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METAIRIE, La. -- Every week, New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton likes to come up with a point of emphasis that he drills into his team. It’s not hard to guess what his message will be this week as the 4-0 Saints travel to face the 3-1 Chicago Bears: Protect the ball.

The Bears lead the NFL again this year with 14 takeaways after leading the league with a whopping 44 of them last year. They even led the league with 14 takeaways in the preseason. It’s something the Bears have always done well, even while switching coaches and personnel.

“In the last however many years you want to go back, they’ve taken the ball away better than anyone,” Saints coach Sean Payton said Tuesday. “It’s kind of one of those things that become somewhat tradition or become somewhat expected of a group. And that’s a credit to the players, it’s a credit to (new coach Marc Trestman) and his staff, those guys on defense. They feed off of that. And it’s been a formula for them. They’ve been exceptional.

“And then you’ve got guys like (cornerback Charles) Tillman who have an unusual, or a very high amount of forced fumbles. There’s a skill set involved in that, and then there’s also just a simple effort involved in that and kind of a ‘want to.’ It’s something that doesn’t happen by accident. To have the numbers that they have, it’s obviously emphasized and worked on.”

Tillman’s 39 forced fumbles are the most in the NFL since he entered the league in 2003. He also has 35 career interceptions and nine career defensive touchdowns.

Cornerback Tim Jennings had nine interceptions last year and one this year. Safety Major Wright had four picks last year and two this year. Dynamic defensive end Julius Peppers just had a sack-fumble this past Sunday against the Detroit Lions and has eight forced fumbles in his four years with the Bears.

As a team, Chicago has scored three defensive touchdowns this year and leads the NFL with 55 points off turnovers. Last year, the Bears scored nine defensive touchdowns, tied for the second most in NFL history.

Even Trestman, who has carried on the tradition that was started under former Bears coach Lovie Smith, has marveled at what he’s seen.

“We’ve done it by punching it out, we’ve done it by scooping and scoring, we’ve done it by literally just grabbing it out of guys’ hands,” Trestman said last week of the Bears’ stolen fumbles (now a league-high eight of them). “The (six) interceptions are a little more the norm. You get a good pass rush, you get a hand in a guy’s face, you disguise a coverage, you’re going to get a turnover that way. Teams do that. But it’s the other things that are around that; the strips, the punching out. The way they’ve done it in terms of technique-wise, it’s terribly unique.”

The Saints’ players had a part-time schedule on Tuesday, following their 38-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Monday night. So they haven’t started in fully yet on studying the Bears. But receiver Marques Colston said Tuesday that he’s well aware of the Bears’ opportunistic ways.

And he’s fully expecting that to be a point of emphasis by Payton this week.

“You hit it on the head,” Colston said when asked if he expects that from Payton. “It’s gonna be protecting the ball. You know, we say it time and time again, it’s the No. 1 stat in football. So going on the road against an opportunistic defense, we’ve definitely gotta protect the ball on offense. ... You can tell just watching the film it’s a point of emphasis for them.”

The Saints have done a good job of protecting the ball this year. They have just five giveaways, tied for fifth best in the NFL.

The Chicago Bears made it clear Tuesday they want more production from punter Adam Podlesh.

According to two league sources, the club worked out six punters at Halas Hall on Tuesday, just two days after Podlesh finished with a 28.8-yard net average on five punts in a loss to the Detroit Lions, including one 40-yard punt returned by Micheal Spurlock for a 57-yard gain to the Chicago 22.

An NFL source pointed out that Podlesh has "struggled all year," "has lost strength" and "can't hang the ball at all." The team was still discussing the situation as of Tuesday afternoon, and the source indicated the Bears have considered moving in another direction with the team desperately needing more production at the position. But no definitive decision had been made.

Chicago worked out punters Drew Butler, T.J. Conley, Chris Kluwe, Mat McBriar, Brian Moorman and Tress Way along with long-snappers Charley Hughlett and Kyle Nelson, in addition to defensive tackle Ra'Shon Harris.

Kluwe played for the Minnesota Vikings from 2005-12 before moving on to Oakland, where he lost out in a punting competition during training camp. Moorman has spent time with Buffalo and Dallas, and like Kluwe came out on the losing end of a training camp battle in Pittsburgh.

McBriar played for the Cowboys from 2003-11 before joining the Eagles in 2012, only to be cut in March.

A former fourth-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Podlesh signed a five-year contract with the Bears in 2011 worth $10 million.

Going into Sunday's game at Detroit, Podlesh had a 42-yard average on 14 punts, with six attempts being downed inside the opponent's 20.

The Chicago Bears signed safety Sean Cattouse to the practice squad on Tuesday, and terminated the practice squad contract of running back Harvey Unga.

A Chicago native and Hubbard High School alum, Cattouse (6-foot-2, 210 pounds) came into the NFL last season with the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted free agent out of the University of California, where he was a three-time All-Pac 12 selection.

Cattouse played in 49 games for Cal with 26 starts, collecting 185 tackles, seven interceptions and 17 pass breakups. Cattouse also contributed seven tackles for lost yardage, two sacks and a pair of fumble recoveries.

The Bears worked out Cattouse on Sept. 17, according to a league source.

Unga joined the Bears in 2010 as a supplemental draft pick out of Brigham Young University, but spent his rookie season on injured reserve. Then in 2011, Unga left the team for personal reasons, before spending all of last season on the practice squad.

In four seasons with the Bears, Unga never played in a regular-season game.

A weekly examination of the Bears’ ESPN.com Power Ranking:

Preseason: 13 | Last Week: 4 | ESPN.com Power Ranking since 2002

Chicago fell from the top five of ESPN.com’s Power Rankings but remained in the top 10 at No. 9 after Sunday’s 40-32 loss to the Detroit Lions.

Interestingly, the Lions check in at 10th, moving up six spots from 16, while the Green Bay Packers stayed at 12th and the Minnesota Vikings rose from 26th to No. 24 after their 34-27 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in London.

The Bears rank below the 49ers, Dolphins, Colts and Chiefs, who are eighth, seventh, sixth and fifth, respectively.

Chicago deserves to stay in the top 10. The Bears committed four turnovers, including a fumble returned for a touchdown. With 47 seconds left to play, remarkably, they still held a sliver of hope for tying the game when Robbie Gould lined up for the onside kick.

All but one of ESPN.com’s panelists voted for Chicago to remain in the top 10. The club received two seventh-place votes, one for No. 6, two for No. 10 and one for 12th.

The panelists put the Bears in the correct spot here. They overcame a horrid start, and too many turnovers in difficult circumstances on the road, yet had a chance at the end.

RISING

1. Alshon Jeffery, WR: Jeffery did a little bit of everything in the Week 4 loss in Detroit. He came up with a tough touchdown catch despite blanket coverage (he dropped a sure touchdown the play before), showed the ability to beat a defense deep with a 44-yard reception, and proved he can also be a weapon in the run game with a 27-yard end-around. With the exception of the Bears' win against the Vikings on Sept. 15, Jeffery has been a reliable target for Jay Cutler the entire season. Jeffery figures to reach 60 catches in 2013 if he continues to avoid injury -- he missed six games his rookie season. Jeffery's confidence seems to be growing every week.

2. Julius Peppers, DE: The Bears' failure to sack the quarterback is still alarming, but Peppers had his best game of the year on Sunday, by far. According to NFL statistics, Peppers finished with six tackles and the Bears' lone sack and quarterback hurry. Peppers also dropped Reggie Bush for no gain on the Lions' first offensive play from scrimmage, and overall, the defensive end appeared to be moving better than in previous weeks. With the Bears' depth on the defensive line tested due to injuries, it's vital Peppers contribute some impact plays to the defensive effort moving forward.

3. Earl Bennett, WR: Bennett's role in the offense is expanding. The wide receiver participated in 49 plays and caught a late fourth-quarter touchdown from Cutler, Bennett's second score in the past two weeks after hauling in the Week 3 game-clincher versus the Pittsburgh Steelers. Bennett isn't targeted often, he has seven catches on the season, but when the ball does come his way, the wideout generally makes a play. Bennett is clearly the fifth option on offense, but he is sure-handed and dependable.

FALLING

1. Jay Cutler, QB: The Bears lost to the Lions for two reasons; (1) Cutler turned the ball over four times, and (2) the defense failed to tackle Bush. Cutler will throw interceptions. That is a fact. Sunday marked the seventh time since 2009 that Cutler tossed three or more interceptions in a game. The Bears claim Cutler's mistakes were all physical, that his decision-making was sound in the 40-32 defeat. If that's the case, then all of Cutler's miscues are correctable. But these performances are always a concern with Cutler. The Bears might be able to beat a bad Minnesota team at home when the quarterback turns the ball over three times, but on the road against a quality opponent, the Bears have no shot to win if Cutler gives the ball away at such an alarming rate.

2. Entire defense: The whole group gets the nod for Bush rushing for 112 yards on 11 carries in the first half alone. The Lions seemed to have a solid gameplan for how they wanted to attack the Bears, but that does not excuse the poor tackling. Bush was making Bears defenders miss all over the field. The Bears have allowed way too many big plays on defense this season. The turnovers and defensive touchdowns are great, but this group is expected to produce better results. Even without Lovie Smith, Rod Marinelli, Brian Urlacher and now Henry Melton, there are enough Pro Bowl-caliber defensive players on the roster to prevent these kinds of breakdowns. And where is the pass rush? This all better improve in a hurry with Drew Brees coming to town on Sunday, otherwise the Bears' 3-0 head start to begin the season could evaporate over the next month.

3. Adam Podlesh, P: He had a rough afternoon at Ford Field, there is just no other way to put it. Despite punting in a controlled climate, Podlesh averaged only 40.2 yards per kick with a net average of 28.8 yards. Heading into Week 4, Podlesh had been averaging 44.6 yards per punt with a 42-yard net average. Punters will have bad games from time to time. Podlesh had a mild slump last year but finished the season exceptionally strong. The hope is he puts the Lions game behind him and bounces back against the Saints. Field position figures to be at a premium against the high-powered Saints' offense, so Podlesh pinning the Saints deep in their own territory whenever possible will be an important key to victory.

In addition to acknowledging his role in the Chicago Bears' 40-32 loss on Sunday to the Detroit Lions, quarterback Jay Cutler dispelled rumors that illness factored into his performance.

Cutler committed four turnovers -- three interceptions and a fumble returned for a touchdown -- as Chicago had its first loss of the season on Sunday at Ford Field, with the quarterback completing just 27 of 47 passes for 317 yards and a passer rating of 65.6.

"I felt good. I felt fine. Do I look all right?" Cutler asked Monday on ESPN 1000's "The Jay Cutler Show". "I wasn't sick. If I [were] sick, I wouldn't say anything. It didn't happen. Nothing had any impact on the way I played. I missed some throws; wish I could have three or four of them back like we talked about. But we can't. So it only counts as one game, just like the other ones."

Cutler entered the game with his average pass traveling 3 yards through the first three outings, but he threw 45 percent of his passes more than 10 yards downfield against the Lions, with the average pass traveling 12.3 yards. That, not to mention Detroit's pass rush, played a role in Cutler committing four turnovers and converting only one third down in 13 attempts.

Bears coach Marc Trestman said Cutler made good decisions, but failed to throw the ball accurately on too many occasions. By attempting longer passes, Cutler increased the level of difficulty on his throws. During the first three weeks of the season, Cutler opted for more high-percentage attempts (shorter throws) which increased his completion percentage.

Cutler acknowledged the true test for the team now is how the Bears rebound against the Saints after the difficult loss at Detroit.

"I think that's fair," Cutler said. "That's how this is: You never really are in the present in the NFL. You're either talking about what's coming up or you're talking about what just happened. You're never really living in the moment and talking about the now, and ‘What can we do now to get better?' That's what our job is as players, and that's the perspective we've got to keep. Obviously you've got to look at what's ahead of you. But after that game is over, you've looked at it, it's over with. The only thing right now that we can control is getting ready for the Saints. I think we learned a lot about our team already in the second half of that Detroit game; the way that offensively we kept fighting."

Trestman said Cutler "expressed his sense of accountability" for his performance Monday during meetings at Halas Hall.

"I'm encouraged," Trestman said. "I see him do so many things in practice, moving his feet and doing the right things. But he's got to hang onto the ball on the quick throw he had to the left backed up. He dropped the ball down. He put it in one hand. He's got to have it in two hands, and he's got to throw it away or move on. He was trying to make something happen late and he let his fundamentals go. These are things he's done better this year, and we're going to work at them. We're in Game 4 and know we've got to get better. That's what we'll attempt to do this week."

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The expectation was for Chicago Bears No. 2 running back Michael Bush to have a larger role in the offense during the club’s Week 4 game against the Detroit Lions.

However, the Bears sent Bush on the field for just two of the team’s 72 offensive snaps in their 40-32 loss to the Detroit Lions. In stark contrast, starting tailback Matt Forte played 71 of the 72 snaps and carried the ball 14 times for 95 yards and one touchdown. Forte also caught the ball five times for 22 yards.

The Bears signed Bush to a four-year, $14 million contract in the spring of 2012 to serve as Forte’s primary backup. Bush will earn a total of $2.550 million this season ($1.5 million base salary, $1 million roster bonus and $50,000 workout bonus), but has run the ball just 16 times for 24 yards in four games.

Bears coach Marc Trestman explained that Bush’s role was limited on Sunday because the Bears fell behind by 20 points in the first half.

“I think it was the kind of game it was more than anything,” Trestman said. “It was a two-minute drill more than anything else. We want Michael to be part of our football team and hope to get him in the mix during the course of the game. We have to grow in that area. We just have to find more ways to get him out there. It’s just difficult because we don’t want to take Matt off the field, either.”

Bush appeared in 13 games for the Bears last season, carrying the ball 114 times for 411 yards and five touchdowns. He rushed for a career-high 977 yards for the Oakland Raiders in 2011.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Chicago Bears coach Marc Trestman said on Monday that he is unsure if rookie linebacker Jon Bostic will be disciplined by the NFL for the hit he delivered to Detroit Lions wide receiver Kris Durham as he lay on the ground following an onside kick with 43 seconds left to play in the Bears’ 40-32 defeat at Ford Field on Sunday.

“I did not see it, I really didn’t see it,” Trestman said. “I haven’t heard about it and I haven’t heard from the league about it. We’ll see what happens the next couple of days.”

Bostic was not penalized by the officials, but the hit upset Lions coach Jim Schwartz who referenced the incident during his postgame news conference on Sunday.

“Kris Durham made a couple big plays at the end, probably no bigger than recovering the last onside kick,” Schwartz said. “He took a big shot for it, too. We talk a lot about player safety and he’s lying prone on the ground and is getting himself up and takes a helmet right to the back and we don’t get any call there. It’s a little hypocritical to talk about player safety when we allow that to not get called. Kris toughed it out, and he had to hold onto that ball and he did. He did a nice job today”

The NFL fined Bostic $21,000 in August for lowering his head and making forcible contact with a defenseless San Diego Chargers wide receiver, Mike Willie, during a preseason game at Soldier Field. Bostic appealed the fine.

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Detroit Lions coach Jim Schwartz scoffed at the notion former Chicago Bears defensive lineman Israel Idonije tipped off defensive line calls to his new team, the Lions on Sunday.

The Lions allowed only one sack and rushed for 159 yards in their 40-32 win over Chicago.

“Yeah, I really think that’s ridiculous,” Schwartz said. “I think it takes away from the players on the field. We rushed for a lot of yards because we blocked them and Reggie Bush broke tackles and things like that.

“To say Reggie Bush is eight yards behind the quarterback and that he can hear what I line call is, you know, I think that’s ridiculous.”

Idonije played the past nine seasons for the Bears before coming to Detroit in the offseason. Chicago changed coaching staffs after last season, replacing Lovie Smith with Marc Trestman.

“I think they had a good game plan for us in the run game. They have Israel Idonije over there, who was a long time player for us, and who also happens to really know our defense,” Chicago safety Chris Conte said Sunday. “So they really had a great scheme going. But we just have to have a better effort individually. That’s all there is to it.”

At least one Bears player told ESPN.com’s Michael C. Wright that Detroit broke a lot of its biggest runs when the Bears called a “power” stunt, switching their routes to try and mess with the offensive line.

On 97.1 The Ticket on Monday evening, Idonije addressed the Bears' claims.

"I have two thoughts. First, it just says a lot about the preparation and execution of our offense to go out there and just to be able to deliver and dominate that defense the way they did such that they thought, 'They're getting some sort of inside information because they're executing so efficiently,'" Idonije said according to MLive. "Secondly, I'm a Detroit Lion, so there is no such thing as insider information. This is my team; this is my family."

Detroit and Chicago play again at Soldier Field on Nov. 10.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- ESPN.com’s Kevin Seifert checked in Monday after the latest slate of games with his Week 4 Quarterback Report, and here’s what he had to say about Jay Cutler.

"Bad Jay" reappeared after three weeks of good behavior (i.e., sound play) under new coach Marc Trestman. Flustered by the Detroit Lions' heavy pressure, Cutler forced the ball downfield too often. Almost half (45 percent) of his passes traveled more than 10 yards downfield, up from 29 percent over the first three games, and his average pass traveled 12.3 yards downfield -- up from 7.0 yards in Weeks 1-3. Cutler accounted for four turnovers and converted only one third down via passing. The Lions surely played a role in that performance, but Cutler seemed to forget the safety nets built into this offense.

After the game, Bears coach Marc Trestman said Cutler made good decisions, but failed to execute. By choosing to attempt longer passes, Cutler definitely increased the level of difficulty with his throws. During the first three weeks of the season, Cutler opted for more high-percentage attempts (shorter throws), which definitely increased his completion percentage.

“I felt good about my decision making. I just missed the throws,” Cutler said. “They made a great play on the first (interception), and then I underthrew (Brandon Marshall) and overthrew Alshon (Jeffery). They are throws I’m accustomed to making. I just have to make them.”

Trestman agreed.

“It wasn’t about decision making,” Trestman said. “I think it was more about the fundamentals of finishing the two throws (on two interceptions) that were both high.”

After the game, Trestman and Cutler spent some time in front of the quarterback’s locker discussing things each could’ve done better before breaking the meeting with a handshake.

This one bad performance shouldn’t shake Cutler’s confidence or Trestman’s belief in the quarterback.

They’ll recover.

An examination of four hot issues from the Chicago Bears’ 40-32 loss to the Detroit Lions:

Run defense: The Bears allowed Reggie Bush to gain 112 yards in the first half, then held him to 27 yards in the second half. With Henry Melton out, the Bears played Stephen Paea at the 3-technique spot and moved Nate Collins to nose tackle. The Bears might want to consider trying Collins at the 3-technique and Paea at nose.

After the game, Paea wore a walking boot due to minor turf toe on his left foot, and maybe that injury diminished Paea’s effectiveness.

“I’ve played some 3 [technique] before, but it’s just a matter of time, repetitions and practice,” Paea said.

Jay Cutler: This could come off as odd, but despite Cutler’s horrid performance (65.6 passer rating with three interceptions, plus a fumble returned for a touchdown), this game might have shown growth on the quarterback’s part.

Detroit scored 17 points off turnovers, and Cutler appeared to be the culprit on every giveaway but one (his first interception). How the quarterback handled himself in the heat of battle and afterward gives reason for optimism. Despite the mistakes, Cutler held up well and nearly brought the Bears back. After the game, Cutler showed accountability for his contribution to the loss and told it how it was, which signals he’ll take the appropriate steps to correct the issues.

“I have to give us a better chance to win. I mean, three picks. It’s hard to come back from that,” Cutler said. “[I] have to play better.”

Third-down conversions: The Bears converted just one of 13 third downs, and no matter how well the defense plays, it’s difficult to overcome that deficiency. It’s not all on Cutler. In the second quarter, Jordan Mills was whistled for a false start on third-and-10. Two series later, Cutler was in a third-and-21 situation after a 9-yard sack on second down. In the third quarter, a 27-yard gain on third down was negated by a Kyle Long penalty. Then, on the next series, Cutler was sacked and fumbled for Nick Fairley’s 4-yard touchdown.

“The big thing was third down,” Bears coach Marc Trestman said. “We did horribly today [on third down], and that starts with me.”

Too much pressure: Cutler was sacked three times and spent most of the day under duress. This team has invested too much into protecting Cutler for this to continue.

"Either we didn't execute on the play or we didn't give Jay enough time to throw the ball," running back Matt Forte said. "Give credit to them for giving a great rush, but we didn't do our part."

ESPNChicago.com's Jeff Dickerson takes your Chicago Bears questions in the wake of their 40-32 loss to the Detroit Lions during a live chat at 1 p.m. ET (noon CT) Monday. Click here to submit your questions.

DETROIT -- Chicago Bears defensive tackle Stephen Paea wore a walking boot on his left foot after Sunday’s loss 40-32 loss to the Detroit Lions, but isn’t expected to miss time with what he called a minor turf toe injury.

Moving over from his customary spot at nose tackle to the 3-technique tackle spot in place of Henry Melton, who is out for the season with a torn ACL, Paea contributed two tackles, including a stop for lost yardage. A three-year veteran, Paea came into the game with six tackles, half a sack and two tackles for lost yardage.

Although the injury isn’t considered serious, it’s likely Paea will appear on the injury report headed into next week’s game against the New Orleans Saints at Soldier Field. Paea said the medical staff encouraged him to wear the walking boot to take pressure off the toe during travel back to the team’s facilities from Detroit.

But if Paea winds up missing time, the Bears could be in a difficult situation given there’s not much depth behind him and Nate Collins, who assumed a starting role due to Melton’s injury. As it stands, Paea, Collins and Zach Minter, who was inactive on Sunday, are the club’s only bona fide defensive tackles.

The Bears can move starting defensive end Corey Wootton inside to tackle. Defensive end Julius Peppers has also lined up at tackle on occasion.

The club’s franchise player, Melton contributed five tackles and a fumble recovery in three games before suffering the torn ACL during the team’s Sept. 22 win over Pittsburgh. Paea recognized the difficulty of trying to fill the gaps up front without Melton, a 2012 Pro Bowler.

“He’s done some great stuff,” Paea said of Melton. “Obviously, the next guy up has got to step up, including myself. I’ve played some 3 [technique] before. It’s just a matter of time, repetitions and practice.”

DETROIT -- Here are five things we learned in the Chicago Bears’ 40-32 loss to the Detroit Lions:

1. High turnover games remain a reality for Jay Cutler: Cutler deserves some credit for not calling it quits when the Lions led 40-16 late in the fourth-quarter, but his four turnovers were a major reason why the Bears lost. There isn’t a coach alive that can permanently eliminate these types of games from Cutler’s resume. When interceptions happen, they tend to happen in bunches with Cutler. That’s part of the package. It will never change. However, Cutler has been clutch for the Bears in three games this season, and certainly deserves the benefit of the doubt that he can bounce back with a stellar effort against the New Orleans Saints next Sunday. And I liked the fact Cutler and the offense kept fighting until the bitter end, even when the game was painfully out of reach. But the reality is that Cutler will always be a high-risk, high-reward quarterback, no matter the team, coach or system.

2. The defense has dropped a notch: The Bears still have a knack for forcing turnovers on defense, but Reggie Bush became the third opponent (A.J. Green and Antonio Brown) to have a monster game against the defense in the past four weeks. With the exception of Adrian Peterson's crazy game at Soldier Field in 2007, Sunday might have been the worst tackling display that I’ve seen from the Bears’ defense in recent memory. Bush is a talented multipurpose tailback, but he’s hardly considered one of the best runners in the game. However, Bush looked all-world against the Bears at Ford Field. In the span of four games, we’ve witnessed the Bears’ defense suffer multiple breakdowns on multiple fronts. And the pass rush continues to be nonexistent. The Bears sacked Matthew Stafford one time on 35 passing attempts. The individual talent is still present on the roster but, collectively, there is something missing from the Bears’ defense.

3. Alshon Jeffery is on the rise: Jeffery’s five catch for 107 yards and a touchdown performance in Week 4 would have been one of the top stories if the Bears had won. Although Jeffery’s day at Ford Field kind of gets lost in the shuffle of the bitter defeat, it is worth noting that Jeffery has responded well after a so-so game in Week 2 versus the Vikings. Jeffery showed great hands on his 14-yard touchdown reception. And even though he’s not viewed as the fastest wideout on the field, Jeffery can beat a defender deep down the field. The great thing about Jeffery is that because of his size and wingspan, he is skilled at coming down with those 50-50 jump balls that can go either way. The Bears don’t seem to be lacking in the skill position department, and after Cutler, Brandon Marshall and Matt Forte; Jeffery is having one of the Bears’ most productive seasons on offense.

4. Special teams hardly were special: For the second time this season, the Bears’ coverage units were burned for a big return. This time it was Detroit’s Micheal Spurlock taking a punt back 57 yards to set up an easy Lions’ scoring drive. Special teams are held to a high standard around Chicago, and fans aren’t used to seeing that phase of the team struggle. The Bears also had issues with their punting game, which is odd considering Ford Field is an indoor stadium with a controlled climate. Devin Hester didn’t help the cause much when the Bears had opportunities to return the ball, and Hester almost fumbled on one occasion. This really was a complete team loss. All three phases of their game contributed to the Bears’ defeat in Detroit.

5. Future is bright at right guard: Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh is a monster on the interior of the Detroit defensive line. The smart money was on Suh making a couple of plays lined up against Bears rookie right guard Kyle Long. As expected, Suh was a disruptive force in the Bears’ backfield with two sacks and a forced fumble that got scooped up for a touchdown. But Long didn’t do anything to embarrass himself. He more than held his own during his individual battles with Suh. Consider this a learning experience for the rookie. Smart money also suggests Long does a better job against Suh when the teams meet at Soldier Field on Nov. 10. Call it a hunch.