Leno starts in patchwork Bears game

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - Charles Leno has played well enough at offensive left tackle to keep eight-year veteran Jermon Bushrod on the bench, even after he's returned to practice following the shoulder injury that forced Leno into the starting lineup in Week Four.

The 2014 seventh-round draft pick started his fifth straight game Monday night, even though Bushrod (shoulder) was active for the first time in five weeks. "I never had any issues with him," offensive coordinator Adam Gase said. "Everybody kind of flipped out on the Cincinnati (preseason) game off of 20 (ineffective) plays. Now we're getting to see him a little more, and obviously his confidence is growing. I feel comfortable with him out there.

"With that whole group, you can see they're gaining confidence as a group, and we're only going to get better as the season goes on."

The O-line allowed Jay Cutler to be sacked just once on 41 dropbacks vs. the Chargers.

Ready to roll:

Left guard Matt Slauson wasn't totally unprepared to take over at center when rookie Hroniss Grasu (neck) missed the Week Eight game, and Slauson was back in the pivot Monday night.

Grasu had been filling in for Will Montgomery, who suffered a season-ending leg fracture in Week Four. "I wouldn't say I'm doing any more (preparation)," said Slauson, who has the responsibility of calling blocking assignments when he's at center. "I have to pay attention to a couple different things now. But I watched a lot of tape even when I wasn't in that position or playing in the middle. Me and Will would go over a lot of different things because I would kind of be the eyes on the left for him."

With Slauson at center, Vlad Ducasse again moved from right guard to left guard and Patrick Omameh started his second straight game at right guard.

Worth watching:

With quarterback Philip Rivers' go-to guy, wide receiver Keenan Allen, on injured reserve with a lacerated kidney, running back Danny Woodhead was a greater concern for the Bears.

The 5-foot-8, 200-pound versatile eight-year veteran had 39 receptions for 443 yards heading into the Monday night game, second on the team behind Allen's 67 catches and 725 yards.

"He's a really good receiver out of the backfield," Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. "He's got good quickness. He's dangerous on the screens and the check downs, and he's a competent runner when they hand it off to him. He's one of those small, quick guys, much like they had years ago in (Darren) Sproles."

Woodhead's quickness makes him a mismatch in coverage for most linebackers."

Woodhead's 14-yard TD catch accounted for the first points of the game Monday night, and he had 6 catches for 78 yards and 6 rushes for 33 yards.

"He's hard to tackle once he gets the ball in the open field," Fangio said. "He's got a lot of quickness, a lot of good wiggle to him."

Just another game:

The Chargers' offensive line has been dealing with injuries to two starters, left tackle King Dunlap and left guard Orlando Franklin, neither of whom started Monday night.

But Bears outside linebacker Pernell McPhee said that wouldn't change his mindset.

"It don't even matter who I see out there," McPhee said. "It could be somebody come out of retirement, I'm just going to play my game."

McPhee leads the Bears with 5 sacks, while Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers has been sacked 19 times, eighth most in the league.

The Bears had 2 sacks Monday night, both by outside linebacker Lamarr Houston.

Sitting it out:

Monday night's inactives included four starters: running back Matt Forte, WR Eddie Royal and linebacker Shea McClellin, all with knee injuries, and center Hroniss Grasu (neck). Also inactive were safety Harold Jones-Quartey, offensive tackle Tayo Fabuluje and defensive lineman Ziggy Hood.

The Chargers had five starters inactive: linebacker Manti Te'o, guard Orlando Franklin, offensive tackle King Dunlap, tight end Ladarius Green and defensive tackle Corey Liuget.