Bears' 3-way rush offense showed promise

The 170 rushing yards on Sunday were the most by the Bears since they had 189 in the season opener, and the work was divided three ways.

Matt Forte led the way with 84 yards on 21 carries (4.0-yard average), including a 5-yard TD run, and he also caught 5 passes for 39 yards.

Backup Jeremy Langford picked up 59 yards on 12 carries (4.9-yard average) and caught 2 passes for 9 yards, while No. 3 Ka'Deem Carey had a go-ahead, 4-yard TD run late in the fourth quarter among his 5 carries for 17 yards (3.4-yard average).

It's all the same to offensive linemen according to right tackle Kyle Long, who says he's often unaware of who's running behind him.

“I'll go to the sideline and go, ‘Hey Matt, what did you see on this play?' ” Long said. “And he's like, ‘Well, I wasn't in on that play.'

“We have no clue who's in until you're helping the guy up off the ground at the end of the play. But our guys have done a great job. Goose (offensive coordinator Adam Gase) has done a really good job incorporating all three of those guys with their different playing styles. The younger guys are continuing to progress, and Matt is Matt, which is always great.”

The Bears' 42 running plays were a season high, topping the 37 against the Rams on Nov. 15.

“I just like that we have three backs active because that means we're going to run the (heck) out of the ball, and I enjoy that,” Long said. “It's not fun trying to pass block some of these freak athletes, so anytime we hand the ball off, I like that and it has that positive effect of wearing down the defense a little bit.”

Facing formidable foes:

There's one obvious reason for the Bears' lackluster 1-5 home record — they've lost to some really good teams, which coach John Fox pointed out.

“Four of those losses were against teams that are division leaders,” Fox said, “or, as you would say, ‘playoff bound,' even though we're not done with the season yet.”

Aside from Sunday's loss to the 4-8 49ers, the Bears have been defeated at Soldier Field by the 8-4 Packers, the 10-2 Cardinals, the 8-4 Vikings and the 10-2 Broncos. Their lone home victory was over the 5-7 Raiders.

“My experience has been, it's not so much where you play, it's who you play,” Fox said. “That's typically how I look at that. Obviously you've got home fans — that stadium was electric yesterday — and you get disappointed for the whole city as well. But it's more about who you're playing and how you play — not where.”

Taking it personal:

The only time Jay Cutler was sacked Sunday was on a safety blitz by Jaquiski Tartt, who violently body-slammed the quarterback to the ground.

On the Bears' next possession, they went 83 yards in six plays, including Cutler passes of 30 and 26 yards, to go ahead 20-13 with 3:32 remaining.

“You never want to see your quarterback get hit, especially when guys are talking smack to him and stuff,” said offensive tackle Kyle Long, who admitted the hit fired up the Bears' offense. “You do your best not to let that happen. Yeah, it bothers me. You don't want to see your quarterback get hit.”

The waiting game:

First-round pick Kevin White ran routes and caught passes during pregame warm-ups Sunday at Soldier Field but his return from August surgery for stress fractures in his left shin doesn't appear imminent.

“I think his leg is healed,” coach John Fox said. “Now it's a matter of getting into football shape, where he's kind of been sidelined for some time. We'll evaluate that deal.

“We have medical people that deal with him every day. And we'll continue to bring the football play element back into it. If he's cleared to play football, he'll be out there. If not, he won't.”