How to define Bears? So far, winners

Finally, the Bears got off the bus running.

Well, chasing, actually. And holding and clutching and grabbing.

It took all that and more to try to keep up with Calvin Johnson and Co. in the first half.

Eventually they managed to run a bit themselves, with Matt Forte breaking a couple of big ones.

Otherwise, Game 4 looked a lot like the first three.

The Bears were once again something less than stellar, but in victory the only numbers they concerned themselves with were 3, as in 3-1, and 48, as in 24 more points than the Lions could muster Sunday.

"What is our identity? That's a good question," said veteran offensive lineman Orlando Pace, with a chuckle and a deep sigh. "I think the big thing is wins, and I think after that, some weeks we'll be a running team and some weeks we'll be a passing team.

"We want balance, for sure, and running opens things up for Jay (Cutler), and we did open some lanes today. We want more of that. We do want to be a running team."

Forte ran for 121 yards, with 2 carries accounting for 98. The good news is there were gaping holes on those plays, but the flip side is there wasn't much room again on the other 10 carries for 23 yards.

The Bears would like something a little more in between and consistent.

"That's true," Pace said. "We have to do a better job, but I feel like this line is still getting to know each other and the unit is starting to come together.

"It's early, but it's going in the right direction."

The Bears didn't do any one thing on offense or defense particularly well and were just average enough to stay even in the first half with a Lions team that has won once in its last 21 games.

What the Bears did do very well is play special teams.

"We've won a lot of games on special teams around here," said Lovie Smith. "Today, that was certainly the case."

That was in the second half. In the first two quarters Lions receivers ran around, past and over the Bears to the tune of 14 grabs and 221 yards.

Detroit QB Matthew Stafford chewed up the Bears' corners and hardly looked like a rookie, tying the score at 21-21 with a 98-yard drive just before the half.

It looked for all the world as though the Bears couldn't cover anyone.

"We understand how to finish," said defensive end Alex Brown. "We just have to figure out how to start."

Special teams kick-started a second-half romp with a 102-yard TD return by Johnny Knox, giving them a 28-21 lead and all they'd need for the victory.

But that was just the beginning.

Robbie Gould booted a career-long 52 yarder to put the Bears up 10, Brad Maynard repeatedly pinned the Lions deep, the Bears covered punts and kicks better than they have all season, and solid returns gave Cutler a short field to work with over and over again, as the Bears poured it on.

"It was a great effort today," said special-teams coach Dave Toub. "I'm very glad about staying away from penalties. That makes me happy, but we're not there yet."

Special teams forced Detroit to start with long fields that took the Lions out of their pass-happy offense, and then the Bears' defense finally began to put pressure on Stafford.

"The defense really did the job," Cutler said. "For us to get 48 (points) without a lot of (offensive) yards, it means they did a lot of work for us."

The defense did some solid work in the second half, but giving up 398 yards to the Lions isn't going to allow them a lot of bragging during the bye week.

"We didn't start the game on defense the way we wanted to," Smith said. "We were better in the second half."

But not good enough, says Lance Briggs.

"We didn't change a lot in the second half," Briggs said. "We didn't adjust much. We just got after them a little better. We know we have to be a lot better."

So who are the Bears?

Are they a running team or a passing team? Can they get consistent pressure on the QB, or will they allow their defensive backs to get picked apart all season? Will their special teams, now riddled with injuries, be able to carry them?

All we know now is the first quarter of the campaign concluded with a very palatable 3-1 record, extremely satisfying considering the horrible start in Green Bay.

This remains a painfully weak NFC, where any team can emerge and every team has holes galore.

The key is victories, stealing them and stowing them and squirreling them away for a winter day when homefield advantage may mean the difference between Miami or bust.

The Bears are learning how to find victories even when they don't play particularly well, and teams that do that can represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

"Who are we? Good question," said tight end Greg Olsen, pausing to ponder. "I'd say - I guess I'd say we're 3-1.

"Wins in this league are hard to get, no matter who you play or where you play.

"Going into the bye week with a win, especially 3 straight wins after how we started (in Green Bay), that feels pretty good.

"We have things we need to do better. We want to be better in the red zone. We want to run better. We have some time now to try to correct some things.

"So call us whatever you want: running team, passing team, whatever team. We want to be a winning team.

"I don't care what you call us as long as we win."