Thread: Preseason Week 3 - Bears @ Giants [Gameday]

By Brad Biggs, Tribune reporter5:26 p.m. CDT, August 20, 2012


Mike Tice confirmed the Chicago Bears’ search for a starting left tackle will continue through Friday’s third preseason game at the New York Giants.

The Bears are also expected to rotate left guards again and by the end of this weekend, the team expects to know its starting five offensive linemen.

J’Marcus Webb and Chris Spencer will start on the left side of the line against the Super Bowl champion Giants but Chris Williams and Chilo Rachal will get another run with the first team to complete the evaluation process.

Tice was pleased with the way the line pass-blocked in Saturday’s win over the Washington Redskins at Soldier Field, as the team held tight ends and running backs accountable for pressures vs. different blitzes.

“We felt like we made some strides in protection as it pertained to the offensive linemen but then we had some other positions and protection that weren't good enough for us to win at or grade out at winning,” Tice said after practice Monday at Halas Hall. “So we still have a lot of work to do as far as protection is concerned in trying to get to the right protection for us, you know, the ones that we can give our quarterback some time.

“We knew all along we had play-makers. It was a matter of getting the ball to them. Jay (Cutler) did a great job as did Jason (Campbell) at managing the line of scrimmage -- getting us into some things, getting us out of some things. So I felt that was good. With all that said, we're playing the defending Super Bowl champions this week and we'll really see if we're going to continue to get better because it's going to be a heck of a challenge for us. So we're looking forward to it and hopefully we can finish the week with as good a practice as we had last week and carry it over to the field again.”

Tice called the Giants the best test possible for his line, saying “I would think you would rather see this than the Little Sisters of the Poor. You want to go out there and play against the best because it calluses you. It makes you tough not only physically but mentally.

“Now, you really get a chance to evaluate your players and see where you're at. The 3-4 defense is 3-4 defense. Eventually at the end of the day your tackles are blocking big linebackers. So now you want to see them against some real large, athletic, strong defensive ends and then see where you're at.”

When Tice completed film review of the 33-31 victory over the Redskins, he did not see anything that alarmed him about the performance of Webb or Williams.

“There was nothing in the passing game I didn't like,” he said. “I thought pass-protection-wise we were really good. I thought in the run game we knew going in it was going to be hard to run against that front. They're playing an eight-man box the whole game. They're playing that shade on the tackle, very tough duty. I didn't think we were going to be that explosive in the run game. But we set ourselves a goal for explosive plays and we went out and got that in the passing game. Tackle-wise there was not a lot to beat up, I didn't think.

“They both played well so we'll see. This week is going to be ... let's face it, this is going to be the week. We'll all know when we watch the game.”

bmbiggs@tribune.com