It's not as if the Bears' defense is licking its chops over the prospect of facing Colts quarterback Peyton Manning on Sunday night because he hasn't been able to play at all in the preseason after having knee surgery to remove an infected bursa sac. But it at least beats having to face him when he's in mid-season form.

"I would say an 80 percent Peyton Manning is better than most quarterbacks in the league," Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "We expect we'll see a 100 percent Peyton Manning though."

Whatever percent Manning is, he won't have the benefit of Pro Bowl center Jeff Saturday. The 10-year veteran leader of the Colts' offensive line has missed just two starts in the previous eight years, but Saturday won't play against the Bears because of a torn MCL which may require knee surgery.

So, with a rusty Manning, minus his undisputed line leader, could the Bears' defensive line have an advantage in the first regular-season game at Lucas Oil Field?

Maybe, if they were completely healthy. But they're not.

Pro Bowl defensive tackle Tommie Harris practiced Wednesday for the first time in more than two weeks, and he was limited but indicated he would play Sunday, though not at full strength.

"I play in the NFL," he said. "I don't think I'll ever be 100 percent."

Harris practiced with a knee brace Wednesday, but that's been standard procedure since he suffered a sprain last season, as he pointed out to the uninformed.

"I've been wearing this brace since that happened," he said. "I have to wear it. That was the deal. If I signed a new contract, the brace comes with it."

Nose tackle Dusty Dvoracek played only about 10 snaps in the preseason while rehabbing a strained calf, and he was listed Wednesday's injury report, although he was not limited at practice.

It's doubtful that he's ready to play an entire game, though. Backup defensive end Mark Anderson was also limited at practice Wednesday, as the pass-rush specialist recovers from thumb surgery after the second preseason game.

All three linemen were listed on the injury report and won't be 100 percent for the Colts. However, Harris was rarely 100 percent last season, and he still made the Pro Bowl. The good news is that defensive tackle has probably the deepest talent pool of any position on the team, with Anthony Adams, Israel Idonije, rookie Marcus Harrison, who had his left knee wrapped in ice Wednesday, and Matt Toeaina.

Every one of the defensive linemen who suit up for Sunday night's nationally televised game knows the outcome will be greatly affected by how much pressure they can exert on Manning.

"I think the Giants (in Super Bowl XLII) did a good job of showing everybody that when you put pressure on great quarterbacks, it makes it hard for anybody," Dvoracek said. "So the more pressure we can put on him, the harder it's going to make his job, which is going to help us win."

Gimpy leg or not, Manning is still expected to keep the defense guessing by changing calls at the line of scrimmage, or by pretending to do so, often using up almost every second of the play clock, while defensive linemen must wait, poised in their stances. Not many defenses can react quickly enough to win a chess match against the Colts' perennial Pro Bowl quarterback.

"It's very tough because you may have the defense that you want to call, and he'll wait until the very last second to make his checks, and you might be in your stance for maybe 30 seconds," Adams said. "The next thing you know, he changes up the offense, so it's very difficult when you're dealing with someone as smart and as quick as he is."

Adams wasn't among the majority of Bears who were defeated by Manning and the Colts in Super Bowl XLI, but everyone except the first-year players faced him last preseason.

"Luckily, we went a little over a quarter against him, so we got an idea of what he does and how he works it," Dvoracek said. "He's just kind of up there talking. A lot of that stuff is just for show. The hardest thing for a d-lineman is to just be in your stance for so long. But when the ball's (finally) snapped you go play football, just like anybody else."

For the Bears, it all starts up front.

"We have to get after their front," Idonije said. "On the run; the pass; our front four has to be a factor in the game, definitely."

SERIES HISTORY
41st meeting. Colts lead series, 23-17, including s 29-17 victory in Super Bowl XLI.

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