Forte on track of breaking carries record

Rookie running back Matt Forte's 409 yards from scrimmage are second in the NFL, trailing only the 412 yards of the 49ers' Frank Gore.

But the 22-year-old Forte leads the NFL in rushing attempts with 73 (for 304 yards and a 4.2-yard average), which, over the course of an entire season, works out to 389 carries (and 1,621 yards). No one in the NFL last season carried the ball more times than the Redskins' Clinton Portis, who had 325, and only six players in the league carried more than 300 times.

No running back in Bears history has ever carried the ball 389 times in one season, not even Walter Payton, the most durable runner in NFL history. Payton has the four busiest seasons in team history, carrying 381 times in 1984, 369 times in 1979 and 339 times in 1977 and 1981.

The Chiefs' Larry Johnson holds the NFL record for carries in a season with 416 in 2006. The rookie record for carries is 390, set by the Rams' Eric Dickerson on 1983.

But Bears coach Lovie Smith doesn't believe a heavy early workload will diminish Forte's effectiveness later in the season.

"Just because he's getting a lot of carries, I don't think that's necessarily affecting what happens later

on," Smith said. "We're trying to win a game each week, and it so happens we've gotten that many touches for Matt. He's a young player. It's not like we're talking about a 10-year veteran who's been in the league forever. He's young right now with a lot of energy."

Backup Kevin Jones got 13 carries in the season opener but has touched the ball just four times since. He's averaging 3.2 yards per carry.

"We'll try to get Kevin in as best we can," Smith said, "but whenever Matt isn't on the field, it isn't really good for us."

Fading fast: From 2004-06 the Bears were 26-1 when leading after three quarters. Since the 2007 season opener, they have lost 5 of 6 games when leading after three quarters, including each of the last two weeks.

"I think it's just a mentality," defensive end Adewale Ogunleye said. "We're probably not being as aggressive as we should. We come out the gates in these games, and we punch people in the mouth and all that good stuff, and then it seems like we're thinking about (our) off days; maybe that's the case. I think guys just have to stay focused on these games and finish out the games. They're 60-minute games, and Tampa just proved that last week. You have to play every minute of those games.

Not guilty: According to his Austin, Texas, attorney, Sam Bassett, former Bears running back Cedric Benson has been cleared of both alcohol related charges he was arrested for within just over a month last Spring.

"Two separate Travis County Grand Juries decided not to indict Cedric Benson (Thursday) after a review of evidence and after listening to testimony of several witnesses, including law enforcement officers and Cedric," according to correspondence from Bassett. "The grand juries concluded that there was no probable cause to believe that Cedric Benson was guilty of of any crimes."

Guilty: Charles Tillman was fined $5,000 by the NFL for his unnecessary roughness penalty in overtime against the Bucs last week.

Injury update: Defensive tackle Tommie Harris (knee) and wide receiver Brandon Lloyd (hip) didn't practice Thursday, but coach Lovie Smith hopes to have both back at practice today and for Sunday's game.

Defensive end Alex Brown, return specialist Devin Hester (rib), cornerback Nate Vasher (shoulder) and offensive tackle Chris Williams (back) all were limited at practice. Vasher and Brown are expected to play, Hester is probably questionable at best and Williams will not play.