Mark Anderson News

I guess it was inevitable that wea d hear talk of the Bears dumbing down the playbook.

In football, a 24-point win should feel great. But the vibe in the Chicago Bears locker room and post-game press conference was just short of "relieved." Despite Chicago's own struggles in last week's 35-point loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, the laughable 1-6 Cleveland Browns were no challenge.

Pounded the previous week and losers of two consecutive games, the Chicago Bears couldn't afford to go down again.

Bears left defensive end Adewale Ogunleye agreed the Browns look awful on offense, from a statistical standpoint.

If Mark Anderson is concerned about how the addition of Gaines Adams will affect his playing time, the Bears defensive end has kept his feelings to himself.

Chicago Bears general manager Jerry Angelo said new defensive end Gaines Adams will be active Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals .

"Just going out and just practicing hard is the first thing, and just earning their respect," Adams said.

The Bears on Friday night traded their second-round pick in next year's draft for Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Gaines Adams , the fourth overall pick in the 2007 draft.

Are the Bears trying to send a message to their defensive ends by trading for Gaines Adams? Christopher K. Atwood, Illinois I don't think that's the case at all.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. General manager Jerry Angelo coveted Gaines Adams in the 2007 draft.

If you would have known in August that after four games the Bears would have had all of one sack from the "three technique" position, you probably would have assumed their defensive line was succeeding like a four-man relay team with one of its runners wearing cement shoes.

Like an old car battery, it took the Bears awhile to get cranked up Sunday, especially on defense.

If another team should dial up the Bears on draft day one April offering a couple of fifth round picks for a first round pick, the Bears might want to consider it.

Three games into the era of Lovie Smith as defensive coordinator, I took a look at the tendencies the team has had using the blitz thus far .

LAKE FOREST, Ill. Off to the best start in his nine-year NFL career, Adewale Ogunleye credits his early success in part to the arrival of first-year defensive line coach Rod Marinelli.

Posted by ESPN.com's Kevin Seifert This summer, we had a number of Chicago players exalt the work done by new defensive line coach Rod Marinelli.

' wish to be on the field more Sunday was granted by the coaching staff -- and he did something with it -- in easily his best game since the middle of last season.

Notes: After being selected in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL Draft out of Alabama, Mark Anderson led all rookies in sacks from a situational pass-rush role, notching 48 tackles, 12 sacks and three other tackles for loss with four forced fumbles and finished second in voting for Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.

UPDATE: Alex Brown and Earl Bennett have returned to the game. Maybe the Bears are trying to catch up with the banged up Seahawks in terms of injuries.

The Bears defense, seen here engulfing Pittsburgh Steelers running back Willie Parker last week, will have to contain speedy Seattle Seahawks quarterback Seneca Wallace.