Bears remain focused on running game

BOURBONNAIS - Just because the Bears added a Pro Bowl quarterback in the off-season doesn't mean they've forgotten how they get off the bus.

"Our running game is where everything begins," offensive coordinator Ron Turner said.

Matt Forte rushed for 1,238 yards last season, the most by a rookie in team history, and he caught a team-best 63 passes. Turner thinks he'll be even better this season.

"He had a very good year, but he can definitely improve," Turner said. "It's just a matter of getting experience, understanding what to expect, and he's a little bit bigger, a little bit stronger and just as fast."

Forte accounted for 34.99 percent of the Bears' yards from scrimmage last year, the highest percentage of anyone in the NFL, so the Bears were hesitant to take him off the field because of the drop-off in production.

But Kevin Jones, the backup then and now, is making it easier for Turner to give Forte an occasional break.

"A year ago Kevin was coming off the knee (surgery)," Turner said. "He wasn't able to get in the condition he is this year, and he was still learning the offense. Now he's had a year in the system and had another year to rehab that knee. He's in great physical shape, he's had a really, really good camp. We will definitely have a plan to get him in and spell Matt."

Giant strides: Rookie Al Afalava, a sixth-round pick out of Oregon State, has been one of the biggest surprises of camp and will be in the starting lineup tonight.

With Danieal Manning nursing a hamstring injury, Afalava has zipped past Craig Steltz on the depth chart and has been getting most of his practice reps with the first team. He's impressed coaches, especially assistant defensive backs/safeties coach Gill Byrd, who has been working overtime with him.

"He has football instincts," Byrd said. "He understands the game, understands formations, and he has a lot of things that you don't coach."

Afalava hasn't even had the chance yet to demonstrate his physical play, considered his greatest strength.

"In college, Oregon State fans knew me as a hitter, (but) I want to work on my weaknesses," he said. "People say I can't cover, so that's what I'm working on."

Earlier in the week, Afalava prevented a long completion to swift tight end Greg Olsen with blanket coverage, which boosted his confidence.

"Greg is probably the best player I ever covered," Afalava said. "He's a good guy to compete with."

Family affair: Assistant defensive backs coach Gill Byrd will get a chance to see his son, Jairus, when the team gets to Buffalo for tonight's game.

Jairus Byrd was the Bills' second-round draft pick, but he has been slowed thus far after having surgery for a sports hernia.

"He's back on the field this week, and he should be ready for the Packers next week, so everything's going fine," Gill Byrd said. "He's five weeks post-op, so everything's going well for him."

Both father and son had been looking forward to this game for months, but Jairus won't get to play against the Bears.

"He's disappointed, he's a competitor," Gill Byrd said. "You tease him, saying 'Oh yeah, you better be ready,' but ... you better be ready to perform at a high level. That's why they brought him in, and he's no different than anybody else out here."

The Bills have switched Byrd back to safety, where he began his career at Oregon, before converting to cornerback for his final two seasons.