About a week after he was told he’d start at right tackle, two-time Pro Bowl guard Kyle Long officially made the move Sunday.
Results were mixed; Long allowed a first-quarter sack to former Bears star Julius Peppers — “There’s a reason everybody knows his name,” Long said — and was part of the line that allowed a jail break blitz on the Bears’ fourth quarter, fourth-down failure.
Long said he had his “struggles individually” in his first-ever start.
“You get so comfortable at one position, and then you get moved,” he said. “But that’s part of the deal in football, especially on the offensive line.”
Share Events on The CubeQuarterback Jay Cutler was complimentary of his play — and that of Long’s replacement, Vladimir Ducasse.
“For having one week at right tackle, I thought he did excellent,” the quarterback said. “Vlad stepped in there at guard, did a great job.”
Coach John Fox said Cutler used his legs well to extend plays.
“But I don’t think protection was the reason we lost,” he said.
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Email: pfinley@suntimes.com
