Hut: Drops don't faze Davis

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Drops don't faze Davis

By NICK HUT - nhut@nwnewsgroup.com


LAKE FOREST - The tight ends remain staples of the Bears' passing game, but the wide receivers expect to make meaningful contributions, as well.

The wide receivers' performance has been spotty in recent games, although Devin Hester flourished last weekend against Jacksonville with five catches for 80 yards.

Rashied Davis has struggled with drops at times this season and has only six catches for 92 yards during the past five games. He previously had six catches for 97 yards in a single game, Oct. 5 at Detroit.

Davis expects to return to his old form Thursday night against New Orleans.

"There are a few things that need to get corrected, but I think we played decent last week, and we need to play a lot better this week with [Drew] Brees and Reggie Bush and all of those guys coming in," Davis said.

As for the drops, including three in the past two games, Davis said he must relax and play his game.

"We try not to press," he said. "I have probably been pressing the most out of anybody, so it's disappointing ... but all you can do is try to push through it and come out of it. Eventually, everybody comes out of it."

Davis is not sure why he has been pressing.

"Don't know," he said. "I just have to stop and just get back to having fun like I always do, smiling and stuff."

Not bitter: Bush was injured when New Orleans visited Soldier Field at the end of last season, so his last game against the Bears was the NFC Championship Game in January 2007.

In that game, Bush, a rookie, famously taunted Brian Urlacher at the end of an 88-yard touchdown reception.

One of Bush's most outspoken critics after that game was Bears defensive end Adewale Ogunleye, who said he approached Bush and told him the act was unprofessional. He also said he was "a second away from punching [Bush]."

Ogunleye since has gotten over the incident.

"I haven't talked to him about it," Ogunleye said. "I said what I had to say that game. We got over it. We won the game. So, hopefully, he's learned his lesson about that."

Roll call: Bears wide receiver Marty Booker (ribs), tight end Desmond Clark (hamstring), defensive tackle Tommie Harris (knee), fullback Jason McKie (quadriceps) and running back Garrett Wolfe (hamstring) missed Tuesday's practice.

Wolfe is almost certain to miss Thursday night's game, and McKie looks like a long shot, too. Booker is questionable, and Clark and Harris are expected to be available.

In New Orleans, tackle Jammal Brown (ankle) missed practice, and defensive end Will Smith was excused for the birth of his child.

Roster move: The Bears added a player to their active roster, signing wide receiver Devin Aromashodu off the Washington Redskins' practice squad.

Aromashodu entered the NFL in 2006 out of Auburn and played six regular-season games and one playoff game with the Indianapolis Colts.

The Bears created the opening by placing defensive tackle Dusty Dvoracek on injured reserve because of a season-ending arm injury.