Eagles' blitz brings sack threat
The Eagles' defense is No. 4 in sack percentage, and it has a reputation for bringing the blitz more often and from more directions than any other team in the league.
"That's just what they are," Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "Every team has a personality. Philly has taken that approach to playing defense since Andy Reid has been there (1999), so we're preparing for it. A lot of teams have blitzed us. We've seen just about all the different things you can, so hopefully we'll be ready for it."
Bears quarterback Jay Cutler was not sacked last week at San Francisco, but he was brought down four times in each of the two previous games.
"Their blitzing is very important for us to see and pick it up to protect Jay," center Olin Kreutz said. "It's a big part of what they do. We'll see what they have for us, and we'll be ready for it."
In the Bears' 24-20 victory over the Eagles last year, four different players sacked Kyle Orton, including defensive right end Trent Cole, who is tied for third in the NFC with 71/2 sacks this year.
Blame game: Offensive coordinator Ron Turner absolved Jay Cutler of blame on 3 of his 5 interceptions vs. the Niners.
"Not to blame anybody else, but I'm just making a point that it's a team game," Turner said. "I looked at three of them, and I couldn't really grade him down. I couldn't really say, 'Jay, you need to do something different on this play.' It's part of the game, and it happens.
"The ones that he can avoid, he's got to avoid. He's got to throw the ball away at times and do that kind of stuff, but as a team, we have to cut down on those; cut them out."
Turner wouldn't specify who was at fault on which picks, but Cutler was intercepted when Devin Hester slipped on a comeback route and again when he broke off a route because an official blocked his path. Tight end Kellen Davis also let safety Mark Roman break in front of him on another pick.
Star power: The Bears are looking for someone, anyone, to make some big plays and end the drought that has seen them lose four of five games after a 3-1 start.
Six-time Pro Bowl center Olin Kreutz says it starts at the top.
"If your stars aren't making plays, it'll affect the whole team," Kreutz said. "We all have to make plays when they're there to be made, and when that happens we'll start winning games."
Kreutz said he doesn't care if the Bears' offense does it by getting the running game back on track or by any other means.
"I'm just frustrated with losing," he said. "I don't care about running, passing. I don't care what we're doing. We just want to win."
Injury report: Olin Kreutz (back), tight end Desmond Clark (neck) and safety Kevin Payne (back) did not practice Wednesday afternoon inside the Walter Payton Center.
Defensive tackle Tommie Harris (knee) and safety Al Afalava (shoulder) were limited, and running back Garrett Wolfe (back) remained out.
Kreutz, who has started 111 consecutive games and missed just one game in the past eight years, is expected to be back at practice today and in the starting lineup Sunday night.