Eagles fall to Bears, 30-24

A two-game winning streak doesn't solve everything.

After building some positive momentum with wins over Washington and Dallas, the Eagles were undone Monday night by a slew of mistakes familiar from the start of the season and some new twists that cost them dearly in a 30-24 loss.

"You can't let opportunities like this slip away," said quarterback Michael Vick. "We felt like we had a chance to win this game, and we let it slip away. We have to put it behind us."

The Eagles, with a chance to reach .500 for the first time since Week 2, instead fell to 3-5 at the season's halfway point and are tied for last place in the NFC East, three games behind the first-place New York Giants. Whatever breathing room Andy Reid's team earned has suddenly shrunk, making next week's home game against the 2-6 Cardinals critical before the Eagles visit the Giants and host the Patriots.

The Eagles blew a fourth fourth-quarter lead and struggled again against the run, allowing 133 yards to Chicago's star running back, Matt Forte. They committed two critical turnovers, one on Chicago's 19-yard line, one on their own 9, leading to 10 points in a game they lost by six. Chicago scored the game's final 13 points after the Eagles had taken a 24-17 lead.

Added to those familiar woes was a blown fake punt that set up a field goal that gave Chicago a six-point lead, instead of three; critical penalties; and a nightmare game from Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who was chastised by coaches, stalked the sideline, and angrily pointed at teammates before giving up a 14-yard pass on a third-and-2 play that allowed the Bears to extend a drive as the clock ticked down toward six minutes remaining.

With a chance to win the game, taking the ball with 3 minutes, 58 seconds remaining on his own 37, Vick could not solve the Bears defense, throwing a fourth-down pass too high to an open Jeremy Maclin, who was well short of the first-down marker.

The defense, facing a porous Bears offensive line, did not manage a single sack for the first time all year.

The Eagles recovered from an ugly opening to put together an impressive start to the second half, scoring on their first possession, forcing a turnover, and punching in another touchdown on a McCoy run to turn a seven-point deficit into a lead. They were within sight of a 4-4 record and second place in the division.

Instead, the Bears proved to be more resilient than either the Redskins or Cowboys. Jay Cutler engineered a five-play, 51-yard, fourth-quarter drive, completing a 5-yard pass to Earl Bennett to give the Bears a lead they would not relinquish.

Vick was 21-for-38 passing, with no touchdowns, and Maclin led the Eagles in receiving with a paltry 63 yards. McCoy had only 71 yards.

The Bears limited the Eagles' big plays with tight coverage and swarming linebackers. In the first half Vick threw into double coverage at the Bears 19 and was intercepted by Major Wright, and later DeSean Jackson fumbled a punt at his own 9, setting up a Bears touchdown that was aided by a roughing-the-passer penalty on Babin. (Babin called it a bad call, saying he was shoved into Cutler.)

But the biggest mistake came late in the game, when punter Chas Henry, throwing on a fake punt, missed a wide-open Colt Anderson, giving the Bears the ball at their own 42 with 9:25 left in the game and a three-point lead. Chicago used the short field to add a field goal to their lead.

Anderson and Henry both said the play is one they practiced. If Anderson is left uncovered - as he was that play - the Eagles go for the pass.

"We just thought we could make that play, and it didn't work out," Anderson said.

"I just didn't get a handle on it and get it over there in time," Henry said. He said the team ran the play in practice all week with success. "Just didn't get it done."

Rodgers-Cromartie said his sideline demonstration was from frustration with his own play and blown assignments on the field.

"I got frustrated," he said, "I kind of went off. . . . I was mad in the heat of the moment."

He admitted that he isn't playing as well as he might. For most of the year, that has gone for the entire team.