The game-changer
A free year’s subscription to the first reader who can state a compelling reason why the Chiefs, or any other team left on the Bears’ schedule, would punt or kick off directly to Devin Hester. There isn’t one, as Hester’s game-changing 73-yard punt return for a TD in the second quarter reminded the league and 62,095 fans at Soldier Field. Did Kansas City buy into that sophomore jinx stuff? Hester would have had two touchdowns if his 95-yard sprint for a score on a third-quarter kickoff hadn’t been nullified by a penalty.
Offensive questions remain
Cedric Benson answered questions about whether he was a soft runner with a solid but unspectacular 101-yard effort. But Rex Grossman left more doubts after two second-half interceptions that gave the offense seven turnovers in the first two games. That’s unacceptable for a unit that has produced only one touchdown. Grossman got booed off the field after the second pick. The crowd realized what Grossman must know: Eventually he will have to show some individual progress even if the Bears keep winning. Or else.
No dropoff in ‘D’
The defense was missing the injured Mike Brown and Dusty Dvoracek, but who could tell? Not with the defense generating two fourth-quarter turnovers that rescued the Bears from themselves. Two new starters were key, as tackle Darwin Walker penetrated and safety Danieal Manning alertly picked off a pass in the end zone. When Larry Johnson (55) and LaDainian Tomlinson (25) can’t combine for 100 yards in successive weeks against the Bears’ defense, that says it’s a championship group.
Special effort
Besides Hester, Dave Toub’s special teams turned in another effort that illustrated how deep the 53-man roster is. It also reinforced the value of the team concept. Israel Idonije’s blocked 48-yard field-goal attempt regained momentum. Newly signed punter Dirk Johnson averaged 49.8 yards on four punts before injuring his leg. And though it wasn’t a special-teams play, offensive tackle John St. Clair’s 2-yard touchdown catch on a tackle-eligible play was the first contribution from little-known players who made a big difference.
