Head coach John Fox said he does not regret the decision to call four consecutive pass plays inside the 10-yard line midway through the fourth quarter.
“It is easier after the play or after the series to make calls,” Fox said on Monday. “Even I figured that out, but really at the end of the day it's about executing.”
Down 24-16, the Bears had first-and-goal at Green Bay’s 6-yard line, but failed to score as four straight Jay Cutler passes fell incomplete.
Many wondered why the Bears would opt to throw the ball that close to the goal line with Matt Forte running the ball so effectively -- Forte finished the game with 141 rushing yards and one touchdown on 24 carries.
“Whether you're running the ball or passing the ball, you have 11 guys that need to do their job and that's what we refer to as execution,” Fox said. “I didn't dislike -- for what they were playing -- I didn't dislike what we were in and what we tried to do, we just didn't do it well enough.”
The lack of execution extended to the offensive line on the fourth and final play of the drive where a miscommunication caused Cutler to rush an incomplete pass to Eddie Royal.
“On that fourth-and-goal where the Sam linebacker blitzes in the A gap, that’s my guy,” Bears right tackle Kyle Long. “There’s a reason Jay can’t make that throw. It’s because there’s a guy with his arms up his face.
Fox added, “I think Jay probably did as well as he can for an unblocked guy running right down the middle of your front.”