Lack of effort on Lynch TD run appalling to Bears

Bears players who saw the 67-yard game-clinching TD run by Seattle's Marshawn Lynch, who broke six tackles along the way, were amazed by his determination — and almost as appalled at the Saints' tackling.

New Orleans cornerback Tracy Porter was stiff-armed to the ground along the way.

“That was one of the greatest runs ever,” cornerback Tim Jennings said.

“It was a great run; he was amazing,” said defensive end Julius Peppers. “It was also a lack of effort on the other side by a couple of guys. I don't think we'll have that problem this week.

“He ran really hard on that, but I saw a few guys on that play miss tackles and then get up and start watching him. That doesn't happen around here. We get up and run to the ball. Somebody is going to get him down.”

Lynch was limited to 44 yards on 17 carries in the Seahawks' 23-20 victory over the Bears in Week 6. But that was just 12 days after Seattle acquired him from the Bills for a fourth- and a fifth-round draft choice.

“He ran that hard against us in Week 6,” cornerback Tim Jennings said. “He's a physical, downhill running back. But this defense, it's not just one guy who's going to bring you down. We're going to have at least eight, nine guys. He can make you miss every now and then, and it looks like he turned it on, so we expect that.”

Lynch led the Seahawks with 737 rushing yards but averaged a mediocre 3.6 yards per carry, while Justin Forsett rushed for 523 yards and averaged 4.4 yards per carry, including 67 yards against the Bears on just 10 carries.

But Lynch ran for 131 yards on 19 carries, a 6.9-yard average, against the Saints.

“Marshawn Lynch is a beast,” Bears tackle Tommie Harris said.

No big deal:

Defensive end Julius Peppers didn't see anything from the Seahawks in their wild-card-round victory over the Saints that will give him nightmares this week.

“I wasn't really impressed by anything,” Peppers said. “It was just good football. They played the whole game hard, and they're used to being in that spot. They didn't have a great season record-wise, but they're used to being in the playoffs so they played like they were.”

Peppers expects a much better effort from the Bears this week than in their Week 6 loss to the Seahawks.

“We didn't play well that game,” he said. “Well, we played OK, but we didn't play up to our standards, so that's something we're going to take a look at this week and try to get it fixed.”

That was the only game all season that Peppers was held without a sack or QB pressure. He said the Seahawks didn't do anything special to stymie him.

“Just an off game,” he said.

Good riddance:

Bears cornerback Tim Jennings was thrilled to see the Colts lose to the Jets 17-16 over the weekend but not because they didn't offer him a new contract after four years in Indianapolis.

“I had to be one of the happiest guys,” Jennings said. “We were for the Jets. Nothing against the Colts and what they were trying to do, but you just want to get rid of all the favorites. So, Peyton Manning, being the good quarterback that he is, it's good to have him out the way.

“But, you know, somebody take care of Tom Brady, please.”