Thornton, Starr, Rentie and Davis.
They haven`t replaced Payton, Gault, Fencik and Marshall as household names in Chicago yet. But these rookies` actions spoke volumes in front of 60,386 fans Saturday night when they helped lead the Bears to 20-17 exhibition victory over the Miami Dolphins at newly sodded Soldier Field.
Tight end James Thornton caught two passes for 49 yards, including a 25-yarder from Mike Tomczak for a touchdown that tied the game 14-14 in the third quarter. Rookie free agent Eric Starr plunged for the go-ahead TD early in the fourth quarter and gained a team-high 28 yards on six carries. The 5-foot-9-inch, 199-pounder from North Carolina also returned two kickoffs for 31 yards.
”Starr and Thornton have been impressive all through camp,” said coach Mike Ditka.
Rookie Caesar Rentie and John Wojciechowski, pressed into a starting tackle roles because of injuries to Keith Van Horne and Jim Covert, came through with solid efforts.
”I haven`t seen films, but I would say that Caesar Rentie played pretty good,” Ditka said of the former Oklahoma reserve. ”I know these (Miami) guys aren`t the best pass-rushing team in the league, but our tackles did a pretty good job.”
First-round wide receiver Wendell Davis caught two passes for 74 yards, although a 47-yard reception was stripped from him.
Quarterbacks Jim McMahon, Tomczak and Jim Harbaugh also performed sharply, but Ditka didn`t place much significance in the outcome. ”Miami probably played everybody. We tried to play everybody. What we`re going to try to do is build on the good things and correct the bad things,” he said.
The Dolphins marched 93 yards in 13 plays on the opening drive, scoring on Dan Marino`s 14-yard pass to James Pruitt. Marino completed passes in three third-down situations, including 19- and 18-yarders to Mark Clayton.
”We had some problems on the first three third downs they made,” said Ditka. ”That was a problem we had last year. We`ve got to get a little better in that area. It`s got to come with confidence. The rush was pretty good. We just have to do a better job of covering. Marino (6 for 11 for 64 yards) did a good job of getting rid of the ball.”
The Bears countered with a tying TD early in the second quarter. Neal Anderson (7 carries, 23 yards) scored on a 1-yard run to cap a 14-play, 70-yard drive.
Pruitt notched his second TD with 10:07 left in the second period to give Miami a 14-7 advantage. Ron Jaworski passed 24 yards to Pruitt, who shook off two tacklers with elusive sideline moves.
Tomczak took over for McMahon in the second period and guided the Bears from their 16 to the 44 before a pass intended for Dennis McKinnon was picked off by linebacker Mark Brown.
”That pass was a pretty darn good throw,” said Ditka. ”He just tried to fit it into a tight spot.”
On the Bears` next possession, Tomczak took the Bears from their own 25 to the Miami 13, but Kevin Butler`s 30-yard field-goal try was deflected by linebacker Rick Graf.
The Bears were not denied early in the second half, however, as Tomczak passed 25 yards to Thornton for the tying TD.
”Thornton made a good adjustment on the play,” said Ditka. ”We thought the safety would run with him, but he didn`t. The linebacker came off and bobbed him in and Thornton had the presence of mind to turn it upfield. I told Jim when we drafted him that I think he can be as good as he wants to be.”
Tomczak and Thornton hooked up on a 24-yarder before the scoring toss. A 15-yard pass to rookie fullback Brad Muster sustained the drive on third down. McMahon, who said his strained right arm did not bother him, completed 4 of 6 passes for 33 yards. Tomczak was 8 of 13 for 119 yards, a TD and one interception. Harbaugh was 5 of 6 for 97 yards.
Tomczak, in his fourth year, thinks this is the season to prove himself as a consistent performer.
”Being in there week in and week out, showing people you can play, is a big plus,” said Tomczak. ”I move the team. I try not to make any mistakes. I feel I`m throwing the ball extremely well right now and doing some other things.”
Fuad Reveiz kicked a 42-yard field goal with 5:16 left in the third quarter to put Miami on top 17-14. Harbaugh took over for Tomczak with 5:06 to go in the period and promptly ushered the Bears into the lead from their 21.
The drive featured three carries for 14 yards by Muster, two for 18 by Starr and a 27-yard pass from Harbaugh to Davis. Starr`s 1-yard plunge was ruled a TD on an instant-replay decision. Free-agent kicker Tim Lashar slipped on his extra-point approach and the kick was blocked, leaving the Bears with a 20-17 edge.
”Starr has intrigued us all along,” said Ditka. ”He looks like a little kid, but he puts 199 pounds on that frame. He has good speed and catches the ball well. We`re only allowed to keep 47 guys, but we`ll try to do the best thing for the Bears. We`ll look at all these young kids.”
Harbaugh hooked up with Davis on a 47-yard completion midway through the fourth quarter. But Davis had the ball stripped from him by DeShon Jenkins. Reyna Thompson recovered the fumble for Miami and advanced it 3 yards to his 10.
Behind rookie quarterback Kerwin Bell, the Dolphins drove to the Bears`
30. But Reveiz`s 47-yard field-goal attempt with 1:35 left was short and wide right.
Miami got another chance when Bear rookie Harvey Reed fumbled the ball away at his 34, but the defense preserved the victory.
