The Bears Den: October 13, 2014 - Chicago Bears vs Atlanta Falcons news & analysis

Strong finish lifts Bears to big win - Larry Mayer: After their 13-3 lead evaporated Sunday, the Bears scored the game's final 14 points en route to an impressive 27-13 win over the Falcons in Atlanta.

10 thoughts - Brad Biggs' thoughts after Bears' win over Falcons: Availability is becoming a real issue for Chris Conte.

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Chicago Bears 27, Atlanta Falcons 13

Game report - ChicagoBears.com's situational updates from the field as they unfolded during the Bears's 27-13 victory at the Georgia Dome. Larry Mayer's pregame Q&As.

Game report - (NFL.com): Jay Cutler and Bears' offense dominate Falcons [with Video highlights]. Gregg Rosenthal: Good Jay Cutler shows up; Bears roll in Atlanta.

Game breakdown - The Tribune's drive charts, Three Bears, Cutler Watch, and stats from the game.

Game report - (AP): Cutler leads road-warrior Bears past Falcons 27-13.

Jay Cutler throws for team personal best as Bears flatten Falcons - Patrick Finley: Had the Bears lost their third game in a row to fall to 2-4, they would’ve needed a winning streak to get back to .500.

Complete turnaround for Bears in Atlanta - Bob LeGere: With a patchwork defense that played better than almost anyone expected, and an offense spearheaded by Jay Cutler's most productive day as a Bear, Marc Trestman's club climbed back to .500.

Bears dominate Falcons in crunch time - Is-Hub Arkush: The Bears went out and got their win, and they did it with skill, they did it with effort, and they did it with panache. For 60 minutes in Atlanta Sunday, the Bears were who we hoped they’d be.

Alongside surprising Defense, Bears’ Offense finally does enough to win - Adam Hoge: To the Bears' credit, the locker room wasn’t as upbeat as you might think as Brandon Marshall reiterated the need to get better.

Game report - James Neveau: Behind a stellar effort from their defense, the Bears held Matt Ryan and the Falcons in check in a 27-13 victory on Sunday afternoon.

Rapid Reaction - Michael C. Wright with a few thoughts on the Bears' 27-13 win: Teddy Williams deserves much of the credit for helping neutralize Devin Hester on punt returns. From the locker room.

Game review - Jeff Dickerson with five things we learned in Bears-Falcons: Arguably one of Cutler's best games he has played wearing a Bears uniform; does Chris Conte need to sit out and heal?

[Video] ESPN - Jeff Dickerson and Jon Greenberg break down the Bears' 27-13 win over the Falcons.

[Video] Postgame Live - Opening thoughts. Jiggetts: 'Jay Cutler had the ballgame of his life'.

[Video] View from the Moon - Moon Mullin: Bears took the top off the Falcons defense.

[Video] ESPN - Eric Allen breaks down the Bears' 27-13 win over the Falcons.

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Jay Cutler, offense

Cutler makes no mistakes, leads Bears to huge victory - Rick Morrissey: On one of his biggest days as a Bear, Cutler looked like the player his team says he is, Chicago desperately wants him to be and the viewing public doesn’t see consistently enough.

Cutler leads offense to its most complete game - Michael C. Wright: The Bears kept their foot on the gas for the duration on Sunday, as well as protecting the ball.

Momentum swings on long pass from Cutler to Jeffery - Mark Potash: It was the Bears’ offense at its finest — excellent protection, a strong throw and multiple options for a big play that eliminated the kind of long drive that allows more opportunity for something to go wrong.

74-yard pass play brings Bears to life in win over Falcons - Dan Wiederer: In a big moment, Jay Cutler and Alshon Jeffery delivered a huge strike, awakening an offense that had puttered out after halftime in back-to-back losses to the Packers and Panthers.

Going deep makes most of Cutler's arm, offense - Brad Biggs: For a combination of reasons early in the season Jay Cutler has been forced to play the check-down game, but the Bears didn't give him a big contract with the goal of turning him into a game manager.

No joke: No Jay Cutler choke - Steve Rosenbloom: blah blah blah blah blah.

Cutler saves day -- maybe season - Jon Greenberg: With some big downfield strikes and no killer turnovers from its QB, Chicago escapes Atlanta with a victory and still in the thick of the NFC North.

[Video] Postgame Live - 15 on 6: Mistake-free Cutler key to Bears win.

The real Marshall resurfaces against Falcons - Patrick Finley: Brandon Marshall is healthy again, and outpaced Julio Jones and Roddy White — remember when they were touted as the NFL’s best receiving duo? — by five yards all by himself.

Marshall, Jeffery outperform Atlanta's WR duo - Stan Awtrey: Much of the discussion before the Bears-Falcons game centered around which team had the better corp[sic] of WRs.

Bears seal win with gutsy Forte TD - Not-Hub Fishbain: Matt Slauson called it a "separate-the-defense" play. The Falcons gave the look the Bears wanted, and the O-line helped do the rest.

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Defense, special teams

Depleted defense rises to occasion - Larry Mayer: With their top four LBs injured, some introductions in the huddle no doubt were necessary. But that didn't stop the Bears defense from delivering its best performance of the season Sunday.

Bears’ patchwork ‘D’ comes up big - Adam L. Jahns: Those doubting Mel Tucker’s tactics should perhaps back off and wait until the next defensive meltdown, because what happened at the Georgia Dome deserves rightful praise.

Redemption day for Tucker, Bears defense - Mike Imrem: For two seasons Mel Tucker has endured as much criticism as anyone, and probably more. Sunday, the Bears finally hit somebody hard enough to be heard from Peachtree Street to Rush Street.

Bears' offense brilliant, but defense plays big - Barry Rozner: Mel Tucker continues to find ways to get by while losing player after player; facing the third-highest scoring offense in the league, the Bears never allowed the Falcons to reach the red zone.

Patchwork Defense prevails - Dan Durkin: It was assumed the Bears would sit back in coverage to simplify things for their new LB group, but they flipped the script and turned up the heat on Ryan to disrupt his timing and get him off his spot.

Unknown Bears LBs make it known they're real deal - David Haugh: Unknown and unproven LB corps helps spark Bears, reflects Chicago team that was "hungrier" than Falcons.

LBs instrumental in win over Falcons - Stan Awtrey: The Bears managed to get away with starting a new set of LBs on Sunday and found a way to shut down the Atlanta offense, which began the day as the third-best in the league.

Bears' 4 sacks get Allen, Young dancing - Rich Campbell: The D-line protected a decimated back seven with a signature performance, as Jared Allen recorded his first sack as a Bear.

Bears' special teams shut down Devin Hester - Rich Campbell: NFL's all-time returns leader in TDs had only 10 yards on two punt returns and didn't take either of his two kickoff returns past the Falcons' 18.

Devin Hester a non-factor in Bears' win - Stan Awtrey: Speedy return man and receiver, who traded the Bears blue jerseys for the red ones of the Falcons, had little impact on the outcome of the game.

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More from the game

Bears good enough, this time - Dan Bernstein: Jay Cutler had a monster game, and the defense held despite five regular starters being out by game’s end. There’s no parade with the Bears level at 3-3, but there’s some hope.

Bears 'Musketeers' throttle Atlanta offense, defense and then finish - Moon Mullin: Whether the Bears that accomplished the rare feat of winning in the Georgia Dome are the "real" Bears remains to play out, but at least they know it’s in them.

Game notes - Larry Mayer: Jay Cutler passes for 381 yards in victory; Bears hold Devin Hester in check; Cutler’s 74-yard pass to Alshon Jeffery was game's momentum play; more from the game.

Game notes - Adam L. Jahns: With no zone-read option to worry about, Jared Allen’s sack drought over; Bears’ plan for returner Devin Hester works to near-perfection; Jeremiah Ratliff helped limit Falcons to 42 rushing yards; Chris Conte suffered sprained right shoulder.

Game notes - Dan Wiederer: Brandon Marshall provides lift for Bears offense with first 100-yard game of season; Demontre Hurst helps Bears win turnover battle; injury and game notes.

Game notes - Bob LeGere: Backup LBs came through in good shape filling in for injured starters; Brandon Marshall ends drought; Marc Trestman on Bears' 74-yard pass completion.

Game notes - Dan Durkin: Jay Cutler's interceptions, or lack thereof, a key predictor of win/loss; D-line steps up in disrupting Falcons' Matt Ryan.

Game notes - Not-Hub Fishbain with what worked, what didn't, and the three moments that mattered in the Bears' 27-13 win over the Falcons.

Bears quotes - ChicagoBears.com with quotes from Bears players following Sunday's victory over the Falcons in Atlanta. Bears players react on Twitter.

Photos - Courtesy of ChicagoBears.com.  More from the Daily Herald.

[Video] ChicagoBears.com - Highlights from the Bears' victory over the Falcons on Sunday in Atlanta.

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Game grades

Game grades - Jeff Dickerson doesn't go below a B- in the Bears' most complete game to date this season.

Moon Mullin's game grades - QB - RB - WR/TE - O-line - D-line - LB - DB - STs - coaching.

[Video] ESPN - Michael C. Wright's game ball goes to Marc Trestman, who weathered questions about his ability to deal with the in-game adjustments of opponents in the second half.

[Video] Postgame Live - The panel pick their Monsters of the Game vs Atlanta.

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From the Fifa '09 soundtrack.