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| Sports ExtraTuesday, October 7, 2008 6:07 PM CDT |
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Bears coach Lovie Smith: Sunday was the ‘best game’ on offense
LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Lovie Smith insists the heart of the Chicago Bears offense remains the running game. | NFL page | U Pick 'Em But the Bears’ head coach also said Monday that there was much to like about career-best efforts by quarterback Kyle Orton in last Sunday’s 34-7 victory over winless Detroit. The fourth-year pro set career highs in passing yards, completions and quarterback rating as Chicago (3-2) vaulted into sole possession of the NFC North lead. “I thought it was the best game we’ve played offensively,” said Smith during Monday’s press conference at the team’s Halas Hall training facility. “It all starts with the quarterback and Kyle Orton had a lot of passing yards and made a lot of great decisions spreading the football around. Orton, who was 24-of-34 for 334 yards, completed passes to seven different receivers and earned a 121.4 rating for the day. Bears offensive lineman Roberto Garza said Orton continues to grow. “From week to week he’s getting better and he’s doing a great job of getting this offense going,” Garza said. “Kyle and the receivers were definitely in sync and we did a good job throwing the ball. But we didn’t establish the run early. Our objective is to have a balanced attack and establishing the run early and throughout the game is where we need to get to.” Detroit’s defense loaded up to slow Chicago’s ground game, and that allowed Orton to spread the ball around. “We’re (still) a running team and we make to secret about that,” said Smith. “(But) our running game wasn’t able to get as many yards as it has in previous weeks. It happens like that sometimes so you have to pass the football a little more.” The Bears had only 97 net rushing yards as rookie running back Matt Forte and fifth-year pro Kevin Jones collected 36 yards apiece. Forte also had a pair of one-yard touchdown runs. The Lions, meanwhile, managed just 54 rushing yards thanks to a stiff Bears defense that also recorded four sacks. “On the defensive side, I thought we started off the game well with some of the pressure,” said Smith. “It’s always important to start the game fast. When a defense takes the field the first time, you need at least to get a takeaway or a three-and-out and we were able to do that.” Smith singled out was cornerback Charles Tillman, who had a 26-yard interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter. “It’s common to see (Tillman) stripping the football from receivers and it’s becoming common to see him in the end zone,” said Smith. “It was good to seem him score that way. “But our entire defense played well, good pressure on the quarterback with the sacks and of course, (defensive end) Alex Brown getting a sack with a take-away.” Smith said defensive back Tommie Harris will be back at practice this week and play this Sunday at Atlanta. He served a one-game suspension for an unspecified disciplinary violation. The Bears have a two-game winning streak entering Sunday’s game. The Falcons (3-2) have yet to win consecutive games this season but are 2-0 at the Georgia Dome. E-mail this story | Print this story | Search archives | RSS Show comments |  Hide comments | Hide comments on all stories |
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