Cutler hoping line can stay together for a while

TORONTO — Maybe the fifth time is a charm.

Sunday marked the Bears' fifth different offensive-line combination, and all concerned hope it's the one that stays together and builds some continuity through the final half of the season.

“I'd like to stick with these guys for the rest of the year, absolutely,” quarterback Jay Cutler said after being sacked just once in the 22-19 victory over the Buffalo Bills.

“We've kind of shuffled those guys around, had a few injuries, had a few setbacks, but I think this group right here is the group that we'd like to make a push with and make a run with. I think this is the most comfortable they've felt as well, too.”

In his previous 5½ games, Cutler had been sacked a league-high 27 times.

Sunday's change involved reinserting Roberto Garza at right guard. Garza had started at right guard the previous 4½ seasons, but he was switched to left guard this year. He started there the first five weeks before undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery and missing two games.

Chris Williams was plugged in at left guard and performed well enough to allow Garza to go back to right guard, where he can help the maturation process of rookie right tackle J'Marcus Webb.

“I'm back playing right guard and it feels like that's where I need to be,” Garza said. “It was definitely good feeling; the comfort level's a lot higher there.”

The Bears still need improvement in the run game.

Not counting Cutler's scrambles, the Bears averaged just 2.5 yards per carry. But they hope a solidified lineup will produce a more cohesive and productive run-blocking unit, too.

“That's the key, keeping the guys in the same positions and working together and getting the communication up,” Garza said. “We did that today and hopefully we can continue that.”

Center Olin Kreutz is the only member of the offensive line to have started all eight games at the same position, although Frank Omiyale started the first two at right tackle and the last six at left tackle.

The latest concoction helped Cutler produce a 97.6 passer rating, his best since Week 2.

“The line did a good job of keeping pressure off him,” coach Lovie Smith said. “He wasn't hit a lot today, which allowed him to make a few special plays, special throws.

“That's what we have to do. We have to keep pressure off Jay and let him do his thing. I'd like to see the same group continue to play together for us.”