Seahawks PK Olindo Mare didn't give his team a chance to win Sunday, missing two crucial field-goal attempts that allowed the Bears to escape with a 25-19 victory at Quest Field.

Mare connected on 4-of-6 FG attempts, but it was the two misses that people were talking about the day after Seattle's record dropped to 1-2. With 14 seconds remaining in the first half, Mare's 46-yard attempt sailed wide left, failing to secure a two-possession lead for Seattle heading into the half. Then on Seattle's second possession of the third quarter following a Bears go-ahead score, Mare missed another attempt wide left from 34 yards. Seattle was unable to recover, as QB Seneca Wallace was intercepted on the team's next offensive possession, leaving Seattle and its head coach Jim Mora wondering what might have been had Mare capitalized on his opportunities.

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Mora was fuming after the game when discussing Mare's poor performance: "There are no excuses for those. If you're a kicker in the National Football League you should make those kicks— bottom line. End of story. Period. No excuses. No wind, doesn't matter. You've gotta make those kicks."

Mare, a 14th-year veteran, found himself in one of the most heavily contested position battles during training camp with 2008 seventh-round pick Brandon Coutu, but the more experienced Mare prevailed while Coutu was among the last Seahawks cut.

Judging from Mora's comments, Mare could be on the way out after his poor performance Sunday, "Especially in a game like this, where you're kicking and fighting and scratching your tail off and you miss those kicks, it's not acceptable," Mora said. "Not acceptable. Absolutely not acceptable."

Coutu is a free agent, and might be getting a call from the Seahawks very soon. Former Buccaneer Matt Bryant, who lost his job in a preseason battle with Mike Nugent, also might be an option.

Seattle played admirably Sunday despite missing a total of eight starters on both sides of the ball, but in fairness, Mare was not the only one to blame.

WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, a high-profile free-agent acquisition, had a fumble in the third quarter. Wallace, despite playing well for the most part while filling in for the injured Matt Hasselbeck, threw a costly interception deep in his own end that led to a Bears field goal. He also missed several throws to open receivers.

These other mistakes might buy Mare another week to prove himself, but his FG percentage of 71.4 this season ranks 13th out of 16 in the NFC and will not be tolerated much longer.