August 13, 2007
What happened on special teams in Houston?
Wondering about a player, a past game or another issue involving the Bears? Senior writer Larry Mayer answers a variety of e-mail questions from fans every day on ChicagoBears.com.
Larry:
Overall the Bears looked good in their preseason opener. But I came away wondering why they struggled so much on kick coverage. Is this something we should be concerned about?
Mike O.
Moorhead, Minnesota
Mike: The Bears did allow a 78-yard kickoff return and a 22-yard punt return in Saturday night’s preseason win over the Texans, both of which led to Houston field goals. But coach Lovie Smith didn’t seem too concerned after the game, saying: “When you have a lot of players on there who normally don’t play special teams, that happens. I think when we get our core together, we’ll be OK. But you can’t allow those things.”
Larry:
Why are the Bears playing three games in 11 days in the preseason?
It seems that back-to-back games with only five days rest will put a lot of strain on the players.
Chad C.
Peosta, Iowa
Chad: The Bears are playing three preseason games in 11 days mainly because they were selected for a Monday Night Football game Aug. 20 against the Indianapolis Colts. Their final two preseason games are generally always on a Saturday and then a Thursday, but playing on Monday Night Football comes with having a successful team. I really don’t think it’s that big of a deal, not like it would be during the regular season. The Bears have more than 80 players on their roster and starters will probably only play the first half the second preseason game and just the first quarter in the preseason finale.
Larry:
I don’t remember hearing that J.D. Runnels was released, but he isn’t on the Bears roster. Where is he now?
Greg N.
Indianapolis, Indiana
Greg: J.D. Runnels tore an ACL during OTA workouts in June and has been lost for the season. In terms of his status with the Bears, he’s in limbo. He’s not on the active roster, but he could be placed on injured reserve.
LINK
What happened on special teams in Houston? - Chicago Bears
What happened on special teams in Houston? Q&A
What happened on special teams in Houston? Q&A
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