 INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Chicago rediscovered its winning formula Sunday night. Play tough defense, control the ball and make no major mistakes.
No, it wasn't enough to win a Super Bowl 19 months ago against Indianapolis, but it was the perfect scenario to ruin the Colts' grand reopening of the new Lucas Oil Stadium 29-13.
Chicago's win ended Indy's remarkable streak of 21 consecutive victories in September and October, the league's longest run since the Green Bay Packers won 23 pre-November games from 1928-32. It's also the first time since 2004 the Colts won't start at least 7-0.
How did the Bears do it? With an old style and a new look.
Matt Forte, the first Chicago rookie to start at running back since Walter Payton in 1975, ran for 123 yards — 50 on a first-quarter TD run in which he broke one tackle and then outran Bob Sanders, last season's defensive player of the year, to the end zone.
Kyle Orton, who wrested the starting job from Rex Grossman, was 13-of-21 for 150 yards and had no turnovers.  Meanwhile, two-time league MVP Peyton Manning wasn't himself. He burned timeouts to save the play clock and didn't have that precision timing with his receivers after missing six weeks of practice. It was Manning's first game action since having surgery to remove an infected bursa sac from his left knee in mid-July.
And the Colts' defense, which allowed the fewest points in the NFL last season, couldn't get off the field.
Heck, coach Tony Dungy even lost two replay challenges.
The combination led to a predictable result.  Chicago's defense limited the Colts to 53 yards rushing, which forced Manning to win it with his arm.
Problem was Manning was just 30-of-49 for 257 yards with one TD and instead of scoring touchdowns inside the red zone, the Colts settled for field goals by Adam Vinatieri on their first two trips inside the Chicago 20.
It wasn't what Indy fans expected from what is traditionally one of the league's best offenses.
But the Bears followed the game plan perfectly.
Forte erased an early 3-0 lead with his TD burst, and when the Colts closed to 7-6, Orton led the Bears on a drive that ended with the first of Robbie Gould's two field goals.
The second came as time ran out in the first half after Orton hooked up with Greg Olsen on a 29-yard completion with 10 seconds left.
But the Colts nearly recovered in the second half, thanks in part to Devin Hester.
The Pro Bowl returner took the opening second half kickoff about 7 yards deep in the end zone and waited a few seconds before coming out. He was tackled at the Bears 3.
When the Colts got the ball back in good field position, Manning converted with a 6-yard TD pass to Reggie Wayne, making it 15-13 with 9:18 left in the third quarter.
That's when the Bears took control.
Charles Tillman slapped the ball away from Marvin Harrison at the Colts 21, Lance Briggs scooped up the fumble on a bounce and rumbled into the end zone. And Jason McKie scored on a 1-yard plunge in the fourth quarter to close it out. |