Bigger game for some Bears

Since Bears coach Lovie Smith's starters have traditionally played more than half the game, the third NFL preseason is more important than the other tuneups.

Today's 7 p.m. contest at Soldier Field against the San Francisco 49ers is even more meaningful to some Bears.

For offensive left tackle John Tait, it'll be his first game action since off-season ankle surgery, although he has practiced fairly regularly.

Strong safety Adam Archuleta will, for the first time, get extended playing time with free safety Mike Brown, as Archuleta continues adapting to a new team and a new scheme.

Defensive tackle Anthony Adams will battle against players he called teammates for the past four seasons.

"I'm looking forward to getting back in there," Tait said. "My ankle's been feeling really good. Whenever you have surgery, you want to just take it slow and make sure everything's right.

"You don't want to get hurt now and jeopardize the beginning of the season. I feel like everything's going really good."

Tait's return should help a running game that's off to a slow start, averaging just 2.4 yards per carry. Cedric Benson is averaging 3.1 yards on 15 carries for 47 yards, and backup Adrian Peterson has just 18 yards on 11 attempts for a 1.6-yard average.

"The running game takes a little time," Tait said. "The more you play together … it takes repetition, and it takes a few games under your belt to get things going."

After a depressing year in Washington, Archuleta is back in a defensive scheme where his run-stuffing talents are best utilized. He's still adapting to the personnel in the Bears' secondary, but he's enthused by the early results.

"I love it here," he said. "We're coming together as a team, and I'm expecting big things out of us. I don't think there are a lot of places that are like this in the NFL. I think they've done a real good job creating a good atmosphere, and people really enjoy coming to work and getting the guys together. We've got a good thing here."

Adams saw some playing time with the first team Monday at Indianapolis, and his contributions will be even more important to the defensive-tackle rotation until Tommie Harris is back at full strength.

Harris has yet to play in the preseason and isn't being counted on tonight.

Adams is viewed as more of a nose tackle than a 3-technique tackle like Harris, but he has played both.

Adams was a man without a position last season, when the Niners went to a 3-4 defense and he was miscast on the nose and at end. At a somewhat-undersized 6 feet and 300 pounds, Adams is more comfortable in the Bears' 4-3 defense.

"He wanted to try some things out with me as far as having me play end," Adams said of 49ers coach Mike Nolan. "After awhile, I guess I just didn't fit in the plans.

"But he was straight up with me and let me know everything. He's a stand-up guy. We went our separate ways without any sour feelings or anything like that. I still call him."

Adams remains close with several other 49ers, which makes his first reunion different from most preseason games.

"It's going to be a little weird," he said. "It's just another game, but I'll be playing against a lot of guys I know."

Guys such as 13-year veteran defensive lineman Bryant Young.

"He was in my wedding," Adams said, "and he took me under his wing when I got there as a rookie. I stay in contact with him."

When the Bears added eight-year veteran defensive tackle Darwin Walker during training camp to a group that already included Adams, Harris, Dusty Dvoracek and Antonio Garay, it led to speculation that there might not be enough playing time to keep everyone happy.

But Adams looks at it as a positive.

"That makes us that much better," he said. "We've got a lot of competition at defensive tackle, and God forbid if someone goes down, or someone needs a blow, someone else can come in, and we won't even skip a beat. I just look at it as we have more depth."