Week 5 Game Recap: Buffalo Bills 7, Chicago Bears 40

What you need to know

Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills ran into a team many think might be the best in the NFL in 2006. The Bills managed ten first downs on the afternoon and did score the first passing touchdown versus the Bears in Chicago since September 2005. J.P. Losman was hurried most of the afternoon and finished 14 of 27 for 115 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions. Losman completed passes to only three receivers on the day.

Willis McGahee was bottled up most of the afternoon and managed only 50 yards on 14 carries. He did catch four passes for another 14 yards as McGahee, Lee Evans and Peerless Price were the only Bills to record catches on Sunday. Lee Evans led Buffalo receivers with nine catches for 94 yards and the team’s only touchdown. The Bills were held to 145 net yards on 48 plays and penalized seven times.

Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears start a season 5-0 for the first time since the 1986 Super Bowl Championship team. Rex Grossman continues to be excellent at home completing 15 of 27 for 182 yards and two touchdowns. Grossman has not been intercepted at home this season and if not for the left foot of Bernard Berrian would have finished with three touchdown and over 200 yards on Sunday. Brian Griese played the fourth quarter and went four for four for 29 yards and led the team on their final scoring drives of the day.

The Bears’ rushing attack is coming around to match the passing game with Thomas Jones leading the way with 109 yards on 22 carries. Cedric Benson also pitched in with 48 yards on the ground on 14 carries, including his first two touchdowns of his career. The Bears averaged almost five yards per carry versus the Bills defense.

Bernard Berrian led the Bears’ receiving group with 97 yards on four catches and a touchdown. The long threat for the Bears barely missed a second touchdown on a 34 yard play from Grossman when he was unable to get both feet down in the end zone. Rashied Davis had the Bears other receiving touchdown catching a 15 yard strike from Grossman.

What you ought to know

QB J.P. Losman, Pass: 14 - 27 - 115 - 1 TD / 3 INT, Rush: 3 - 8 - 0

Losman was often under pressure from the strong Bears’ front seven and completed 14 of 27 passes for 115 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions. Losman was victimized by a number of drops by his receivers. His played probably better than his stats indicate but he couldn’t do much against the Bears’ outstanding defense.

RB Willis McGahee, Rush: 14 - 50 - 0, Rec: 4 - 15 - 0 (5 targets)

McGahee rushed for 50 yards on 14 carries and four of the five balls thrown his way for another 15 yards. He just found little room to run wherever he tried to go.

WR Lee Evans, Rec: 9 - 94 - 1 (12 targets)

Evans was the Bills’ lone bright spot on the day catching nine passes for 94 yards and the only touchdown. Evans was one of only three players to catch balls on the day and was Losman’s most dependable target.

WR Peerless Price, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (4 targets)

Price caught one of the four passes thrown his was for six yards. Price had two costly drops early in the game and was targeted only once after his second drop.

WR Josh Reed (2 targets)

Reed was targeted twice and dropped what may have been a short touchdown in the fourth quarter.

WR Roscoe Parrish (1 targets)

Parrish was targeted once, as only three Bills were able to catch passes on the day.

PK Rian Lindell 0 - 0 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 1 points

Lindell was successful on his only extra point attempt.

BUF Rush Defense

The Bills allowed 155 yards rushing on the afternoon to the Bears which works out to a 4.9 yard per carry clip. Rookie Ko Simpson led the Bills with 11 combined tackles. The Bills did recover a Cedric Benson fumble in the fourth quarter leading to the team’s only score.

BUF Pass Defense

The Bills were unable to sustain any pressure on Rex Grossman allowing two touchdown passes and did not register a sack or and interception.

QB Rex Grossman, Pass: 15 - 27 - 182 - 2 TD / 0 INT

Grossman continues to remain turnover free in Chicago and the Favre comparisons continue as his touchdown pass to Rashied Davis in the second quarter came while throwing off his back foot while under the Bill pass rush. Grossman finished with 182 yards on 15 of 27 passing and two touchdowns. Grossman came one foot away from a third touchdown when Bernard Berrian was unable to get his second foot down in the end zone.

QB Brian Griese, Pass: 4 - 4 - 29 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 3 - -2 - 0

Griese came on in the fourth quarter of the blowout and completed all four of his passes for 29 yards and led the team to their final ten points.

RB Thomas Jones, Rush: 22 - 109 - 0, Rec: 4 - 13 - 0 (5 targets)

Jones had his second 100 yard rushing day in 15 games as he finished with 109 yards on 22 carries and caught four balls for another 13 yards. He was spelled by Benson in the second quarter and Benson made the most of the opportunity. Jones is clearly the #1 guy but it looks like he may give up some carries to Benson.

RB Cedric Benson, Rush: 14 - 48 - 2, Rec: 2 - 14 - 0 (2 targets)

Benson scored the first two touchdowns of his career as the second year player rushed 14 times for 48 yards. Benson entered the game initially in the second quarter to spell Thomas Jones and ran strong on the drive including barreling into the end zone for the first of his two touchdowns. Benson’s fourth quarter fumble ruined an excellent day and led to the Bills only score of the day.

WR Bernard Berrian, Rec: 4 - 97 - 1 (7 targets)

Berrian led Bears’ receivers with four catches for 97 yards and a touchdown. He was unable to get his second foot down in bounds on a 34 yard pass from Grossman in the third quarter costing him his second TD of the afternoon.

WR Rashied Davis, Rec: 3 - 41 - 1 (4 targets)

Davis finished the day with three catches for 41 yards and a touchdown.

WR Justin Gage, Rec: 2 - 17 - 0 (2 targets)

Gage came in to play in the fourth quarter of the team’s blowout win. He caught both balls thrown his way for 17 yards.

WR Muhsin Muhammad, Rec: 2 - 10 - 0 (7 targets)

Muhammad managed to catch just two of the seven balls thrown his way for a total of ten yards. He was blanketed most of the day by multiple Bills’ defenders.

TE Desmond Clark, Rec: 1 - 12 - 0 (1 targets)

Clark caught the only ball thrown his way as he continues to work through his injury. Clark’s only catch was a twelve yarder good for a first down in the first quarter.

TE John Gilmore, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (1 targets)

Gilmore caught the only pass thrown his way for a seven yard gain.

PK Robbie Gould 4 - 4 FG, 4 - 4 XP, 16 points

Gould continues to be perfect on the season in field goals connecting on all four of his attempts on Sunday and 17 consecutive on the season. His field goals on Sunday were good from 42, 43, 32 and 41 yards.

CHI Rush Defense

The Bears’ rush defense held the Bills to 58 yards rushing on the day on 17 carries. With the offense turning opportunities into points it allows the Bears to defend a one dimensional attack as teams are falling behind quickly and forced to throw.

CHI Pass Defense

The Bears’ pass defense continues to pressure quarterbacks with their front seven which get their hands up knocking down passes and blocking passing lanes forcing turnovers. The team sacked J.P. Losman three times and forced three interceptions. A Cedric Benson fumble in the fourth quarter gave the Bills their best field position of the day and led to the first passing touchdown versus the Bears’ defense in Chicago since Chad Johnson’s catch in September 2005.