14 takeaways from the Bears’ 23-17 loss to the Falcons

Some thoughts and observations after watching the film and going through the stats of the Bears’ 23-17 loss to the Falcons on Sunday (as previously shared on Twitter):

1. Bears QB Mike Glennon was fine. He wasn’t the reason they lost the game. But he could have been the reason they won.

2. Expect more from Glennon; the Bears do. If they wanted a game manager, Brian Hoyer was cheaper. Glennon is supposed to be better.

3. At some point, Glennon has to create for himself and his Bears offense. Starting QBs do that. Pressure is part of his life.

4. I was surprised at how soft the Falcons’ coverage was on the Bears’ final drive. Glennon had open throws underneath.

5. The Bears took too long to establish tight Dion Sims (first catch on last play of third quarter) and receiver Kendall Wright (all production came in the fourth quarter). I wanted to see more.

6. Last point on Glennon: His lack of athleticism will be issue if the Bears’ wide receivers can’t gain immediate separation. I counted one rollout, which resulted in a sack by outside linebackers Brooks Reed.

7. Bears defensive lineman Akiem Hicks was outstanding. He’s well worth the Bears’ big investment. You can’t single block him. He will get your quarterback.

8. The Bears’ defense was very solid against a great offense, but there were too many missed tackles at all three levels. Their tackling woes occurred throughout the game.

9. Two players who stood out to me on defense (other than Hicks): outside linebacker Sam Acho (very good vs. run) and cornerback Marcus Cooper (decent debut).

10. Bears outside linebacker Leonard Floyd had a quiet game, given the high expectations for him. But he dropped in coverage often on third downs.

11. Say what you want about Bears wide receiver Josh Bellamy, but he always seems open. He’s improved. He also was held in the end zone on the Bears’ final drive.

12. Bears running back Jordan Howard’s drop at the Falcons’ 1 was a clear case of taking your eyes off the ball before making the catch. It was a bad drop but …

13. … Howard was wide open immediately. A quicker read and throw by Glennon could have resulted in a Bears touchdown. Cornerback Robert Alford broke very late on Howard’s route.

14. Last thought: Rooking running back Tarik Cohen. Wow. He lined up everywhere — backfield, slot, outside, wildcat quarterback. The Bears were very creative with him.