Bears' O-line still struggling

The ever-changing Bears offensive line was juggled again Sunday when right guard Edwin Williams went out late in the first quarter with back tightness and was replaced by Lance Louis.

The Bears already have used five different O-line configurations this season. Louis started the first four games at right guard before a knee injury sidelined him and opened the door for Williams.

This latest version didn't produce any better results for a unit that has struggled all season.

The Bears came in dead last in sack-percentage allowed and suffered 4 more against Washington, giving them 31 for the season, including 27 of Jay Cutler. That puts the Bears on pace for 71 sacks allowed, which would surpass the record 66 set in 2004.

Coach Lovie Smith was asked if the heavy pass rush is getting to Cutler.

“He's an NFL player,” Smith said. “You go through some tough times and you just keep working to get out of it. Jay will come out of it like our team will.”

But Cutler has been sacked 19 times in his past 10 quarters of football (he didn't play in the second half of the Giants game), and he has 1 TD pass and 5 interceptions in that time.

“I feel that we all struggled on offense, which makes the quarterback look like he's struggling,” center Olin Kreutz said. “The whole offense struggled, from the offensive line to everybody. We all have something to improve on, and we all need to start with ourselves.”

Starting right tackle J'Marcus Webb is a rookie, Edwin Williams is a first-year player, and Louis did not play at all last year as a rookie, meaning the Bears can expect some growing pains up front.

“But you still have to find a way to win,” Kreutz said.

What's the formula for that?

“Well, we haven't found one yet,” Kreutz said, “so I wouldn't know.

“We have to work on everything. As a line, we have to work together and know what the guy next to you is doing. We have to be able to jell and provide help where help is needed and make your blocks 1-on-1 when you have to.

“This isn't a very hard sport to figure out. It's just hard to do it, and we're having a hard time doing it right now.”