Forte doesn't fret about Pro Bowl snub

Rookie running back Matt Forte picked up 101 yards from scrimmage Monday night (73 rushing on 23 carries and 28 yards on 2 catches) to give him 1,640, passing the Redskin's Clinton Portis (1,625) for second place in the NFL behind the Vikings' Adrian Peterson, who leads with 1,782.

Peterson, Portis and the Falcons' Michael Turner were voted to the Pro Bowl last week, leaving Forte out, but he isn't bothered by the voting results.

"I wasn't really worried about it," Forte said. "I just go out there, and what happens is what happens. I can't control the votes."

Forte had accounted for 35.2 percent of the Bears' yards from scrimmage, which would be fifth best for a rookie in the NFL since 1965, if he maintains the same pace for the final two games.

Forte leads the Bears in rushing touchdowns with 7 and is tied with tight end Greg Olsen in receiving touchdowns with 4. Only three other NFL rookies have led their teams in both categories since 1965, when Gale Sayers led the Bears with 14 rushing TD's and 6 receiving scores.

Forte also improved his rushing yardage to 1,188, surpass Anthony Thomas' previous team rookie record of 1,183 yards set in 2001.

His 28-yard run late in the game seemed to ignite a Bears offense that was sluggish most of the night.

"It was just time to take care of our business," Forte said. "Sometimes you just have to make a play. That seemed to jump start the run game."

Forte said he was bothered by his toe injury but dealt with it.

"You have to play through the pain sometimes," he said. "I did it last week, so I figured I could do it again."

Brett Who? The Aaron Rodgers-or-Brett Favre debate is likely to rage in Green Bay for years, but Rodgers has done more than enough already in his first season as the starter to vindicate the decision by the Packers' brain trust to bid adieu to Favre.

Rodgers has thrown for more yards (3,730-3,239), and he also had more TD passes (25-21), more yards per attempt (7.4-6.7) and fewer interceptions (13-19).

"He throws the ball, he moves around, and he can create time for his team," Bears Pro Bowl linebacker Lance Briggs said. "He's decisive, and he makes strong throws. I don't think from an offensive standpoint they've missed a lot not having Brett Favre. Maybe they would have pulled out some of these (close) games that they lost, but I think they're just fine with Aaron Rodgers."

The Packers have lost five straight since defeating the Bears 37-3 on Nov. 16 and seven of their last eight, but 6 of the losses are by 4 points or less.

Split ballot: As one of the Bears' elder statesmen, tight end Desmond Clark was asked who he would choose as this year's offensive MVP.

"Can I vote for myself?," Clark joked. "I guess you could have a debate between Kyle Orton and Matt Forte. Between those two, it's a toss-up I think. If you pick (either) one of those two, you can't be wrong."

By the numbers: The Bears are 10-1 in the 11 games they've played at home with the temperature 32 degrees or less since Lovie Smith became head coach in 2004. Since losing to the Texans on Dec. 19, 2004, the Bears have won 10 straight with the temperature below freezing. ... Robbie Gould became the third-most accurate FG kicker in NFL history, even before he went 2-for-2 Monday night, when the Bengals' Shayne Graham missed a 48-yard attempt Sunday, dropping his career average to 85.4 percent, below Gould's 85.8. ... The Bears got their 30th takeaway in the first quarter on Alex Brown's interception, and their 31st on a muffed punt in the third quarter. The Titans had an NFL-best 31 after Sunday. ... Brad Maynard tied his career best and padded his NFL lead with his 36th punt inside the 20.

Injury report: Bears linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer limped off in the second quarter with a right ankle injury and did not return. Safety Mike Brown limped off just before halftime with a calf injury, and cornerback Charles Tillman was injured two plays later. Brown did not return and was replaced by rookie Craig Steltz. Tillman was replaced briefly by Trumaine McBride but returned for the second half. RB Kevin Jones suffered a hamstring injury in the first half and did not return.