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LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- The Chicago Bears offensive line took on multiple looks Wednesday during organized team activities at Halas Hall, leaving uncertainty about where the pieces will eventually fit.

Even quarterback Jay Cutler intimated that veteran center Roberto Garza appears to be the only player up front with his job secured for 2012.

“Right now, it’s hard to tell,” Cutler said. “The new CBA limits what we’re able to do until training camp. So (we) can’t really get a good look at those guys, and I don’t think it would be fair to any of those guys competing to say where they’re at until we get in camp, get the pads on to see and we see what we’ve got. I think all those guys except for ‘Garz’ have a chance to compete and at the end of the day, we’ll see what best five we have.”

The team definitely kicked off the search during Wednesday’s session, and as expected veteran Chris Williams -- a starter the last two years at left guard -- moved over to left tackle, where he took first-team reps along with J’Marcus Webb. It’s apparent there’s a position battle brewing at left tackle, and it’s likely the loser in the derby takes on the swing role.

Originally drafted in 2008 to be the left tackle of the future, Williams missed the last seven games of 2011 with a wrist injury, but expressed excitement about finally taking the field with the rest of his teammates.

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The Chicago Bears steadfastly denied the need to add to the offensive line this offseason because they plan to deploy the pieces already on hand differently, according to sources familiar with the situation, who said veteran Chris Williams will move back to offensive tackle.

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There's an enhanced sense of optimism among Chicago Bears fans following the additions of Brandon Marshall, Michael Bush and others, but quarterback Jay Cutler isn't ready to celebrate offseason moves just yet.

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GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Chicago Bears right tackle Lance Louis left during the first half of the team’s 35-21 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday because of illness.

Having battled with the illness throughout the week heading into the contest, Louis said he “was just a little under the weather.” Louis left the game in the second quarter after experiencing some nausea, and he was replaced in the lineup by Frank Omiyale. At halftime the team’s athletic training staff administered fluids intravenously to Louis.

“After I went in and got some IVs and came back, [I] tried to give it a go as much as I could,” Louis said.

Six plays into Chicago’s opening drive of the second half, Louis reported as an eligible receiver on a play in which running back Kahlil Bell fumbled near the end zone with Edwin Williams recovering for the touchdown that pulled the Bears to within four points with 11:35 left in the third quarter.

Louis didn’t play another down, and was still shaken by his illness as he dressed in front of a locker after the game.

“I feel a little better now,” Louis said. “But Frank [Omiyale] was going a good job [at right tackle], and there wasn’t really a reason to move him. He did a great job today.”

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- It appears the Chicago Bears plan to start Edwin Williams at left guard in place of Chris Williams on Sunday against the San Diego Chargers.

With Chris Williams on the injured reserve with a dislocated wrist, Bears quarterback Jay Cutler explained the situation bluntly, and emphasized the team can't afford a drop off with a new starter in the lineup.

"It's not going to be easy," Cutler said. "Edwin's going to step in there and do a really good job. Chris was playing at a high level, and we can't miss a beat; especially not in November and December."

Stepping into the starting lineup shouldn't be a major adjustment for Edwin Williams, who started three consecutive games last season in place of current right guard Lance Louis.

Despite the Bears losing two of those three games and Cutler suffering 10 sacks in two of them, Matt Forte gained 166 yards on 22 attempts in Edwin Williams' first start -- an Oct. 10 victory at Carolina -- which ranked as a career high for the running back.

"He did some good things [in 2010]. He wasn't ready completely, but that was a year ago," Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "Since then he has made a lot of progress. We feel comfortable putting him out there."

Walking off the field after Wednesday's practice, Williams declined to speak to reporters. The backup guard also never came into the locker room during the open period in which media members are allowed access.

Cutler said the team will "have to be careful what we do with [Williams]," and that center Roberto Garza "will have to talk to him a lot."

The quarterback considers Edwin Williams to be of the same athletic mold as Chris Williams, but "just doesn't have that experience."

"So we're going to have to catch him up in a quick four- to five-day span, and get him ready to roll," Cutler said. "We can't limit what we're doing or what we're trying to do because of one guy. Everyone gets injured in this league, and at some point someone else has to step in and fill that role. Edwin's going to have to do that for us."

PHILADELPHIA -- Jay Cutler hit a milestone of sorts in the Chicago Bears' 30-24 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Monday night marked the first time the quarterback hadn't been sacked in a game since Nov. 12, 2009 when Cutler tossed five interceptions in a loss at San Francisco. The statistic didn't matter two seasons ago as Cutler finished that night with a passer rating of 33.6.

But it mattered against the Eagles.

Cutler threw for 208 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a contest that featured an above average effort from the Bears offensive line.

"It starts up front," Cutler said. "If my feet are clean, and I've got a good pocket and I can see what's happening downfield … I'm probably going to have a good day. As the game progressed, that started happening."

Remember, the Eagles defensive line had 22 sacks through its first seven games, but failed to even be credited with a quarterback hit on Cutler in the official NFL statistics packet handed out in the press box.

"Our offensive line has made improvements weekly," Bears head coach Lovie Smith said. "I mean Jay can make all the throws. He's as good as there is once he has time, and we've been giving him that time to make the throws."

It was the third straight game the Bears started the same combination up front, which raises an interesting dilemma once right tackle Gabe Carimi is ready to return from his knee injury. But as the Bears are quick to tell you; it's a good problem to have.

"They're getting better and better, getting better and better," Cutler said. "Lance Louis is out there at right tackle, a new position, and each game he's improved. Chris Spencer has done an unbelievable job to step in from center to right guard for us. Chris Williams has been solid all year and Roberto Garza has been the anchor. We've got a really good group."

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- One day after Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler expressed his desire to see a few tweaks made in the offense to alleviate some of the pressure he's faced in the first five weeks, offensive coordinator Mike Martz endorsed the idea of calling plays that allow the ball to get out of Cutler's hands quicker.

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DETROIT -- Here are Five Things We Learned following the Chicago Bears' 24-13 loss to the Detroit Lions at Ford Field:

1. The Bears are mediocre at best: Monday night's game proved there's only one elite team in the NFC North: Green Bay. The Lions are a nice story at 5-0 and should definitely compete for a wild card berth, but come on, they're nothing special. The Bears were a train wreck in the first half, but somehow managed to lead the Lions 10-7 at the half in Detroit's own building. That being said, the Lions are better than the Bears, which puts Lovie Smith's group squarely in the "pretender" category. Sure, the Bears have several winnable games left on the schedule, but unless there is a dramatic reversal of fortune, the Bears shouldn't be playoff contenders. Playoff teams don't get great games from their quarterback (Jay Cutler) and tailback (Matt Forte) and score 13 points in a losing effort. The good news is there are 11 games left. The bad news is there are 11 games left. This could be a painful march to the finish line.

2. It's a new problem every week on the offensive line: Frank Omiyale started at right tackle because Gabe Carimi was out. J'Marcus Webb, on the other hand, is supposed to be the left tackle of the future. After playing at a high level versus Carolina, Webb took a major step back at Ford Field. Really, it's the perfect symbol for the offense. Just when the Bears think they have a problem fixed, the ship springs another leak. Next game, it'll probably be somebody else. That's what happens when you address one of your biggest needs by simply moving parts around instead of adding serviceable veterans via free agency. We all knew the Bears offensive line was going to struggle. It's actually encouraging they've managed to string together a couple of good games, but the line has folded both times the Bears played in a hostile venue (New Orleans and Detroit). Did you really think it would be any different?

3. The run defense. Wait, what run defense?: Vikings running back Adrian Peterson probably couldn't fall asleep on Monday night after getting so excited to face the Bears on Sunday. Jahvid Best isn't Barry Sanders, even though the Hall of Famer was in the building Monday night. There is absolutely no excuse to allow Best to run untouched for an 88-yard touchdown. He had 163 yards on 12 carries. Those are Peterson-type numbers. What's going to happen when the real Adrian Peterson comes to town? Guess we'll find out soon enough.

4. I'm out of answers at safety: I thought Chris Harris coming back from a hamstring injury would solidify the safety position. Looks like I was wrong. I still like Harris, but how many big pass plays are the safeties going to give up this year? To be fair, the lack of a consistent pass rush makes things much more difficult on the back end of the defense, but Calvin Johnson ran right past Harris and Brandon Meriweather for a 73-yard touchdown -- just like Devery Henderson did in New Orleans and just like Steve Smith did in Week 4. Somewhere in Houston, Danieal Manning is counting his money, while the Bears continue to count the number of different safety combinations they've used so far this year. At the moment, the number stands at five. But that's subject to change.

5. Coaches aren't helping: How many weeks are we going to watch the Bears be unable to relay the play to Cutler? How many timeouts are the Bears going to waste before it gets corrected? I don't blame Lovie Smith for not bashing the guilty parties in public -- that's bad for business -- but the head coach must get this under control. It's gone from minor annoyance to downright embarrassment. Time management issues always rest with the head coach, even if the support staff in the coaches box are the real culprits here. And why go for it on fourth and 1 in the first quarter? Shouldn't the Bears just take the three points in that situation? You'd think with three former head coaches on the staff the Bears would have a better handle on these kinds of issues.

DETROIT -- Chicago Bears center Roberto Garza quickly interrupted a look-at-the-bright-side suggestion in the aftermath of his team’s 24-13 loss to the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Monday night.

The truth is Garza knew his unit -- the offensive line -- played a major role in the implosion by committing nine drive-killing false-start penalties, thus ruining arguably the best performance of the season by quarterback Jay Cutler, who completed 73.7 percent of his passes for one touchdown, no interceptions and a passer rating of 99.6.

“We’re here to win games,” Garza said, cutting off the question before it was asked. “Stats mean nothing if we don’t win the football game. [There were] too many breakdowns. We knew it was gonna be loud. Obviously we didn’t adjust to it. It’s an issue that’s part of playing in the NFL. We have to adjust to it; do a lot better job than we did.”

In Chicago’s opening drive (which started at the 20 and ended at the 14) the offensive linemen -- likely on edge about facing Detroit’s talented front four -- committed three false start penalties. Tight end Kellen Davis false started on first down, left guard Chris Williams jumped three plays later and left tackle J'Marcus Webb followed suit.

Four of the Bears’ false-start penalties occurred in the first quarter, two more in the second.

In all, officials flagged Webb and Davis for two false starts apiece. Even running back Matt Forte, who rushed for 116 yards, was flagged for a false start, as was safety Chris Conte on a fourth-quarter punt.

Afterward, Lions coach Jim Schwartz thanked the city of Detroit for its role in the Chicago false-start party.

“Nine false starts, I don’t know if I’ve ever been a part of that,” Schwartz said. “So our hats are off to the fans here, to the city of Detroit. We need to get used to playing in games like this and having atmospheres like this. Fans did their part tonight, and we took the cue from them. But nine false starts is an awful lot, and all the credit goes to our crowd.”

Obviously, the artificial crowd noise pumped by speakers onto the practice fields didn’t sufficiently prepare the Bears for what they’d face Monday night in a raucous setting at Ford Field. Waving pink towels commemorating National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the crowd raised the decibel level significantly on seemingly every crucial play and it affected Chicago’s ability to communicate.

Cutler said the crowd noise made the Bears switch to a silent count because “the guys were having trouble hearing me,” acknowledging that the nine false starts put the team “in a lot of holes out there and against a team like that, [with] the way they’re playing, it’s going to be difficult [to overcome].”

Bears coach Lovie Smith, meanwhile, refused to blame the noise. Ultimately, the responsibility lies within the team to handle every situation, regardless of how adverse.

“We can’t use that as an excuse,” Smith said. “[We’ve] got to be able to sit in there. Pre-snap penalties kill you. It’s hard to overcome those. We’re [a] better football team than that.”

CHICAGO -- The right side of the Bears offensive line underwent yet another change on Sunday when Lance Louis replaced Frank Omiyale at right tackle to begin the second half in the 34-29 victory over the Panthers.

In the first half, Louis entered the game at his customary right guard spot because Chris Spencer was taken back to the locker room with a hand injury. But when Spencer returned after halftime, Louis slid over to tackle and even occasionally reported as a tackle eligible, which allowed Omiyale to sporadically re-enter the contest.

Louis, the club's starting right guard in Week 1, suffered an ankle injury in the first half of the regular-season opener and was forced to miss the Bears road game against the Saints. The third-year offensive lineman was active during the loss to the Packers, but did not play. A versatile athlete who played both offensive line and tight end while at San Diego State, Louis said in the postgame locker room he last lined up in a game at right tackle during his final year with the Aztecs.

"Overall, it was OK" Louis said of his performance at tackle. "I definitely have to work on more stuff if I'm going to be out there. There is a lot of space out there. It's different because there is a lot of space out there, the [defensive players] have a lot of freedom to do anything. When you are inside, the guy is right there, but outside he can line up wider and do all kinds of spins and moves. It's different, but it's my job."

Louis said the move to tackle wasn't unexpected since he took some practice reps on the outside this past week at Halas Hall.

"[Bears offensive line coach Mike Tice has] been trying a few different things to see how I felt about a few things," Louis said. "At the end of the day, it's going to make our line that much more versatile. It's a good thing.”

But don't expect the Bears to get too comfortable with Louis at right tackle. Rookie first-round pick Gabe Carimi will eventually return from a minor knee dislocation, meaning Louis will be on the move again, probably back to right guard. Tice called Louis one of the team's five best offensive linemen on the roster, and vowed to find a spot on the field for the former seventh-round draft choice once his ankle heals.

"I just want to play," Louis said. "I don't care, I just want to be out there helping the team."

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Chicago Bears offensive line coach Mike Tice wants to protect his group by placing it in situations where the players can succeed.

But don't expect Tice to interfere with the calls radioed in from the booth by offensive coordinator Mike Martz, no matter how seemingly insane the pass-run ratio becomes over the course of a game.

"You don't really want to get into too much communication during the series with the coordinator," Tice explained. "After the series, we talk. [But] You don't really want to mess with a guy while he's trying to call plays and get into a rhythm. So I try and stay off the headphones, just listen to the play and do my job in between series, which is adjusting, looking at the Polaroids and getting things fixed."

Tice described himself as "the fix-it guy" during a game, adding his main job is to "try and point things out so the guys can play faster."

Despite widespread and arguably overblown criticism concerning Chicago's offensive line, the unit allowed just three sacks in Sunday's loss to the Green Bay Packers. Martz said that after he and quarterback Jay Cutler, both walked away "excited about that part of it."

The Bears gave up five sacks in the opener against Atlanta, but really the offensive line was responsible for just three of those. The club gave up nine more sacks in losses to the Saints and the Packers.

Bears coach Lovie Smith said the team needs to make "a play here or there" and "we'll be right on track."

But Cutler admitted Wednesday that the pressure -- or the perception it's coming -- affects his poise in the pocket.

Sure, a more run-oriented game would help to alleviate some of that by keeping defenses off balance while making the Bears less predictable. Tice acknowledged the difficulty of protecting Cutler when teams constantly expect the Bears to throw.

But the offensive line coach wouldn't make excuses, saying it's his job to teach his group to execute well under all circumstances, regardless of how arduous.

"Hey look, I'm not going to get involved in that [play calling]," Tice said. "We have to execute the plays that are called. We've got to do a better job of trying to put those guys in positions to do well. We've got to go out there and get rhythmic. We've got to have fun. I bought into this job of coach 16 years ago to have fun. Right now, it's not so much damned fun. We've got to win again so we can have fun."

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Depth concerns along the offensive line might force the Chicago Bears to dig deep into the roster to find capable backups for Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers.

The club could even take a dip into its practice squad, according to a source that indicated Wednesday the Bears are strongly considering promoting practice squad tackle Levi Horn to the active roster, adding the move could take place by the end of the week, depending on the availability of right guard Lance Louis, who has been limited at practice all week due to a sprained right ankle.

The team continues to closely monitor the progress of Louis. If Louis' sore ankle improves enough for him to play against the Packers, the Bears won't need to promote Horn. But if it doesn't, the team will likely make the move.

Signed as an undrafted rookie by the Bears in 2010, Horn spent the majority of last season on the practice squad.

Given the uncertain status of Louis, and the right kneecap subluxation suffered last week by Gabe Carimi that will keep him out for an extended period, the Bears -- should they decline to add personnel to the active roster -- could enter Sunday's matchup against the Packers with six healthy linemen, which means five starters, and only one reserve. That wouldn't be an ideal situation for a team currently leading the league in sacks allowed (11) after the first two weeks of the season.

"Everybody that's on our roster, in our mind is a future starter," said offensive coordinator Mike Martz, when questioned about depth concerns up front. "We don't have backups. That's how we look at our guys. We look at them all as starters. It's just their opportunity to step up and play well, and be excited that they have that opportunity. We're disappointed the opportunity is there. That means somebody got hurt. But we're also excited these guys who have been waiting for an opportunity like this get a chance."

Listed in the team's media guide as a tackle, Horn also spent time with the Bears working at guard. Horn played with the second team offense in the preseason, and drew praise from offensive line coach Mike Tice for his vast improvement from Year 1 to Year 2 with the team. Because Horn can play either inside or outside, the Bears could use him as a potential backup at two positions.

Asked whether Louis would be available for Sunday's contest, Tice said, "I don't know, he's trying. When Lance comes back we'll find a place for him to play."

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Chicago Bears right tackle Gabe Carimi expressed disappointment Thursday about not being able to participate Sunday in what would have been his first game playing against his favorite childhood team in the Green Bay Packers.

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Chicago Bears general manager Jerry Angelo not only defended his offensive line's play during Sunday's 30-13 loss to the New Orleans Saints, but Angelo also praised the Bears' offseason efforts to improve the beleaguered unit.

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