Peppers, Idonije lead way on pass rush

Julius Peppers and Israel Idonije supplied most of the irregular pass rush the Bears generated Saturday night.

Peppers, who led Bears starters with 5 tackles, got a sack when he stripped Raiders quarterback Jason Campbell late in the first half, although Oakland's Robert Gallery recovered the ball.

That was the only sack for the Bears' starters, but Idonije recovered a fumble by the Raiders' quarterback when he dropped a shotgun snap.

Peppers also asserted himself against the run, holding the Raiders' Michael Bush to a total of 1 yard on back-to-back running plays after Oakland had a first-and-goal at the Bears' 2-yard line. But Campbell scored on a quarterback sneak on third down.

Idonije is battling Mark Anderson for the starting job at left end, and he won the battle Saturday, recording 3 tackles, including one for a 3-yard loss and another for no gain.

Idonije and Peppers each had 1 QB hurry.

Defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli would like to decide the starter before the end of the preseason, but he said performance in practice also will be figured into the equation.

"We put a lot of stock in practice every day because it tells you a lot," Marinelli said. "It's a little bit easier to get wired in for the game.

"But you're looking for the guys who whether it's a game or practice doesn't matter to him. You know what you've got as a competitor and the toughness he's bringing to the table and the work habits we're trying to get."

Idonije and Anderson both played into the third quarter, where Anderson picked up a sack against Oakland's second-team offensive line.

No one's perfect: Tight end Desmond Clark's emergency long-snapping was shaky in the early going, costing the Bears an extra point and a field goal with errant snaps.

Clark was playing only because Pat Mannelly, who has handled that job for the past 12 years, was unable to perform with a shoulder injury.

"After I stopped trying to be perfect, I did OK," said Clark, who practiced snapping most of the week. "The thing is, I've done it in a game before but not in a couple years.

"I've never had to do it for a complete game before. I think if I have to go back and do it again, I'd put money on myself that I'll make a play."

Clark did not play with the first-team offense, but he caught an 18-yard pass from rookie quarterback Dan LeFevour.

"It was nice to get out there and get open and have the rookie quarterback find me over the middle," he said.

On the good side: Quarterback Jay Cutler wasn't happy that he was sacked five times, but he still was upbeat about the way Mike Martz's offense functioned in its first extended test.

"You can see that Mike's system works," said Cutler, who had completions of 17 yards or longer to four different receivers.

"You can see that if we do what we're supposed to, we're going to move the ball down the field. We put up some stuff that was clean, and it's going to be good stuff for us to watch (on tape)."

Injury update: Linebacker Brian Urlacher left midway through the Raiders' first offensive possession with a left-calf injury, and he did not return.

Quarterback Caleb Hanie (shoulder), safeties Craig Steltz (ankle), Josh Bullocks (quadriceps) and Major Wright (finger), long snapper Pat Mannelly (shoulder), wide receiver Earl Bennett and defensive end Jarron Gilbert (neck) did not play Saturday night.