Ground game in focus

The Bears' running game never broke out of a walk last Sunday, but the pace is expected to pick up today against a Chiefs defense that isn't nearly the equal of the San Diego Chargers' unit.

The visitors from Kansas City believe they've upgraded their defense with the free-agent additions of linebackers Donnie Edwards and Napoleon Harris, along with tackle Alfonso Boone, who played his first six seasons with the Bears.

But the Bears are determined to establish a strong running presence after a disappointing 80-yard output last week on 26 carries.

"We've got an outstanding offensive line that's going to open up some holes," said offensive coordinator Ron Turner. "We've got some good backs who can hit it, so we'll be productive in the running game.

"We've got to stay with it, get first downs, keep the ball and stay with the running game, and it will get better and better as the game goes on. We still believe that. We didn't give ourselves a chance (last week) with mistakes that we made to hurt ourselves."

No one has more at stake in the run game today (3:15 p.m., Channel 2, WBBM 780-AM) than Cedric Benson, who was held to 42 yards on 19 carries (2.2-yard average) in the opener.

The poor results led to questions of whether backup Adrian Peterson (38 yards on 7 carries, 5.4-yard average) should be given a greater share of the workload, although each back lost a fumble last week.

Benson said he isn't worried about the outside critics.

"I feel pressure from me to be all I can be," Benson said. "But from outside forces? No, not really. It will all change once we put up 100 (yards), one (good) weekend, a couple TDs."

After a slow start last season, Benson broke out with a three-week stretch in which he averaged 5.4 yards per carry. Benson believes a game like that today will quiet the critics.

"Of course it would," he said. "It's only natural."

Benson's reputation is as a power back, but he doesn't believe he should be seen as someone with limitations.

"I can do a lot of things," Benson said. "I've seen myself cut back, make moves on guys in the open field. I don't think that's fair to categorize me like that."

The Bears don't really care whether they get their rushing yards utilizing speed, power, elusiveness, smoke, mirrors, spit or baling wire as long as they establish a ground attack opponents have to respect.

When the running game is established, it sets up play-action passes, one of the staples of Turner's version of the West Coast offense.

Last year the Bears also started slowly on the ground, ranking 24th after seven weeks but finishing a respectable 15th.

"Every year is different," center Olin Kreutz said. "We actually averaged more yards per carry in that game (last Sunday) than we averaged in our first game last year (3.1-3.0). So when our running game pops, what week it pops, you never know. But we know that it will happen."

It's doubtful there will be any drastic changes to the run-game formula today, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see a big jump in productivity.

"We do what we do," Kreutz said. "And we try to do it well."

At the very least, they should at least do it better today.