Chicago
Bears

That's the kind of combination that results in double-digit losses and mass firings. To turn it around, the defensive line needs to play as it did in the first four weeks, when it was instrumental in getting 14 sacks and pacing a 3-1 start. Since then, the 4-4 Bears have had two sacks and one win in four games. Thursday night in San Francisco, on national TV against the 3-5 49ers, the Bears need a team revival. And a lot of individuals need to redeem themselves for the past four weeks.

"I think I do," said defensive left end Adewale Ogunleye, who had 4.5 sacks in the first four games but none in the last four. "I'm just going to speak for myself and the defensive line. I think we need to step it up a little bit better, a lot better to help this team out. For us to get to where we want to go, we've got to play a lot better on the defensive line."

It would seem they couldn't play much worse. With the exception of defensive right end Alex Brown, who has the Bears' only two sacks in the past 38 days, no members of the veteran defensive line have made much of an impact. Against the Bengals, the Bears defense allowed scores on the first seven possessions. Against the Cardinals, it was the first six.

"We got embarrassed, and it's not a good feeling," nose tackle Anthony Adams said. "So anytime something like that happens, you always want to go back on the field and correct your wrong. I always say the best medicine is just to be out there on the field. We get a chance to go back out there on the field and show back up on Thursday."

SERIES HISTORY: 58th meeting. Bears lead 29-27-1 in the regular season. They've won the past three meetings and four of the last five, although all of the victories were at Soldier Field. The Niners have won all three postseason meetings.

"We've done it before," coach Lovie Smith said. "That's an option for us. Right now we don't know exactly how long Garrett will be out. We've gone with two running backs before, and if we have to do that, we will."

The Chiefs on Monday released troubled running back Larry Johnson, who rushed for 3,539 yards and 37 touchdowns in 2005 and '06 but averaged just 2.7 yards per carry this season and turns 30 on Nov. 19.

"Any player that's available, we look at," Smith said. "That's been our standard policy throughout. That's kind of a low priority right now."

--Talented 49ers tight end Vernon Davis is well on his way to a career year, with 42 catches for 477 yards and seven touchdowns already, and he evidently believes he'll be able to pad those stats Thursday night against the Bears.

"I think we can destroy their guys up front," Davis told Bay Area reporters Tuesday. "I don't see anything spectacular about their front line. Their LBs, I think we can handle them pretty well. I like (defensive end Adewale) Ogunleye, I think he's performing well for them, but he's the only guy I like in their line."

The Bears have allowed 86 points in their last two losses, which was duly noted by Davis.

"They've given up a lot of points," he said. "There's an opportunity for us, especially there in their secondary, for us to make plays. We just have to go out and do it. Enough talking, go do it."

--On the Cardinals' first four drives last Sunday, all of which resulted in touchdowns, Arizona ran 33 plays and picked up 20 first downs and 296 yards. Quarterback Kurt Warner completed 15 of 19 passes for 165 yards and all four scores.

The Cardinals also converted their first eight third-down situations on Sunday, even though six of them required 5 yards or more.

"Defensively, third downs have killed us most of the year," coach Lovie Smith said. "They hurt us again (Sunday)."

The Chicago defense has allowed opponents to convert 42.2 percent of their third downs, 25th in the league.

BY THE NUMBERS: 86 -- Points the Bears have allowed in their last two losses, 45-10 to the Bengals on Oct. 25 and 41-21 to the Cardinals last Sunday.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "I'm not happy with it. What do you think? Do you think I'm happy in this situation right now, happy with that (Cardinals) game? So, to confirm what you were thinking, no, I'm not (happy)." -- Bears coach Lovie Smith, when asked if he is angry about his team's 4-4 record.

Bullocks, a five-year veteran who started 49 games for the Saints in his first four seasons, is listed as the backup free safety behind Danieal Manning.

"We have a few guys down, but this time of the year it's normally like that," coach Lovie Smith said. "We have some other options still. We'll see how it goes, how the guys feel (Wednesday)."

PLAYER NOTES

--WR Devin Hester has 27 catches for 359 yards in the past four games with at least six catches and 81 yards each week. He's on pace for 82 catches and 1,096 yards for the season.

--WR Earl Bennett, who did not catch a pass last season as a rookie, has 17 catches for 227 yards in the past four games, and he's on pace for a 64-catch, 854-yard season.

--TE Greg Olsen has six TD catches in the past six games.

--CB Charles Tillman (shoulder) was limited at Tuesday's practice but is expected to start Thursday.

--S Josh Bullocks will start at strong safety if both Al Afalava and Kevin Payne, who are Nos. 1 and 2 on the depth chart, do not play.

GAME PLAN: Based on their problems stopping the run in recent weeks, the Bears must make containing Frank Gore a priority.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH: 49ers RB Frank Gore, who is averaging 5.6 yards a carry, against a Bears defense that has allowed 397 rushing yards in its past two losses, including 189 to the Bengals' Cedric Benson on Oct. 25.

Bears RB Matt Forte, who has been held to 66 or fewer rushing yards in six of eight games this season and is averaging just 3.6 yards per carry, vs. 49ers MLB Patrick Willis, who is third in the NFL with 77 tackles, and the 49ers run defense, which is allowing just 93.2 yards per game, fourth best in the league.

Bears QB Jay Cutler, who threw for 369 yards and three touchdowns last week, vs. the 49ers pass defense, which has allowed 241.0 yards per game, 24th in the NFL. Cutler has already been sacked 19 times, but the 49ers have just 17 sacks, and no individual has more than three.

INJURY IMPACT: DT Tommie Harris (knee), CB Charles Tillman (shoulder) and TE Desmond Clark (neck) were limited but all are expected to play Thursday.

RB Garrett Wolfe (back/kidney) and strong safeties Al Afalava (shoulder) and Kevin Payne (back) did not practice Tuesday. Wolfe is out, but Afalava and Payne are questionable.