Toub a future Bears head coach?
Special-teams coordinator Dave Toub was on Andy Reid's staff in Philadelphia for three years (2001-03), assisting with special teams and the defensive line, before he joined the Bears. According to Reid, Toub is getting the ideal training for becoming a head coach.
"I have always said that the coach who is probably best prepared to be the head coach is your special-teams coach because they have to deal with everyone on the roster plus you guys (the media)," Reid said on this week's conference call. "And that's a tough thing to do. Very seldom does a special-teams coach come out of a game and say, 'Everything went well today.' It just doesn't happen. Normally, because you're dealing with so many different phases, one phase somewhere wasn't as good as you wanted it to be. I think Dave Toub would be a great head coach down the road."
Perry Fewell, the defensive backs coach on Smith's staff in 2005, was named the Buffalo Bills' interim head coach Monday when ex-Bears head coach Dick Jauron was fired. Someday Toub might join the fraternity of NFL head coaches.
"When you're the special- teams coordinator you get a chance to work with everyone," Smith said. "Dave has been here as long as I've been here, and he does know the personnel well. He does a great job with the special teams and is a good football coach, period."
Screening process: Quarterback Jay Cutler believes more passes to running back Matt Forte could help kick-start the offense and make things easier on the line.
"We talked before the season started about how versatile (Forte) is and how many different things he can do," Cutler said. "When the run is struggling, there are certain things you can do with screens and some quick passes, some 'long handoffs.' Just get the ball out of your hands quickly to help out the offensive linemen. Once you get in five-, seven-step drops, deeper concepts, it's tough on those guys."
Soupy Sales: Former Mount Carmel High School star Donovan McNabb is 32 years old, but he's still going strong, with 12 TD passes, just 4 interceptions and a passer rating of 95.1.
And he looks just as good on film as he does on paper, according to Bears cornerback Zack Bowman.
"He's a Pro Bowler," Bowman said. "I mean, it's Donovan, the commercials, Chunky Noodle Soup. Just watching him on film, he's been in the league for 11 years, but he still has it. I watched some of his throws and they're just darts."
In and out: The Bears elevated running back Kahlil Bell from the practice squad to the active roster Friday afternoon after placing running back Garrett Wolfe on injured reserve.
Bell entered the NFL this season as an undrafted free agent with the Vikings. The 5-foot-11, 212-pound UCLA product was signed to the Bears' practice squad Sept. 16 after being waived by the Vikings a month earlier. He rushed for 1,741 yards and 17 touchdowns on 395 carries (4.4-yard average) in 35 games at UCLA and caught 29 passes for 196 yards (6.8-yard average) and 1 touchdown.
Wolfe was injured early in the 41-21 loss to the Cardinals on Nov. 8, and since then the Bears have gone with Adrian Peterson as the only backup to Matt Forte. Before his injury, Wolfe had rushed for 120 yards on 22 carries, a 5.5-yard average. He also caught 2 passes for 22 yards and had 9 special-teams tackles.
Tight end Desmond Clark (neck) and safety Kevin Payne (back) did not practice Friday and are listed as "doubtful," for Sunday night.