No decision yet on Thursday's starting QB

Some of Lovie Smith's postgame comments late Saturday night about the quarterback competition may be open to interpretation.

Others seemed to speak volumes.

Smith would not commit to a starter for Thursday night's third preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers at Soldier Field, traditionally the contest in which the first team gets its most extended playing time, maybe as much as three full quarters.

Since Kyle Orton started the first game and Rex Grossman the second, it would seem Orton's in line to start No. 3, especially in light of Grossman's unimpressive performance Saturday.

But Smith said the schedule beyond the 29-26 overtime loss at Seattle has yet to be determined.

"We'll evaluate all of that." Smith said. "We had made a decision how we were going to start the first two games, and that's about as far as we've gone."

Smith's evaluation of Grossman's start vs. Seattle didn't seem to bode well, nor did Grossman's passer rating of 44.9, which included an intentional grounding penalty.

The Bears' first-team offense failed to score under Grossman, and although there were others to blame, the most glaring light was cast on the quarterback.

"We didn't play good as an offense as a whole," Smith said. "I'm not really pleased with what many of our offensive guys did early. We didn't get a lot done. Rex was a part of that."

Given an opportunity to let Grossman off the hook because of 4 offensive penalties and poor protection, Smith chose not to do so, although he admitted the overall ineptitude of the group made assessing Grossman's play more difficult.

"As an offense we didn't play well, (but) Rex is a part of that," Smith said. "That's kind of how it goes sometimes. You still want someone to step up and make a play, but we didn't really have a lot of opportunities."

Orton's two-minute drive at the end of the first half netted a field goal, the only points the offense scored through three quarters.

"That one drive at the end of the half was encouraging," Smith said. "But beyond that we didn't get our running game going (51 yards on 20 carries) and got in a hole right away with penalties."

Orton also wasn't able to offer any insight into what the QB rotation will be Thursday.

"I don't know," he said. "(Smith) hasn't told me anything. I'll just try to go back to work this week and get better."

Orton only had two possessions Saturday, compared to five for Grossman, but he wasn't complaining.

"Whenever he (Smith) tells me to play, I go in and play," he said. "No worries with me."

There continue to be worries about the offensive line, though, especially after the way Grossman was pressured.

Part of the problem was that the Seahawks blitzed more frequently than expected in a preseason game, but the Bears didn't do a very good job of picking up the extra pass rushers.

"We've got to go out and do a better job of trying to protect him," right guard Robert Garza said of Grossman. "Whoever's back there, we've got to do our job."

There were a couple of bright spots for the offense in the second half, after third-string quarterback Caleb Hanie took over.

Hanie brought the Bears to within 26-25 with 2:50 remaining on a 9-yard TD pass to rookie tight end Kellen Davis, who made a sweet one-handed grab in the end zone before Smith inexplicably decided to kick the extra point and force overtime in a preseason game rather than going for 2.

Davis has been one of the most impressive rookies since the start of training camp, and he led the Bears with 55 receiving yards in Seattle and was second with 3 catches.

The 6-foot-7 Davis might be asked to play an even bigger role if the Saturday night knee injury to starting tight end Desmond Clark turns out to be more than a sprain.

"They called my number, and I was able to get open and Caleb put it up there," Davis said. "You're a lot taller if you reach with one arm, so that's kind of how it went, just a reaction trying to get up there and make a play.

"I just want more opportunities, and hopefully going out there and playing well (Saturday) night will help further that."