Benson's big run lifts a big burden
Cedric Benson's career-best 43-yard run on the first play of last week's game exceeded the combined yardage of his three longest runs of the season.
It also relieved some of the burden he had been carrying of not being able to break a long run.
"(It was) a big sense of relief," said Benson, whose previous long rush this season was 16 yards. "You've been looking for something like that. You've been looking for it to break, looking for it to crack, looking for some signs of great improvement, and we definitely got that."
Benson said he's been motivated by the Bears' offensive shortcomings and their lack of team success. They're still 29th in rushing yards and 31st in average gain per run, but Benson's 8.1 yard average last week (89 yards on 11 carries) was second only to the 8.4 yards he averaged on 13 carries against the Packers in last year's season finale.
"The fact that we haven't been that great on offense has made me push myself even harder to be better or find something to help our offense get better," Benson said. "In a way, the season ain't gone the way we all wanted it to. It's been a crummy season. But the tough times, though, are what makes you a better person -- a better player."
Benson's 3.3-yard rushing average is still the lowest among the NFL's top 25 rushers. Last season he averaged 5.0 yards per carry in the final seven games when he and Thomas Jones were battling for playing time, but he said he doesn't need another running back pushing him to play well.
"They can try," he said, "but I don't need that."
Assuming the best: No announcements were made public or private by coach Lovie Smith regarding the starting quarterback job, but Rex Grossman assumed he'd keep the gig.
"He never really said anything, I just kind of assumed that I was going to be starting," Grossman said. "I went and talked to coach (Ron) Turner and just got the game plan (Tuesday) as if I was starting, and that's how I found out."
Sack attack: Rex Grossman was sacked a career-worst five times last week in Seattle, the second-most sacks the Bears have allowed this season behind the 6 they permitted in Brian Griese's first start in Week 4.
"When you get that, it's a combination of things," offensive coordinator Ron Turner said. "Sometimes it's coverage; you hold the ball too long and guys aren't open, and other times you have some breakdowns. It's never one thing. Everyone always wants to point to one thing and say the offensive line had breakdowns. That's the easy way to do it. It's a team thing, and it's things we've got to avoid."
Injury update: Quarterback Brian Griese (sprained left shoulder) practiced full speed Wednesday and will be the backup Sunday after being relegated to No. 3 last week.
Linebacker Lance Briggs (knee), wide receiver Bernard Berrian (toe), cornerbacks Nate Vasher (groin), Trumaine McBride (hip) and Ricky Manning Jr. (ill), defensive tackle Tommie Harris (knee) and fullback Jason McKie (foot) all missed Wednesday's practice.
"We'll probably rest Tommie Harris a little bit more, and Nathan Vasher's getting better," coach Lovie Smith said. "The rest of the guys should be ready to go (today)."
Vasher is expected to miss his eighth straight game.
Rearranging deck chairs: Former Northwestern linebacker Nick Roach was signed to the 53-man roster Wednesday, replacing cornerback Ade Jimoh, who was placed on injured reserve with a fractured collarbone. Safety Brandon Sharp was signed to the practice squad.
Roach originally signed with the Chargers as an undrafted free agent this season and was on their practice squad for the first 11 weeks of the regular season. Sharp entered the NFL earlier this year as an undrafted free agent out of Louisville.