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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.

RISING

1. Jay Cutler, QB: Cutler continues to earn a spot on the list because of his penchant for late-game heroics. Cutler passed for only 159 yards against Pittsburgh, but he rallied the troops in the fourth quarter after the Steelers cut the Bears' lead to four points. Cutler's brilliant trio of third-down conversions on the fourth-quarter drive that culminated with Earl Bennett's 17-yard touchdown reception is further proof of Cutler's new-found resiliency. In the past, the Bears probably lose that game Sunday night due to a late turnover. But the 2013 version of Cutler remains poised in adverse situations, even when he makes a bad throw or takes a hit in the pocket. Calm Cutler has a 94.2 quarterback rating through three games, exactly the kind of numbers the Bears want to see.

2. D.J. Williams, LB: There were never any internal concerns that starting Williams at middle linebacker over Jon Bostic would stunt the rookie's growth. Williams' occasional rusty play in the first two weeks did make you wonder if the Bears made the right call. But Williams eased concerns Sunday night when he registered two sacks, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble despite playing his fewest snaps of the season. Bostic's time will come. The Bears view the second-round pick as a future starter and the first linebacker off the bench in the event of an injury, but Williams has solidified a spot for himself on the first team. It's hard to envision the Bears turning back to Bostic at MLB in 2013 unless Williams gets hurt.

3. Lance Briggs, LB: Sticking with the linebacker theme, Briggs is playing like a man possessed, even with his new-found on-field responsibilities. Briggs is a vicious hitter and a seasoned playmaker. The press box stats awarded Briggs seven tackles, one sack, one tackle for loss, one pass defensed and the forced fumble that landed in the arms of Julius Peppers and returned for a touchdown to close out the game at Heinz Field. Has Briggs turned into a better player without Brian Urlacher or are we just noticing him more? Whatever the reason, Briggs is making a strong case to return to the Pro Bowl after a rare snub last year.

FALLING

1. Michael Bush, RB: Bush is a tremendous weapon in short-yardage goal-line situations and gave tremendous effort to score from 1 yard out in the first quarter. But it's been a little surprising the Bears haven't used him more in light of the hefty contract he signed in 2012 to serve as the No. 2 running back behind Matt Forte. Bush has carried the ball 16 times for just 24 yards (1.5 yards per attempt) in three games. Surely, Bush can do more for the Bears offense than simply serving as a battering ram in the red zone. Remember, Bush rushed for almost 1,000 yards for the Raiders in 2011, and once ran for 177 yards in a game against Tampa Bay. With Forte banged up after the Steelers game, Bears coach Marc Trestman hinted that Bush will have an expanded role Sunday in Detroit.

2. Anthony Walters, S/ST: Walters is the No. 4 safety on the roster because of the niche on special teams he's carved for himself. There is nothing wrong with being aggressive and trying to block a punt, but you can't come up empty handed if you leave your feet and dive at the punter. Walters came up empty on a blocked punt attempt in the second quarter and instead got flagged 15 yards for roughing the punter. That play gave the Steelers a fresh set of downs and ultimately led to a Pittsburgh touchdown that swung the momentum back in favor of the home team. Against a better team, a special-teams error like that could end up being the difference between a win or a loss.

3. Henry Melton, DT: Injuries are a cruel part of the game. This is not meant to kick Melton while he's down, but the course of the defensive tackle's career has been altered after he tore his left ACL on Sunday night. Melton is unlikely to receive a long-term free-agent deal in the spring -- that's just the reality of the situation -- but that doesn't mean his prospects of one day signing another lucrative contract are over. One-year "prove it" deals are a common part of life for NFL veterans. Just look around the Bears locker room at all the guys with contracts set to expire. Melton's inspiration should be starting linebackers Williams and James Anderson, both of whom are betting on themselves to parlay one-year deals into something more lucrative in the future, either in Chicago or someplace else. That needs to be Melton's goal. Look at it this way: After being overpaid as the franchise player in 2013, Melton is expected to be underpaid in 2014. That's just how it goes. But Melton can go a long way toward making sure he's not underpaid in 2015 by seriously attacking his knee rehabilitation over the next eight months.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- The Chicago Bears knew at the end of last season the team desperately needed a massive overhaul on the offensive line. Mission accomplished. General manager Phil Emery tackled the issue of improving the line by investing significant resources in both free agency and the NFL draft en route to acquiring left tackle Jermon Bushrod, left guard Matt Slauson, right guard Kyle Long and right tackle Jordan Mills -- leaving veteran center Roberto Garza as the lone holdover from 2012.

This new-look group will be put to the test immediately in Week 1. The Cincinnati Bengals come to town Sunday with arguably one of the top defensive lines in the NFL, led by the game’s premiere three-technique defensive tackle Geno Atkins, who inked a lucrative five-year contract extension after he led all interior defensive linemen last season with 12.5 sacks to go along with a team-high 15 tackles for loss.

As a unit, the Bengals’ defensive line recorded 43 sacks last season and helped the defense rank sixth in fewest yards allowed.

This should present a terrific challenge up front for the Bears, especially for the Long/Mills rookie right side of the offensive line. Atkins told the Chicago media during a conference call on Wednesday that he was impressed by Long’s performance in the preseason after the first-round pick won the starting job outright. The Atkins-Long matchup is expected to be one of the most intriguing battles on Sunday.

“He’s big and he’s physical, very aggressive and a strong player,” Atkins said. “And by watching him, you can tell he likes to get after defensive linemen. He likes to get off, be aggressive and show his strength.”

Atkins also praised Bears tailback Matt Forte, who averaged 9.9 yards per carry on 15 rushing attempts behind the offensive line in the preseason. Forte is expected to be a focal point of the Bears’ offense in Week 1.

“He’s very, I want to say, shifty,” Atkins said. “He likes to cut back, so, I mean, he’s very explosive. If you give him a cutback lane, he will take it back and make you pay. To me, that makes him a dynamic player.
They’ve got tons of playmakers like Jay Cutler, Forte and Michael Bush. The offensive line is pretty stout. They’re a big group. And Brandon Marshall. They’re already loaded, so we just have to get after them.”

While the groundwork for every NFL campaign is primarily laid in the offseason, championships are never won in May.

But organizations need to set lofty goals. Have you ever heard of an NFL team striving for mediocrity?

So while a part of me wants to cringe when I read Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley quoted in the Detroit News saying that his team is "going to the Super Bowl”, or watch a video of Detroit running back Reggie Bush tell reporters that he signed with the Lions "to win championships," the reality is that every NFL player should feel that way about the prospects of his respective club this time of the year.

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» NFC Eight in the Box: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

How does each NFC North team look at running back, and what still needs to be done?

Chicago Bears: If you were drawing up plans for an experienced but diverse backfield, you could do a lot worse than modeling after the Bears. Starter Matt Forte is a shifty off-tackle runner and one of the NFL's top pass-catching running backs, a collection of skills that will fit neatly into new coach Marc Trestman's offense. Forte has caught 267 passes since his career started in 2008, the third-most in the NFL by a running back over that stretch. Backup Michael Bush, meanwhile, is a bigger and stronger inside threat who gives the Bears a better option in short-yardage and goal-line situations. He produced a first down on 24.6 percent of his rushes last season, according to ESPN Stats & Information, the 10th-best percentage in the NFL. As long as Forte and Bush are healthy, the Bears' relatively thin depth behind them is irrelevant.

Detroit Lions: Free agent acquisition Reggie Bush figures to benefit from opponents' attention on receiver Calvin Johnson to much greater extent than the Lions' backfield did last season. Early indications are the Lions will use Bush similarly to the way the New Orleans Saints did earlier in his career. With the Saints in 2006, Bush caught 88 passes. Training camp should bring competition for the right to be the "thumper" behind Bush. Will it be 2011 second-round draft choice Mikel Leshoure, who looked slow and not very elusive after returning last season from a torn Achilles tendon? (No NFL running back had as many touches as Leshoure without at least one play of at least 20 yards.) Or will it be the lesser-known Joique Bell, who as Pro Football Focus points out, made defenders miss regularly last season. He forced 26 missed tackles in 82 carries and actually averaged more yards after contact (2.99) than Bush did with the Miami Dolphins (2.06).

Green Bay Packers: The team re-made its backfield through the draft after years of transition, throwing the situation into unknown territory. At some point, the Packers will have to thin the herd of a group that includes returnees DuJuan Harris, James Starks, Alex Green and John Kuhn, along with rookies Eddie Lacy and Johnathan Franklin. The competition is wide open, although both Starks and Green have failed when given previous opportunities. Lacy's build and pedigree suggests he has an excellent chance to ultimately win the starting job, but Harris impressed the team late last season and could get the first shot this summer.

Minnesota Vikings: Adrian Peterson. Is there much more to say? Historically, runners who put together a 2,000-yard season tend to fall back the following year. But nothing about Peterson's career suggests he will fit neatly into a trend. He has set a goal of 2,500 yards, and however unrealistic it might be, he has earned the benefit of the doubt. Backup Toby Gerhart is in his fourth and presumably last season as Peterson's understudy. While Gerhart hasn't shown much explosion in short stints in Peterson's place, you would think he'll want to look elsewhere for more carries when his contract expires after this season.

ESPNChicago examines potential unrestricted free agents at positions of need for the Bears.

Free agency previews: S | CB | DT | DE | G | WR | TE | QB | LB | OT »

The Chicago Bears invested heavily in their ground game last offseason when they awarded lucrative contracts to Matt Forte (four years, $30.4 million, $17.1 million guaranteed) and Michael Bush (four years, $14 million, $7 million guaranteed), only to see both players have relatively modest seasons amid talk that neither was used enough.

Forte managed to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards (1,094) for the third time in his five-year NFL career, but his average yards-per-carry fell from 4.9 to 4.4, and he also set career-lows in receptions with 44 for 340 yards. However, Forte remains one of the top all-purpose backs in the league and should be one of the key offensive pieces moving forward under new Bears coach Marc Trestman.

Injuries seemed to limit Bush, who dealt with shoulder and rib issues during his first season in Chicago after a successful four-year stint with the Oakland Raiders. But even when Bush was healthy last season, he did little more than provide the Bears with an effective and powerful goal-line back.

Bush views himself as much more than simply a battering ram in the red zone, but he only carried the ball 114 times and caught nine passes in 13 games. In Bush's final year in Oakland, he ran the ball 256 times and had 37 receptions while starting nine of the Raiders' 16 regular season games. Everybody knew Bush came to Chicago to back up Forte, but Bush probably believed he would see more action in the Bears' backfield when he signed.

With Forte ($7.175) and Bush ($3.550) scheduled to eat up a combined $10.725 million in salary cap space in 2013, the Bears' only objective this offseason might be to upgrade at the No. 3 running back spot, although options do exist internally.

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The Chicago Bears placed running back Michael Bush on injured reserve on Tuesday and re-signed Khalil Bell, the team announced.

Read the entire story.

After the Chicago Bears' 21-14 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, here are three issues that merit further examination:

1. 

   ESPN.com
   Quarterback Jay Cutler said during his ESPN 1000 radio show that his stiff neck shouldn't keep him out of next Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers. Cutler allowed the Vikings to set the tone with a pass rush that prevented him from finding a rhythm. He completed only one of eight passes against the Vikings' blitz for eight yards, according to ESPN's Stats & Information. And Sunday might have been one of the few occasions when Cutler has forced the ball too often to receiver Brandon Marshall. Cutler (14) and backup Jason Campbell (one) threw 15 passes to Marshall that traveled at least 10 yards in the air. That was the highest total in one game for a wide receiver in at least the past five years. Cutler completed only two of seven such throws in the second half, one of which was intercepted and returned for a touchdown by Vikings safety Harrison Smith, and the Bears couldn't close the gap created by an early deficit.
2. Running back Michael Bush only got two snaps because of a recurring rib injury that had left him questionable for the game. That is one of an inordinate amount of injuries the Bears are dealing with for their key people. Cutler might miss some practice time this week. Bush obviously had a setback. Receiver Earl Bennett is trying to come back from a concussion. Linebacker Brian Urlacher has a hamstring injury that could keep him off the field for the rest of the regular season. The same goes for cornerback Tim Jennings' shoulder injury. Place-kicker Robbie Gould's calf strain might necessitate reinforcements. Rookie defensive end Shea McClellin suffered a knee injury Sunday that prevented his return. Two of the Bears' best special teams players, Craig Steltz and Sherrick McManis, left Sunday's game because of chest and knee injuries, respectively. That's a long list of ailments for a team that needs to win at least two of its last three games, and perhaps all of them, to make the playoffs.
3. The Bears rotated Edwin Williams and James Brown at left guard, with Brown actually getting more snaps (42) than Williams (36). Offensive coordinator Mike Tice has spoken highly of Brown since training camp, and you wonder if he is considering using Brown as a starter as Chris Spencer deals with a knee injury. Brown is an undrafted rookie and the Bears have already used five different starting guards this season, but his sudden entrance into the game Sunday was worth noting.

And here is one issue I still don't get:

Earlier this season, we noted the Bears hadn't established an offensive identity. Other than Cutler's connection to Marshall, it wasn't easy to come up with a long list of things the Bears do well offensively. After Week 14, that's still the case. They rank No. 18 in the NFL in yards per carry (4.2), No. 27 in passing yards per game and No. 28 in scoring. At the end of this season, whenever that comes, we'll have to ask whether the Bears' preseason plan to mesh their former scheme, Tice's philosophies and the ideas of quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates all into one offense was too complicated a task.

Even when they were 2-3, the Green Bay Packers still figured to be right there battling for NFC North supremacy with the Chicago Bears at the end of the season. And after five wins in their past six games, here they are, a game behind the Bears with a Dec. 16 game at Soldier Field looming.

Which team will be at the top of the division standings at the end of the season? Our panel weighs in on that and more:

Fact or Fiction: The Bears will win the NFC North.

Jeff Dickerson: Fiction. The Bears still have to prove they can defeat Green Bay before we can anoint them NFC North champions. But with a one-game lead over the Packers in the standings, the Bears hold their own destiny heading into Sunday's home game against the Seattle Seahawks. Right now, it looks as if the Bears have a good shot to win their fourth division title under Lovie Smith, but until they can find a way to knock off Green Bay, that kind of talk is somewhat premature.

Michael C. Wright: Fact. It won't be easy to beat Minnesota at its house on Dec. 9, followed by a struggling Packers squad at home on Dec. 16. But the Bears proved in the 2011 finale they could defeat the Vikings on the road, and I’'m not sure Green Bay can fix its myriad issues sufficiently enough before its meeting with the Bears. It's somewhat concerning that Chicago plays its last two games on the road at Arizona, before finishing up at Detroit. Despite Arizona's 4-7 record, a trip to the West Coast won't be easy. But then again, by then, it's likely the Cardinals would have already given up on the season. Besides, victories in the next three games could pretty much wrap up the division for the Bears. They're certainly capable of winning the next three, but they've got to get off to a good start toward accomplishing that goal Sunday against the Seahawks.

Scott Powers: Fiction. I still think it's the Packers' division to take. They weren't too impressive against the Giants, but I could see the Packers winning out. Their remaining schedule is Minnesota, Detroit, Chicago, Tennessee and Minnesota. If the Bears defeat Seattle on Sunday, the division likely will come down to their game with the Packers on Dec. 16 at Soldier Field. The Bears have struggled against the league’'s elite teams so far, including their early-season loss to Green Bay, so the Packers have the edge as of now.

Jon Greenberg: Fiction. Green Bay is going to come into Soldier Field and steal a win on Dec. 16. I took a spin through ESPN.com’'s Playoff Machine, and I had the Bears and Packers going 12-4, with Green Bay taking the tiebreaker. The Bears better hope that doesn't happen, because it could mean they travel to play the New York Giants in the first round. That spells trouble for Cutler and the Bears' chances to return to the NFC championship.

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It wasn't the quantity of rushing yards that defined Michael Bush's value to the Chicago Bears on Sunday, but the quality of two goal-line carries.

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After the Chicago Bears' 13-6 loss to the Houston Texans, here are three issues that merit further examination:

1. 

   ESPN.com
   Bears coach Lovie Smith acknowledged Monday that "we think" quarterback Jay Cutler suffered his concussion on a hit by Texans linebacker Tim Dobbins with 2:30 remaining in the first half on Sunday night. So why did Cutler remain in the game? Smith insisted that he was evaluated by the team's medical staff before the next play and did not show any concussion symptoms until halftime. According to Smith, that's why Cutler played seven more snaps over two possessions. "Our trainer talked to him, evaluated him, and he was fine from there," Smith said. "Players from the huddle didn't see anything wrong with him. Not just then. We continued to talk to him all the way out until halftime. … If you look at his play, it's not like he was light on his feet or starry-eyed or anything like that. We felt like he was in control of everything." There are two options here. One is that the Bears fell short on their medical protocol, either failing to examine Cutler thoroughly or making an inaccurate initial diagnosis. The other is that Cutler had a relatively minor concussion that didn't present right away. Regardless, given the concussion climate in today's NFL, it's fair to consider Cutler questionable at best for next Monday's game against the San Francisco 49ers.
2. Going back to Week 7 of last season, the Bears are 12-1 in games Cutler starts and finishes and 1-6 in those he either doesn't play or leaves early. That's precisely why the Bears spent $3.5 million to sign Jason Campbell this offseason, hoping that he could bridge any Cutler absence better than Caleb Hanie and Josh McCown did last season. Replacing Cutler at halftime of a bad-weather game against a tough opponent was far from ideal, but as Smith said, "that's why you bring in a veteran like Jason Campbell." You can only assume Campbell will look more comfortable with a week of preparation, but it's not unheard of for a premium backup to play better under unexpected circumstances than Campbell did. He was exceedingly cautious, attempting only two passes that traveled more than 10 yards past the line of scrimmage. He also had trouble against the Texans' blitz, completing only three of 10 passes when they brought at least five pass-rushers.
3. The Bears' defense did a fine job against Texans quarterback Matt Schaub, holding him to 14 completions and 95 total yards. But the Texans were able to run the ball much better than anticipated. Tailback Arian Foster was one of the few runners to beat the Bears to the outside, gaining 45 of his 102 yards outside the tackles, according to ESPN Stats & Information. In their first seven games, the Bears defense allowed only 107 total yards outside the tackles. Just something to keep an eye on.

And here is one issue I still don't get:

Normally I'm in favor of a "number count" approach to calling offense. If the defense is lined up to stop the run, you pass. Likewise, if the defense is aligned to stop the pass, you run. But considering Sunday night's rain and wind, it was surprising to see the Bears throw so much in the first half while Cutler was in the game. Cutler dropped back on 17 of his 25 first-half plays. He threw 14 passes and scrambled three times. Meanwhile, Matt Forte and Michael Bush combined for 22 yards on eight carries. Whether or not the Bears should be able to throw in the rain and wind, and regardless of the advantage receivers should have in unsure footing, it became clear pretty early that the Bears were having trouble throwing. How bad? Cutler completed only one pass that traveled more than five yards past the line of scrimmage (in eight attempts). You don't normally want to force the run, but in this case I'm not sure why the Bears were so willing to throw.

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 10:

Big-time clash: As we noted earlier this week, Sunday night's game at Soldier Field will feature a rare matchup in the second half of the season. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it will be only the fifth time since 1970 that a pair of one-loss teams have met in Week 10 or later. Ten of ESPN's 14 experts are predicting a Bears victory, but the oddsmakers have made the Bears slim 1.5-point favorites playing at home. One reason: The Texans have not been prone to the kind of mistakes the Bears have capitalized on this season. The Bears lead the NFL with 28 takeaways, but the Texans have the fewest turnovers (six). That's not good news for those who hope the Texans will collapse under the pressure of a prime-time game at Soldier Field. It could happen, but so far the Texans are 3-0 on the road this season.

The running game: The Texans technically have the NFL's second-best run defense because they are allowing an average of 81.9 rushing yards per game. But it's only fair to point out that opponents have attempted the second-fewest running plays against them (165), probably because of early deficits. Opponents' 4.0 yards per carry is tied for No. 22 overall in the league. So while we discussed the possibility that the Bears could see some favorable early looks in their passing game, there is every reason to think they should test the Texans' run defense with Matt Forte and Michael Bush. (Remember, the NFC North is once again the Black and Blue division!) Forte has broken free for runs of 46 and 39 yards over the past three weeks. If he or Bush scores a rushing touchdown Sunday, it will be the first on the ground the Texans' defense has given up this season.

Paring down: Over the past six weeks, the Detroit Lions have simplified their offense in ways that are obvious to knowledgeable outside observers. In preparing for Sunday's game at the Metrodome, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Alan Williams said the Lions have "narrowed down" their offensive menu. "They've streamlined what they're doing," Williams said. "Not a lot of formations like we saw last time [in Week 4]. They are sticking to a package and doing that well." That doesn't mean the Lions have been more conservative. In fact, quarterback Matthew Stafford has nine attempts that traveled at least 21 yards in the air over the past three weeks. It just means they have gotten back to one of offensive coordinator Scott Linehan's most basic tenets: having the ability to run a wide variety of plays with the same personnel packages.

Preparing for Reiff: We've spent plenty of time discussing the Lions' increasing frequency and impact of using offensive lineman Riley Reiff as a sixth offensive lineman/tight end. It has shifted from a novelty to a significant part of the Lions' offense, and the Vikings spent considerable time discussing and preparing for the look this week. Williams said: "[T]his might be a stretch in some sense, but he's a little bit like Adrian Peterson in that you can't simulate him in practice. Everyone thinks with Adrian that, 'Hey these are just designed plays for him and we stop this.' But when you get in a live situation, Adrian Peterson is a different deal. That's the same thing with the extra lineman coming in. He does a great job. He's athletic, he gets his pads down and he's going to be a handful." That's high praise from an opponent.

Peterson's power: What's most amazing about Peterson's 458-yard spurt over the past three weeks has been how it's largely come against defenses with at least one extra defender near the line of scrimmage. How is Peterson defeating those schemes? The answer is nothing more complicated than flat-out breaking tackles. Not only is Peterson leading the NFL with 515 yards after contact, 156 yards more than the next-best running back, but he is also averaging 3.1 yards per rush after first contact. The Lions have every reason to bring at least one of their safeties into the box to defend him, but if Peterson continues his current surge, they'll have to be prepared to gang-tackle him.

(Statistics courtesy of ESPN Stats & Information unless otherwise noted.)

After the Chicago Bears' 51-20 victory over the Tennessee Titans, here are three issues that merit further examination:

1. 

   ESPN.com
   The Bears' schedule is about to get much more difficult, with consecutive games against the 7-1 Houston Texans and the 6-2 San Francisco 49ers. But while we have a moment, we should note how well the Bears have eaten through the softer part of their season. Through nine weeks of the season, during which they've played one less game than some teams because of an early bye, the Bears have the highest point differential (116 points) in the NFL. That means they've outscored their opponents by a larger sum of points than any other team. The Texans are next at 100, followed by the New England Patriots at 92. Margin of victory is a mostly meaningless statistic in the NFL, unless the league needs to use its seventh or eighth tiebreaker to determine playoff inclusion or seeding. But it speaks to the Bears doing what good teams do: Beat up on lesser opponents.
2. What more can we say about Charles Tillman's season that we haven't already? He forced another four fumbles Sunday, bringing his season total to seven and allowing him to pass Charles Woodson on the NFL's all-time list for forced fumbles by a defensive back. Tillman has 34 in his career, second only to Brian Dawkins' 36. Keep in mind Dawkins played 16 years and Woodson is in his 15th season. Tillman's patented ability to punch the ball out of an opponent's hands has put him in the record books. We've mentioned him in the MVP discussion already. It's an unlikely scenario given the recent history of the award, but Tillman should be in the realistic conversation for NFL Defensive Player of the Year. The NFL record for most forced fumbles in a season is 10, according to pro-football-reference.com.
3. We've spent some time discussing why the Bears have favored Michael Bush over Matt Forte near the goal line. So it's worth noting that when Forte scored on an 8-yard run in the first quarter, it was his first goal-to-go carry of the season. Bush had taken each of the six such plays the Bears had run on this season, according to ESPN Stats & Information, and scored on three of them. Entering the season, Forte had the fourth-most goal-to-go rushes in his career and the lowest number of touchdowns among qualified runners. He now has 10 touchdowns on 87 goal-to-goal carries over five seasons.

And here is one issue I still don't get:

Receiver Brandon Marshall's three touchdown receptions brought his total to seven this season. Five of them have come with the Bears holding at least a 17-point lead. Quarterback Jay Cutler acknowledged that early leads have created more favorable one-high safety looks from opposing defenses, which apparently are assuming the Bears will run the ball with a lead. That's not to diminish anything Marshall has done this season. He has provided a play-making element the Bears haven't had in perhaps their history. But the real test for Marshall and the Bears will be whether he can help them build leads against the likes of the Texans, 49ers and Green Bay Packers. He's done it twice, against the Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions. It's much more difficult to operate against an opponent that is close behind than in a game that is a blowout. Can Marshall and Cutler do it? Let's see.

After the Chicago Bears' 23-22 victory over the Carolina Panthers, here are three issues that merit further examination:

1. 

   ESPN.com
   I don't care how favorable the matchups might have been, or the Bears believed them to be, against the Panthers' pass defense. It's hard to reconcile a game plan that called for more passes than runs in the first half. Jay Cutler was playing on a short week after his well-documented bruised ribs Monday night against the Detroit Lions. He also needed several moments to regroup after Panthers lineman Greg Hardy sacked him on the Bears' first play from scrimmage. At that point, if not before, the Bears would have been well-advised to feed a steadier diet of running backs Matt Forte and Michael Bush than they did. Cutler had 15 drop backs in the first half and was sacked six times. Forte and Bush combined for 10 carries over that stretch. I understand not wanting to limit the offense based on an injury Cutler said he could play with, and there's no doubt Cutler could have thrown the ball away a few times. But it wouldn't have been criminal to flip that run-pass ratio given Cutler's condition.
2. With that said, the Bears' offense deserves credit for taking exactly what the Panthers were giving it during its game-winning drive. As several have pointed out, including Panthers safety Charles Godfrey, Carolina never came out of its soft zone shell as the Bears took their yardage in small chunks on nearly identical plays. Cutler completed 5 of 6 attempts that gained between 4 and 12 yards, moving from the Bears' 22-yard line to the Panthers' 26 in two minutes, 16 seconds with only one timeout at his disposal. Cutler might be known for his aggressive downfield approach, but he smartly dialed it back on that final drive. It helps to know you have a reliable place-kicker in Robbie Gould, but there was a time in Cutler's career when he absolutely would have pressed the ball downfield against the Panthers' soft zone.
3. The Panthers didn't dare test cornerback Charles Tillman after he shut down the Lions' Calvin Johnson last Monday night. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), quarterback Cam Newton targeted receivers Tillman was covering on three of his 39 attempts. (One was caught.) Cornerback Tim Jennings was obviously the Panthers' target, and according to PFF he was covering a receiver Newton threw to on 17 of his attempts. Eight of the passes were complete for 127 yards, but Jennings also intercepted two of the passes -- returning one for a go-ahead touchdown -- and deflected another away. As we approach the season's midpoint, I think we can safely say the Bears have the NFL's best cornerback tandem. Both are on the way to the Pro Bowl. But here's a real question: Should Tillman and Jennings be the NFL's first-team All-Pro cornerbacks?

And here is one issue I still don't get:

When will the Bears get to the receiver rotation we all expected when the season began? Brandon Marshall and Earl Bennett have long histories with Cutler and he clearly trusts them without reservation. Regardless of Devin Hester's big-play potential, I think it's pretty clear the Bears are best suited to use Marshall, Bennett and rookie Alshon Jeffery -- when he returns from a fractured hand -- as their three-receiver set. Sunday, Hester played 40 snaps (73 percent) and Bennett 37 snaps (67 percent) on offense. Based on what I saw, Bennett is healthy and ready to leapfrog Hester on the depth chart.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Here are Five Things We Learned in the Chicago Bears' 41-3 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

1. The defense continues to save the day: Where would this team be without the defense? The amount of sacks, turnovers and defensive touchdowns so far this year has been remarkable. Need a big play to jumpstart a sluggish Bears offense? Here's a Charles Tillman 36-yard interception return for a score. Want to put an exclamation point going into the bye week? Here's Lance Briggs with another pick-six of his own. Tillman and Briggs are now the only two teammates to have each returned an interception for a touchdown in consecutive weeks. I've resisted calling this defense better than the 2006 unit that helped carry the Bears to the Super Bowl XLI, but I'm not sure how much longer I can hold out.

2. The offense folds when the pressure is on: What's going to happen when the Bears need Jay Cutler and the offense to win a game for them in the fourth quarter? Right now, that's impossible to answer, and it remains the biggest question mark on the table. Only when the defense gave the Bears a 13-3 late third-quarter lead (Tillman's pick-six) did Cutler and the offense wake up. Same story in Dallas. Same story versus St. Louis. When games are tight, it's the defense breaking through, then the quarterback follows suit. Cutler is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL when he's playing with the lead, but how much longer can the defense continue to score? Eventually, he's going to have to win some games late if the Bears want to win a Super Bowl.

3. Charles Tillman could be the best Bears DB in history: If he's not, then Tillman is certainly in the team photo. Look at the numbers: eight defensive touchdowns (No. 1 in team history), 32 interceptions for a cornerback (tied for No. 1 in team history), 30 forced fumbles (tied for No. 5 in the NFL since 2003), 131 career starts and eight seasons of 80-plus tackles. He can do it all. Not only that, Tillman plays hurt. He's gutted it out over the years despite a variety of injuries and still performs at a high level. Tillman’s current deal expires after the 2013 season, but the way he's going, it seems reasonable to wonder if one more contract extension is on the horizon.

4. Bears need more out of Gabe Carimi: The Bears’ first drive in the third quarter was a nightmare for Carimi when he surrendered a sack and got whistled for false start penalties on back-to-back plays. That sequence of events came after Carimi got nailed for a holding penalty in the second quarter that wiped out a Kellen Davis 12-yard gain. I firmly believe Carimi can be a very good offensive tackle in this league, but we just haven't seen it yet on a consistent basis. For all the grief J'Marcus Webb gets for his play on the left side, Carimi hasn't been much better on the right side. Carimi is a first round-pick. It's time he starts playing like one.

5. There is no doubting Michael Bush's athleticism: I really haven't heard people question whether or not Bush is an all-purpose back lately. Most Bears fans have accepted the fact Bush is much more than a power back built for the red zone. But if you're still on the fence, get off it. Bush hurdled a Jacksonville defender on Sunday and kept running. Yes, 6-foot-1, 245-pound Michael Bush jumped clear over a guy in the open field. The Bears are at their best with Matt Forte (107 yards), but Bush (26 yards on four carries) still looks one of the best No. 2 tailbacks in the league every time he touches the football. The Bears are lucky to have him.