Offense finally shifts into gear
Mission accomplished.
After picking up just 51 rushing yards last week, the Bears, and especially the offensive line, was looking for a quick start against the 49ers Thursday night.
"It's very important to get started early, go out there and establish ourselves in the run game, passing game, all of the above," said left tackle John St. Clair." We just need to go out there and get better from last week. Believe it or not we've seen improvements over the last couple games so we've got to see more improvement this week.
"We want to get off to a good start from the first drive on, just to establish something so that when we get to the first regular-season game it will be more natural for us. It's still preseason, so it's basically like a glorified practice, but we want to be better than we were last week, a lot better."
The Bears scored on all four of their first-half possessions, while rolling up 20 points and 194 total yards.
Far from OK: Right end Alex Brown reiterated his high expectations for this year's defense, which still contains almost all the key components from 2006 and 2005, when the Bears were among the top 10 units in the NFL. Brown's predicting a top-five finish for this year's defense.
"That's what we're expecting," he said. "If we can stay free of the injury bug, then we should be OK."
They were far from OK in the first half Thursday night, though, allowing 20 points and a whopping 248 total yards, all with the first-team defense on the field. Niners journeyman quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan, a former Bear, had a passer rating of 158.3, the highest attainable, completing 7 of 8 passes for 126 yards and a TD.
Impressive debut: Running back Kevin Jones got a chance to prove something to coaches Thursday night when he saw his first game action since suffering a torn ACL on his right knee last November. But that wasn't the only thing the 6-foot, 228-pounder wanted to accomplish.
"I want to show myself something, too," Jones said. "I want to prove to myself that I can handle it and hold up."
Jones showed plenty on his first play of the preseason. On the first play from scrimmage of the second half, Jones cut back against the grain and rambled for 34 yards.
Coming up big: Mark Bradley, who has rarely shown up in a positive way so far, and had just 1 preseason catch for 7 yards in the first two games. But he set up the Bears' second touchdown with a 55-yard reception.
Bradley is expected to get another year to live up to the potential he flashed as a rookie way back in 2005. But he had just 6 catches last season while playing in 15 games.
In and out: Linebacker Rod Wilson, who was third on the squad in special-teams tackles last season with 16, suffered a fractured forearm Thursday night. Tight end Desmond Clark (knee), defensive end Mark Anderson (thumb), guard Terrence Metcalf (knee), long-snapper Pat Mannelly (shoulder), linebacker Nick Roach (concussion) and offensive tackle Chris Williams (back) did not play. ---- Thomas Gafford, signed as a free agent on Monday, handled long-snapping duties vs. the 49ers. Josh Beekman started in place of Metcalf at left guard for the third straight game and Greg Olsen stepped in for Clark.