Harris returns to action from off the bench

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- After being benched last Monday night, three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Tommie Harris was back in action Sunday night. But not as a starter.

Harris has started 86 games since he was the Bears' first-round draft choice in 2004, but he played behind Matt Toeaina, who got his second straight start Sunday night and led all Bears linemen with 3 first-half tackles. Harris got his first snap on the Giants' second possession and played in a normal rotation, getting a dozen snaps in the first half.

According to coach Lovie Smith, Harris' demotion was performance related. He had a total of 1 tackle in the first two games.

"It's how you come back from it," Harris said of the benching, his third in as many seasons. "That's all that matters. I'm used to it."

Harris denied he needed to have a fire lit under him by the coaching staff, which was a popular theory for his inactivity.

"I don't need motivation," Harris said last week. "I'm a grown man. I don't need to be sat to be motivated. So I just come to work and that's what I do and I will be ready when my number is called."

In Harris' absence in Week 3 against the Packers, Marcus Harrison was active for the first time this season, but he was not credited with a tackle against the Packers and was inactive again Monday night.

• Cornerback Tim Jennings, who replaced Zack Bowman when Bowman was benched in the second quarter last week, got his first start as a Bear and played most of the first half. Bowman got in for one series in the first half but started the second half and wound up splitting time.

• Edwin Williams replaced Robert Garza at left guard late in the first quarter for one possession. Garza was limited by a knee injury during the previous week's practice, but he returned on the next series.

Right guard Lance Louis did not return after halftime because of a left knee injury. He was replaced by Edwin Williams.

Night moves: Devin Hester can't explain why 6 of his 12 kick-return touchdowns have come in prime time.

"For some reason that just happens," he said. "I want to play like that every game, regardless if it's a Sunday morning game or (at night). I just want to be consistent with my play. Whenever the lights are on or whoever's on the field, I want to be able to make big plays.

"I want to do that every week. I don't want to be (just) a prime-time player and whenever it's a Monday night game or Thursday night game I show up. I want to be a show-up player every week."

The last time the Bears played in New Jersey, at the old Meadowlands, Hester returned a missed field goal 108 yards, but according to NFL rules, that doesn't count as one of his 12 career return touchdowns.

Hester had a 34-yard return erased by a holding call in the first half Sunday night. Because of that he finished with just 6 yards on 2 returns.

More pressure: The Bears' defense entered Week 4 dead last in the NFL in sacks per pass play with a total of 2, both of which came in the season opener. But coach Lovie Smith said he wasn't discouraged by the overall pressure.

"We feel good about that, but we still need to get more sacks," he said. "The guys realize that. Most of the time you judge defensive linemen you do a lot of it based on the amount of sacks. I think everybody around here knows it's a little bit more than that, but for some guys we have had opportunities to make more."

Julius Peppers and Israel Idonije each had a sack in the first half, but the Bears were blanked in the second half.

Peppers was more impressed with the Giants' pass rush Sunday night.

"You have to tip your hat to them," Peppers said. "Because those guys can really rush the passer."

Giants defensive ends Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora each had 3 of the Giants' 10 sacks.

Running in place: Running back Matt Forte is still struggling to get the running game going, and he had only 12 carries Sunday night which produced 26 yards, but he wouldn't second-guess offensive coordinator Mike Martz's play calling.

"It doesn't matter to me," Forte said when asked if he would like to carry the ball more. "Whatever Mike calls, I'm fine with. But we have a lot of stuff to look at and we have to get a lot better."

Forte did admit that the Bears' play-action passes would work better if the ground game were established.

"It always works better when you're running the ball well," he said. "They were pretty amped up, we just have to step up."

Stepping up: Last week the Bears got contributions from players who normally don't start, like defensive tackle Matt Toeaina and cornerback Tim Jennings, but linebacker Lance Briggs said they shouldn't be referred to as backups.

"We're getting production from guys that people aren't familiar with," Briggs said, "and that's important for us to win games. That's a big credit to coaching and having the right guys on our squad."

Bowman made a strong play to get his starting job back from Jennings by forcing and recovering a fumble late in the game that kept the Bears' slim hopes alive.

"I saw him switch the ball to his other hand, and I just poked it out," Bowman said. "Then I saw it on the ground and just fell on it."

Sitting it out: Tight end Desmond Clark was a healthy scratch Sunday night, but he has just 1 catch for 12 yards while Greg Olsen and Brandon Manumaleuna received extensive playing time. Also inactive for the Bears were offensive tackle Chris Williams and safety Major Wright, both of whom have hamstring injuries; defensive end Corey Wootton, running back Kahlil Bell and cornerback Joshua Moore. Caleb Hanie was the emergency quarterback.