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Gould just keeps raising standard

Robbie Gould is the fifth-most-accurate field goal kicker in NFL history with an 85.5 percent success rate, but this year he has shown greater range than ever before and has added impressive distance to his kickoffs.

In his first four years with the Bears, Gould was only allowed to attempt 2 field goals of 50 yards or longer, and he missed both. Last year he connected on 2 of 3, hitting from 50 and 52 and missing from 53.

Last week he made a career-long 54-yarder in Detroit, and he also has hit from 50 and 53. His only miss from 50-plus was a 54-yarder that was blocked. His 13 touchbacks are sixth in the NFC.

“You always want to get better,” Gould said. “You always want to find a way to help the team out the best way you possibly can.

“All I have heard about is how I can't make a 50-yarder, how I can't kick (long) kickoffs. That's fine. That's part of it.

“But it's been a lot different this year. It's one of those things where you go out there and you tell yourself you can do it, and you just want to show everyone that you can.”

The New England Patriots originally signed Gould in 2005 as an undrafted free agent out of Penn State. But they also had Pro Bowl kicker Adam Vinatieri, so Gould was cut before the season.

After three weeks on the Baltimore Ravens' practice squad, he was signed by the Bears five weeks into the season to replace Doug Brien.

Bad to worse:

With more snow expected and continued below-normal temperatures, there's a good chance the already-below-par playing surface at Soldier Field will be a factor Sunday.

“The turf is what it is,” quarterback Jay Cutler said. “With our speed, we'd like to get something a little bit tighter. We probably have one of the worst fields in the league at this point. We did last year as well.

“We've got to deal with it, and our guys know it. They're aware of how to cut and how to move on it. We've just got to go out there and play.

“(Opposing players) go out there in pregame, and they're wondering what cleats to wear, (depending on) exactly how torn up it is. It's a shame.”

Word already has reached the Patriots, but wide receiver Wes Welker downplayed it.

“It's supposed to be a slower track out there, and I've heard it's not in that great of shape and they've re-sodded it and everything like that,” Welker said. “You've just got to get ready for the field whatever condition it's in.”

Firing line:

After Josh McDaniels was hired as the Denver Broncos' head coach following the 2008 season, his desire to replace incumbent quarterback Jay Cutler with Matt Cassel led to the trade that brought Cutler to the Bears.

Monday, McDaniels was fired, but Cutler didn't have much of a reaction.

“None of my concern,” he said. “I'm worried about the Patriots.”

Odds and ends:

Linebackers Pisa Tinoisamoa (knee) and Nick Roach (back) and running back Chester Taylor (knee) did not participate in Wednesday's practice outside at Halas Hall. Neither linebacker is expected to play Sunday, but Taylor should be back at practice today.

Defensive end Ervin Baldwin was re-signed to the practice squad Wednesday after being cut a day earlier.