Bears' O-line gradually progressing
Offensive line coach Mike Tice understandably will be looking for improvement Saturday night from a group that allowed 6 sacks last week, 5 in the first half.
The good news is that the learning process continues to progress.
"Now that they're getting what we're asking them to do, we're at least in sync," Tice said. "Fundamentally and physically, sometimes we don't look like we belong. Other times we look pretty good. We need to continue to work on things and, as coaches, find ways to put our players in positions to succeed. I like the group still."
But the nagging injuries that have kept right guard Lance Louis off the field in recent weeks have been frustrating, although he has been back the past two days.
"I wish Lance could get on the field a little bit more," Tice said. "He's been more off the field than on the field the last two weeks. That kind of hurts the timing a little bit."
NFL offensive linemen, especially those in Chicago, take pride in showing up for work every day. Center Olin Kreutz has started 118 games in a row and 137 of the last 138. The game he missed, back in 2002, was seven days after an appendectomy. Left guard Robert Garza has started 64 straight games. Louis has won a job, but now he needs to work to keep it.
"There's a mental determination that you have to have when you get the opportunity to be a starting offensive lineman," said Tom Thayer, an eight-year starting guard for the Bears beginning in the 1985 Super Bowl season. "When the coach says, 'All right, you're the guy,' then you have to be determined to be out there every practice, every game, every day, every drill.
"Sometimes you may want to say, 'This hurts,' or 'I'm sore,' but you have to get through those, and make the same commitment to the team that they've made to you. If you have to limp through a practice, then limp through it."
Change is bad: It's inevitable the NFL will soon convert to an 18-game regular season and eliminate two preseason games, but it's not necessarily what the players want.
"I say, 'If it's not broken, don't try to fix it,' " nose tackle Anthony Adams said. "I like the way it is now. It's been that way since '78. I like 16. It gives us a chance to get our legs up under us. I guess I don't like change. I like my pads a certain way. I like my chin strap a certain way."
Slow going: Throw out Matt Forte's 89-yard run against the Raiders and the Bears have 133 yards on the ground on 45 attempts, a 2.96-yard average, which includes a 16-yard run by wide receiver Devin Hester and an 11-yard scamper by quarterback Jay Cutler.
Running backs Chester Taylor, Garrett Wolfe and Kahlil Bell have carried a combined 27 times for 49 yards, a 1.82-yard average.
Walking wounded: Linebackers Brian Urlacher (calf) and Nick Roach (knee), quarterback Caleb Hanie (shoulder), wide receiver Earl Bennett (hamstring) and safety Craig Steltz (ankle) all remain out of practice and none is expected to play Saturday.
Safety Chris Harris (knee) returned to practice, safety Major Wright (finger) practiced but has still not been cleared for contact, and safety Josh Bullocks (quad) was back but limited.