week 14: at Denver Broncos
Week 15: vs. Seattle Seahawks
Week 16: at Green Bay Packers (Christmas Day)
Week 17: at Minnesota Vikings
Regular season
| Player(s) | Value | NFL Rank | NFC Rank | |
| Passing Yards | Jay Cutler Jay Cutler (American football) Jay Christopher Cutler is a quarterback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He played football at Vanderbilt University. Cutler began his professional football career with the Denver Broncos, who selected him as the 11th overall pick of the 2006 NFL Draft... |
960 yards | 21th | 12th |
| Passing Touchdowns | Jay Cutler | 5 TDs | T-17th | T-9th |
| Rushing Yards | Matt Forte Matt Forté Matthew Garrett Forté is an American football running back for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Bears in the second round of the 2008 NFL Draft... |
324 yards | 7th | 3rd |
| Rushing Touchdowns | Matt Forte | 1 TD | T-23rd | T-12th |
| Receiving Yards | Matt Forte | 310 yards | 19th | 11th |
| Receiving Touchdowns | Dane Sanzenbacher Dane Sanzenbacher Dane Sanzenbacher is an American football wide receiver for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was signed by the Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football at Ohio State.-High school career:... |
2 TDs | T-19th | T-10th |
| Points | Robbie Gould Robbie Gould Robert Paul "Robbie" Gould III is an American football placekicker for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at Penn State... |
34 | T-11th | T-7th |
| Kickoff Return Yards | Devin Hester | 197 yards | 18th | 9th |
| Punt Return Yards | Devin Hester | 100 yards | 14th | 6th |
| Tackles | Lance Briggs Lance Briggs Lance Marell Briggs is an American football linebacker for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Bears in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona.-Early years:A Sacramento native, Briggs attended Elk Grove High... |
36 | T-8th | T-3rd |
| Sacks | Henry Melton Henry Melton Henry Melton is a defensive tackle for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He is an alumnus of the University of Texas... |
3.0 | T-14th | T-9th |
| Interceptions | Brian Urlacher Brian Urlacher Brian Keith Urlacher is an American football player for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He attended the University of New Mexico, where he was one of the school's most decorated athletes. In addition to setting multiple university records, Urlacher earned consideration for the... |
2 INTs | T-5th | T-4th |
stats are updated through the end of Week 4.
Statistical league rankings
- Total Offense (YPG): 377.0 (14th)
- Passing (YPG): 289.0 (11th)
- Rushing (YPG): 88.0 (17th)
- Points (PPG): 30.0 (9th)
- Total Defense (YPG): 386.0 (22nd)
- Passing (YPG): 276.0 (21st)
- Rushing (YPG): 110.0 (22nd)
- Points (PPG): 12.0 (4th)
Stats will be added after Week 1.
Weekly awards
- MLB Brian UrlacherBrian UrlacherBrian Keith Urlacher is an American football player for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He attended the University of New Mexico, where he was one of the school's most decorated athletes. In addition to setting multiple university records, Urlacher earned consideration for the...
was named NFC Defensive player of the week for games played during Week 1. - WR Devin HesterDevin HesterDevin Hester is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He played college football at the University of Miami, where he became the first person in the university’s recent history to play in all three phases of American football...
was named NFC Special Teams player of the week for games played during Week 4, week 6, and week 10. - OLB Lance BriggsLance BriggsLance Marell Briggs is an American football linebacker for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Bears in the third round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona.-Early years:A Sacramento native, Briggs attended Elk Grove High...
was named NFC Defensive player of the week for games played during Week 7.
Monthly awards
- WR Devin HesterDevin HesterDevin Hester is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He played college football at the University of Miami, where he became the first person in the university’s recent history to play in all three phases of American football...
was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for games played during the month of October.
Career
- WR Devin HesterDevin HesterDevin Hester is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . He played college football at the University of Miami, where he became the first person in the university’s recent history to play in all three phases of American football...
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 PanthersCarolina PanthersThe Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
at Soldier Field.
Current depth chart
- Current official depth chart announced by the club before the first game of the season against the Atlanta Falcons2011 Atlanta Falcons seasonThe 2011 Atlanta Falcons season will be the franchise's 46th season in the National Football League and the fourth under head coach Mike Smith. After a disappointing loss to the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round of the playoffs, the Falcons will attempt to defend its NFC South division...
Footnotes
- Preseason games air and are 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, IowaCedar Rapids, IowaCedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
(Ch. 28); KLJBKLJB-TVKLJB is the Fox-affiliated television station for the Quad Cities of Eastern Iowa and West-Central Illinois. Licensed to Davenport, Iowa, it broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 49 from a transmitter along US 150 in the Orion village of Western Township, Illinois...
- Quad CitiesQuad CitiesThe Quad Cities is a group of five cities straddling the Mississippi River on the Iowa–Illinois boundary. These cities, Davenport and Bettendorf and Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline , are the center of the Quad Cities Metropolitan Area, which, as of 2010, had an estimated population of...
, Iowa-Illinois (Ch. 18); WCCU - Champaign, IllinoisChampaign, IllinoisChampaign is a city in Champaign County, Illinois, in the United States. The city is located south of Chicago, west of Indianapolis, Indiana, and 178 miles northeast of St. Louis, Missouri. Though surrounded by farm communities, Champaign is notable for sharing the campus of the University of...
(Ch. 27); WMBDWMBD-TVWMBD-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for Central Illinois licensed to Peoria. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 30 from a transmitter on Pinecrest Drive in Groveland Township's East Peoria section. The station can also be seen on Comcast channel 7 and in...
- Peoria, IllinoisPeoria, IllinoisPeoria is the largest city on the Illinois River and the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, in the United States. It is named after the Peoria tribe. As of the 2010 census, the city was the seventh-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 115,007, and is the third-most populated...
(Ch. 31); WIFR - Rockford, IllinoisRockford, IllinoisRockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
(Ch. 23); WRSPWRSP-TVWRSP-TV is the Fox-affiliated television station for Central Illinois licensed to Springfield. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 44 from a transmitter in Mechanicsburg. The station can also be seen on Mediacom and Comcast channel 7...
- Springfield, IllinoisSpringfield, IllinoisSpringfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
(Ch. 55); WSBTWSBT-TVWSBT-TV, channel 22 is a television station in South Bend, Indiana. WSBT is the flagship television station of Schurz Communications, and is an affiliate of the CBS television network. It's studios are located in Mishawaka. Its transmitter is located in South Bend.-Early broadcasting:WSBT-TV first...
- South Bend, IndianaSouth Bend, IndianaThe city of South Bend is the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total of 101,168 residents; its Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 316,663...
(Ch. 22) - The Bears game will be shown locally on WLS-TVWLS-TVWLS-TV, virtual channel 7, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, located in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The station operates their full power digital operations on UHF channel 44, with their digital fill-in translator on VHF channel...
. - Gametime subject to change due to flexible scheduling.