The Bears are back to the break even mark after holding off the stubborn Carolina Panthers 34-29 in a record breaking day. Devin Hester is now ahead of Eric Metcalf for most punt returns for a touchdown, Matt Forte became only the third Bear(after Gale Sayers and Walter Payton)to exceed the 200 yard rushing mark in a single game, and Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith passed up former Bear Muhsin Muhammad as the all time Carolina receiver in career yards.
This one is started like last week against Green Bay! The Panthers(1-3) won the toss,drove right to the Bears 10, and after two penalties on Carolina, they had to settle for an Orlando Mare 29 yd FG.Now would find out about what Mike Martz would try. The Bears(2-2),who could not run worth a darned last week,came out rushing against the Panthers. Matt Forte had a 46 yd run to the Carolina 29, already way more rushing yds than last week!!!! Now Marian Barber ran 10 yards to the 19, Forte ran to the 7 for a 1st and goal.Jay Cutler called his own # on 3rd down,was stopped at the two and Robbie Gould kicked a 20 yd FG to tie it at 3-3. All running plays!!! UNREAL! Martz must have been out sick! On the next Panthers possession,D.J.Moore picked off a pass from Mr.Heisman that was tipped, and took it 19 yards to the house for a 10-3 Bears lead!! Carolina got the ball back and Newton scrambled,and hit Steve Smith at the Bears 1,that after a 53 yd play.Smith now the Panthers all time receiver ion yds,passing M.Muhammad. That sets up 1 yd run around rt end by Newton to tie it 10-10 five seconds into the second quarter.Devin Hester from the back of the end zone,returned the kickoff 73 yds to the Panthers 36.Two plays later Forte ran into wide open space and scored untouched to regain the Bears lead 17-10. Cutler hit on his first pass during that series, to Roy Williams of all people. After a three & out,Jason Baker punted to Hester who returned it 69 yards for his NFL record 11th punt return TD.Hester also got a 15 yard penalty for his tumbling act in the end zone,so the Panthers only had to drive 64 yards and they did with Newton finishing it with a 2 yard keeper,cutting Bears lead to 24-17 with 6:29 left in the half.The Panthers drove to the Bears 21,and with a fourth and less than a yard, Ron Rivera played it conservative, ran the clock down and Mare kicked a 39 yard field goal and the Bears halftime lead was 24-20.
After a Bears punt, the Panthers gave Mare a chance for a 34 yard field goal attempt,but Julius Peppers blocked it against his former team.An Adam Podlesh punt pinned Carolina back to their won 7.After a scoreless fourth quarter the Panthers started the fourth with a Mare 38 yard field goal and the Bears lead was cut to 24-23. Cutler was picked off by Charles Godfrey who returned the ball to the Bears 29,but a five yard penalty and three incompleted Newton passes brought in Mare for a 52 yard field goal try which was wide left and the Bears dodged another bullet.After that the Bears drove to the Panthers 7,and on a fourth down,they WERE going to go for it,but then burned their last time out and Gould kicked a 24 yard field goal with 2:41 left. Just AWFUL management of time out by the Bears Coaches be it was Martz,or Lovie Smith.Carolina stopped three and out and a punt away from Hester went out at the Bears 40 with 5:06 left.The Bears were also stopped on three downs and Podlesh punted into the end zone and the Panthers started at their twenty but they again failed to get a first down and the Bears took over at the 43. Forte ran around RE for 40 to the three.Barber then crashed over to ice the game.A last second TD pass from Newton of former Bear Greg Olsen came with four second left for the final score.

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