DEFENSE TURNS UP HEAT

INDIANAPOLIS -- Chicago quarterbacks Chad Hutchinson and Kyle Orton thought they had to produce Saturday night.

Instead, the Bears' defense turned up the pressure on Indianapolis' high-scoring offense.

Hutchinson and Orton each led the Bears on touchdown drives, Chicago scored another TD on a punt return and Chicago's defense muzzled two-time MVP Peyton Manning in a 24-17 preseason victory.

``Our front four set the tone,'' Bears coach Lovie Smith said. ``They put constant pressure on them.''

It was an impressive performance for a team reeling from the loss of starting quarterback Rex Grossman, who broke his left ankle a week ago.

Hutchinson and Orton both showed moxie by overcoming mistakes. Hutchinson, the starter, recovered from two early interceptions to finish 5-of-8 for 40 yards. Orton, a rookie, rebounded from a fumble deep in Bears territory to lead Chicago on the winning drive. He finished 6-of-10 for 67 yards.

The quarterbacks weren't the only surprises. With first-round pick Cedric Benson still holding out and incumbent starter Thomas Jones held out by Smith, Adrian Peterson started and ran 14 times for 60 yards including a 4-yard TD.

Then there was the defense.

The Bears had four sacks, recovered two fumbles and hurried the Colts into countless other miscues. They made the NFL's highest-scoring team last season look almost unrecognizable.

Indianapolis drew five penalties in its first series -- including one that led to a TD on the punt return, lost four yards on the next possession and then lost two fumbles. And all that came in the first quarter.

The second quarter included a botched snap, two more punts, a missed 50-yard field goal and a scrap between defensive end Robert Mathis and Bears backup tackle Marc Colombo.

Fans booed several times during the first half, saving their biggest ovation for Manning's MVP trophy presentation at halftime. A brief flashback to the Colts typical offense -- Manning's 25-yard TD pass to Dominic Rhodes to make it 14-7 midway through the second quarter -- quieted the crowd.

But it was as ugly a performance as coach Tony Dungy had said he'd seen from his team.

Manning was 8-of-13 for 80 yards and Edgerrin James carried six times for four yards. The Colts have now rushed for 52 yards in three weeks and are 0-3 in the preseason for the first time since 1990.

``It's not the kind of performance we wanted to have here at home in our last preseason game at home,'' Manning said. ``That's disappointing, but that's what the preseason is for.''

The Bears took advantage of the mistakes.

After Indianapolis was called for unsportsmanlike conduct on a 50-yard punt, Bobby Wade fielded the next one at the Bears 46, started up the field and broke free for a 54-yard TD. It was the second straight week the Colts' special teams gave up a touchdown.

James' second fumble led to Peterson's 4-yard TD run and a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter.

``We keep these things going later and later, and eventually no one will be here -- and that would be a good thing,'' Dungy said. ``It's been a long time since we played offense like that with penalties, turnovers and dropped balls.''

After trading field goals to start the third quarter, Orton fumbled at the Chicago 12 and three plays later, the Colts tied the score at 17 on James Mungro's 1-yard run. It was Indianapolis' first rushing touchdown of the preseason.

Orton responded by leading the Bears on an 80-yard drive that culminated in Antoineo Harris' 1-yard run with 13:05 to go.

The Colts never challenged again.

``It feels like a wave, something special is happening out there,'' safety Mike Brown said.

Injuries proved the only real problem for Chicago.

Starting guard Ruben Brown was taken to the hospital with a left elbow injury but Smith gave no additional details on the injury.

Three backups also were hurt. Safety Bobby Gray was carted into the locker room for X-rays on an injured left knee. Smith said the X-rays were negative. Linebacker Rod Wilson sustained a left knee contusion and linebacker Marcus Reese re-injured his shoulder.

But the Colts endured the bigger bruise.

``You don't just turn on a switch after you play poorly and play poorly and play poorly,'' Dungy said. ``We need to get it fixed.''

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