Smith won't cave in to pressure on Grossman

Q. How much longer do you stick with Rex Grossman if his performance doesn't improve?

A. On many occasions I have heard Lovie Smith say this about lineup changes: "Players let you know when it's time."

Potential without production is rarely rewarded by Smith. A high-turnover team is not what he envisioned. However, his clock is different than most. He's a patient man and will not cave to outside pressure or opinion.

He also knows the offense is bogged down right now on several levels and, while Grossman's mistakes are spotlighted, fumbles, dropped passes, protection breakdowns and mental errors have all spoiled the stew.

Grossman's performance must be poised and consistent, but he cannot do it alone. If the offense doesn't start finishing drives and scoring multiple touchdowns, individual performances will dictate who plays and who doesn't.

I do believe that the clock is ticking, given a schedule that kicks off a stretch of six straight NFC games, including four in the (North) division. It's time to start marking territory in what appears to be an improved conference in 2007.

Q. After two games, what is this team's biggest concern?

A. Certainly it's the overall performance of the offense. One touchdown in two games to swing tackle John St. Clair is not going to cut it. The team had high expectations for this offense coming out of training camp and, while it's not time to panic, it is time to find a rhythm and an identity.

The return of rookie tight end Greg Olsen should enhance Grossman's efficiency and give offensive coordinator Ron Turner a weapon that will cause mismatches he can exploit, in time.

Remember, in camp the formations were sometimes challenging for the Bears' defense with Olsen and Desmond Clark paired up with (Bernard) Berrian and/or Muhammad, Hester etc.

Q. How did Danieal Manning and Darwin Walker perform in their first starts of the season?

A. They made big plays on a defense teaming with playmakers. They were starters Nos. 12 and 13 before Mike Brown and Dusty Dvoracek went down with knee injuries. There was no drop-off against the run, which is critical.

Manning's interception was heady, and he made 9 tackles. Ironically, Walker's 5 tackles, including 1 for loss, mirrored Dvoracek's Week 1 performance.

Q. As a member of the media, what is your opinion of Lance Briggs' media boycott?

A. He's an entertainer when the mood strikes him, so I miss the lively banter in the locker room. It doesn't bother me one bit. He's clearly thrilled to be a Bear, loves playing on this defense, with these guys, and his play is answering a lot of our questions. He's been a monster in two games, and that's all the fans care about.

It's interesting that Tommie Harris referred to Briggs as the "personality" of the Bears defense. He's well-liked and admired by teammates. Eventually he will open up to the media, but on his schedule.

Q. Did the Bears keep the right running back in Cedric Benson? Why or why not?

A. Yes, because they were never going to give Thomas Jones a new contract. It's just that simple.

It's Benson's third year and the critical year in his evaluation. It's time to take some profits from the enormous up-front investment. That's the business of football, like it or not.

Thomas Jones found a nice home with the Bears. He was critical in their two-season dominance of the NFC North, but the investment in potential can only be ignored for so long. Benson has some work to do, no doubt, but give him some time.

Q. Why haven't the Bears been able to get Devin Hester more involved in the offense?

A. He's still learning, and offensive coordinator Ron Turner and quarterback Rex Grossman are still learning about him.

The plan was to get the kid a package of plays, but it was always going to be a small package for the time being. When he's out there, he draws immediate attention. Defenses are not going to ignore him. They will put bodies on him, so the timing with Grossman and the rest of the offense requires some patience. His mere presence does open up the field for other receivers in the passing game, and for the run game. He will gradually be integrated, and when he get his hands on the ball … good-bye.