Kyle Long says he's matured as a football player

Offensive right tackle Kyle Long won't go head-to-head on Sunday with big brother Chris, the Rams' defensive left end, and that's OK with him.

Chris has been out since suffering a hyperextended knee in Week 5.

“Nobody wants to have any family member dealing with injury or anything,” the Bears' Long said, “but I wouldn't wish playing against your sibling on anybody. It's not any fun.”

The brothers squared off two seasons ago, also in St. Louis, although they weren't face-to-face, since Kyle was the Bears' right guard then. But Chris did rush off the sidelines to help pull Kyle off Rams defensive end William Hayes when they scuffled after a play. Kyle was penalized for unnecessary roughness after he tried to kick Hayes while being pulled away.

“I was fired up as a rookie on the road,” Kyle said. “I bought in to the whole thing that week about playing against my brother and my brother's team. It cost me. In the end I think it was $32,000 (NFL fine).

“It's a football game. There's no reason to make it bigger than that. It's a big football game for both of us. We have to go on the road and go against one of the toughest defenses in the NFL. That's a challenge for us.”

Aside from Monday night's 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct, which took the Bears out of field-goal range, Long says he's matured — at least as a player.

“If you're looking at the 'What have you done for me lately?' I don't know if I've overcome my inability to control myself,” Long said with a wry smile. “But in terms of a football player, absolutely, I've grown. I'd probably say I keep my mouth shut and just play a lot more.”

Coincidentally, with Chris Long out, the guy who will go nose-to-nose with Kyle Long Sunday is — William Hayes.

Earning praise:

Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio is not one to go overboard with praise or ignore mistakes, as when he was asked about Lamarr Houston's back-to-back sacks that thwarted the Chargers' final possession Monday night.

“They were huge plays,” Fangio said. “Now, if we can just eliminate the offside (penalties), he'll play even more and more.” Houston was flagged twice for being offside, but his late heroics moved him into third on the team with 3 sacks, trailing Pernell McPhee (5) and Jarvis Jenkins (3½).

“That should do a lot for his confidence, to go in there and make plays at a crucial time like that,” Fangio said. You hear coaches and players say, 'We've just got to make some plays.' Those were two examples of a guy making a play.

“Tracy Porter's break up on the third-down play (just after Houston's sacks) was an example of a guy making a play. It came down to the end and Lamarr made two (plays) and Tracy made one. And we got out of there with a win.”

Taking responsibility:

In light of offensive tackle Tayo Fabuluje's four-game suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse policy, coach John Fox was asked about the team's policy on ingesting over-the-counter supplements, which is said to have caused the rookie's positive test.

“They're taught that they're responsible for anything that goes in their body,” Fox said. “A lot of GNC products or different stuff in the U.S. are not governed like some other prescription medications. “Obviously disappointed. They're preached to a lot about the do's and don'ts. Unfortunately, that one slipped through the cracks.”

Injury report: Running back Matt Forte (knee) returned to practice but was limited, as were center Hroniss Grasu (neck), linebacker Shea McClellin (knee) and offensive tackle Jermon Bushrod (shoulder).

Four players did not practice: Outside linebacker Pernell McPhee (knee), wide receiver Eddie Royal (knee), safety Antrel Rolle (ankle) and kicker Robbie Gould (illness).

“He's been through it before,” coach John Fox said of Forte, who has missed just six starts including Monday night, in eight seasons. “They understand it and know how to rehab it better the second time around. He's still day-to-day. He's not full-go yet, but he's making progress.”