BALTIMORE—When the Bears weigh the good and bad facets of their performance against the Baltimore Ravens, it’s likely they will come up with this conclusion: ‘Who cares? We won’. After blowing a 14-point lead, allowing two long kick returns and committing two turnovers, the Bears used a 40-yard field goal by Connor Barth in overtime to secure a 27-24 victory Sunday.
”You got to be able to take whatever situation you get and make something out of it,” defensive end Akiem Hicks said. ”I wanted to get a good W, go home and relax. The coming down to the wire thing is not my favorite style, but . however you get it, you just got to appreciate it.”
Jordan Howard ran for 167 yards, including a 53-yarder that set up the game-winning score for the Bears (2-4), whose two wins this season have come in overtime.Howard’s long run in OT put Chicago at the Baltimore 40. After rookie Mitchell Trubisky completed an 18-yard pass to Kendall Wright, Barth delivered the decisive kick.
”It wasn’t always perfect – it seldom is – but we’re just happy to get out of here with a win,” Bears coach John Fox said.
Making his first career start on the road, Trubisky directed a conservative game plan that leaned heavily on the run. The first-round draft pick completed 8 of 16 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown.
”We took what the defense gave us,” the rookie said. ”The run game was working, so let’s keep pounding the rock.”
Howard had 36 carries and the Bears gained 231 yards on 54 attempts.
”Whatever it takes to win,” Fox stressed. ”This week, we had to run the ball – and we did.”
Baltimore (3-3) trailed 17-3 in the third quarter and 24-16 late in regulation before capitalizing on special teams play to get back in the game.Bobby Rainey took a kickoff 96 yards for a score to begin the comeback and Michael Campanaro brought back a punt 77 yards for a touchdown with 1:37 remaining. The 2-point conversion was successful , setting up overtime.
”Those two special teams touchdowns were huge,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said.
The Ravens weren’t the only ones to capitalize on big plays. The Bears used a halfback pass from Tarik Cohen to Zach Miller for a first-half score, and Adrian Amos returned an interception 90 yards for a touchdown for a 24-13 lead with 5:08 left.Baltimore was in position for the go-ahead score when Amos got his first career interception on a pass that bounced off the chest of receiver Chris Moore, who was covered tightly by Kyle Fuller.The Bears forced three turnovers and frustrated quarterback Joe Flacco throughout the afternoon. Operating without injured receivers Jeremy Maclin (inactive) and Breshad Perriman (second-quarter concussion), Flacco went 24 for 41 for 180 yards with two interceptions.Trubisky put the Bears ahead 17-3 in the third quarter with an on-the-run, 27-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dion Sims, who outfought Tony Jefferson for the ball in the end zone.That put the Ravens in a precarious position, especially with a struggling offense.Rainey alleviated the pressure by taking the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown. After being tripped by a teammate, Rainey popped to his feet, broke right and went the distance.Campanaro did his part later, but it wasn’t enough.
”Sometimes your special teams kick in and score two touchdowns, which is great,” tight end Benjamin Watson said. ”But Chicago did a better job of closing than we did.”
The Ravens were coming off a 30-17 win in Oakland in which they did not commit a turnover, didn’t allow a sack and were penalized only once.In this one, Baltimore gave the ball away twice, permitted two sacks and was flagged five times – in the first half.The Ravens pretty much knew the Bears were going to run, and still the Bears did so – quite effectively.
”Too many yards rushing,” Harbaugh lamented. ”They blocked well, they had good backs that broke some tackles.”
Especially Howard.Bears DB Sherrick McManis left with a hamstring injury. … RB Benny Cunningham left with a hamstring injury.Sunday, the Bears host the Carolina Panthers, who will have a few extra days of rest after playing on Thursday night.
The Bears last win in Baltimore was December 5,1965 over the Colts at Memorial Stadium. This was obviously their first win ever over the Ravens in Baltimore.