CHICAGO – The Chicago Bears were left questioning themselves after Sunday's loss.
Defensive end Israel Idonije bemoaned the plays the defense did not make.
Coach Lovie Smith second-guessed his own decision-making, and the injury list got a few new additions, including linebacker Brian Urlacher and cornerback Tim Jennings.
It all added up to this — a gut-wrenching loss to Seattle.
Russell Wilson threw for two late touchdowns, connecting with Sidney Rice on a 13-yard score with 7:33 left in overtime to lift the Seahawks to a wild 23-17 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday.
"You've just got to make the play," Idonije said. "Whatever it may be. If they're handing it off or booting or whatever, we've got to find a way to make those plays to end the drive."
Meanwhile, Smith was fuming after this loss, the third in four games for Chicago (8-4).
"That hasn't happened to us very often around here," Smith said. "Terrible job I did getting our football team ready. I thought we were ready to go. Some decisions I made really hurt us early on."
He was particularly upset at himself for going for it on fourth-and-1 at the 15 early in the second quarter rather than have Robbie Gould attempt a field goal with Chicago up 7-0. Yet, he also said he'd do it again.
Either way, the Bears are tied with Green Bay for the NFC North lead after the Packers beat Minnesota. And the Seahawks gave their playoff hopes a boost.
Unbeaten in five home games, they finally figured a way to win on the road after dropping five of their first six.
A 97-yard touchdown drive late in regulation gave the Seahawks a brief lead, and they finally won it on Rice's catch after Gould sent it into overtime with a field goal.
Seattle (7-5) leads the NFC wild-card chase and, despite its frequent struggles on the road has won three in a row in the regular season at Soldier Field.
This one sure was dramatic.
Seattle took a short-lived lead late in regulation on rookie Wilson's 14-yard pass to Golden Tate, only to watch Gould make a 46-yard field goal as time expired to send it into the extra period.
The Seahawks won the coin toss and started with the ball on their 20. They ended this one with one final flourish.
Rice hauled in a pass from Wilson and took a shoulder-to-helmet hit from Major Wright that jarred the ball loose and appeared to knock the receiver unconscious as he lunged into the end zone.
Rice stayed down for several minutes but eventually walked off the field, and he insisted afterward he was alert the whole time.
"(Medical personnel) rushed out on the field because I had a couple of concussions before so they just wanted to make sure everything was fine," he said.
The touchdown, meanwhile, was upheld after a review, and that gave the Seahawks their only road win other than a victory at Carolina.
"The ball didn't fall our way in some of the games this year," cornerback Richard Sherman said. "I don't think we are 1-5 road team. I don't think we've ever been out of the game at the end. I don't think there was ever a blowout, it always comes down to the last drive, the last play, the football gods were with us today and they helped us out."
The Seahawks pulled it out even though Marshawn Lynch was held in check with 87 yards rushing. He had a touchdown run in the second quarter, but also fumbled on the game's opening possession, leading to a score for Chicago.
Wilson threw for 293 yards, ran for 71 and was particularly cool down the stretch.
As if losing weren't enough for the Bears, they added a few more names to a rather lengthy injury list.
Urlacher (hamstring) and Jennings (shoulder) were hurt on the winning drive.
Receiver Earl Bennett, who got flipped head over heels crossing the goal line on an early touchdown catch, sat out the second half with a concussion, and safety Chris Conte left the game with an illness. The Bears had already ruled out return specialist Devin Hester (concussion) and guard Chris Spencer (knee) after they were injured against Minnesota. Throw in the torn ACL guard Lance Louis suffered against the Vikings, and the Bears were a short-handed group.
Jay Cutler threw for 233 yards and two touchdowns. Brandon Marshall added 165 yards receiving, but the Bears ultimately came up short.
"We don't lose many games like that here — as long as I've been here and having a lead that late in the fourth quarter," Cutler said.
Notes: The Bears are 64-11 under Smith when they go into the fourth quarter with a lead. ... Seahawks G James Carpenter suffered a knee injury. Carroll said X-rays showed no breaks, but he was scheduled for a scan during the week. ... Seattle outgained Chicago 459 358 in yards.
___
Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.