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Bears struck by fickle stiff-arm of fate

Following his moment of redemption, Chris Conte sprung to his feet.

The beleaguered Bear then started running, high-stepping along the way. He sprinted the entire width of the football field, then veered toward a tunnel in the corner of Soldier Field's south end zone.

"I just made a break on the ball," Conte said of his third-quarter interception of Buffalo quarterback EJ Manuel on Sunday. "He was rolling out and I went to make a play on the ball. After that, I was just excited so I started running."

How far was the safety planning to run?

"Until I got tired," Conte said, "which I did by the time I hit the sideline."

Conte abruptly stopped near the 10-yard line, then reversed his field and joined the rest of his happy defensive teammates on the sideline. His many critics might have wanted him to keep running - out of the stadium.

Conte was last seen at Soldier Field getting burned on Aaron Rodgers' game-winning, fourth-and-8, 48-yard touchdown pass to Randall Cobb in Green Bay's playoff-clinching win in December. Alas for the fourth-year free safety, he can't seem to win. By game's end against Buffalo, Conte had provided another indelible, salt-in-the-wound memory for Bears fans. On Bills running back Fred Jackson's 38-yard run in overtime that set up Dan Carpenter's game-winning 27-yard field goal, the veteran Jackson used a stiff arm to win a physical battle with Conte and gain extra yards.

"It's one of those things I pride myself on, my ability to stiff-arm guys," Jackson said after the Bills' 23-20 win. "He came up high and I knew I would have an opportunity to do so."

Jackson is 6-feet-1, 216 pounds and eight years older than the 6-2, 203-pound Conte. As he sped inside the red zone near the sideline, Jackson bulled Conte out of the way. He then shoved his opponent again. The latter push sent Conte flying to his backside.

"I'm old but I can still play," Jackson said.

Linebacker Jon Bostic finally tackled Jackson at the 1, as a flattened Conte lay on the grass.

"It's a play where it's the end of the game," Conte said. "I've got to get the ball out or something. ... It's just a desperation play where I've got to try to punch the ball or something. At that point, it's a field goal no matter what."

Following last season, few would have thought Conte would open the 2014 campaign in the Bears' starting lineup, but there he was Sunday, making his 41st career start. He underwent off-season shoulder surgery and suffered a concussion in the Bears' third preseason game at Seattle - his only action of the preseason.

After the Seattle game, Conte didn't participate in a full practice until Thursday.

Which is why it was interesting that Conte played the entire second half Sunday.

"Chris was playing well," said Bears head coach Marc Trestman. "Danny (McCray, who was rotating in at safety) is heavily involved in special teams. We got Chris a lot of playing time today, and there were a lot of good things there."

The interception, which was the only turnover the Bears forced, was the best thing.

"It felt good," Conte said. "It just feels good to make a play and have a bunch of fans cheering for you. It's been awhile."

Alas for Conte, the cheers didn't last.

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