Jauron not committing to starting QB

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) -- Chicago Bears coach Dick Jauron plans to wait until later in the week to name his starting quarterback for Sunday's game in Green Bay. For more reasons than one.

Not only is it a question of whether Chris Chandler's sore shoulder will improve or if Kordell Stewart is a better choice because of his scrambling ability.

It's also an opportunity, Jauron figures, to keep the Packers guessing.

"We feel real comfortable with our two veteran quarterbacks. And to be perfectly honest about it, they're different, so you have to prepare for them differently and we'd just as soon take advantage of that," Jauron said Monday, a day after the Bears improved to 5-7 by beating the Arizona Cardinals 28-3.

"I like the fact an opponent will have to prepare a little differently, even if it just takes a few snaps away from them in practice," Jauron said. "That's a plus for us."

But after Stewart completed 22 of 37 passes for 284 yards against the Cardinals in his first start in seven weeks, he would be the logical choice over the sore-armed Chandler. He also threw two TD passes and ran for a third.

Stewart was sacked five times by the Packers when the teams met earlier this season. In the first game at the renovated Soldier Field, Green Bay won 38-23 -- its 17th victory in the last 19 meetings with the Bears.

Despite their records, the Packers (6-6) and the Bears are still in the playoff picture because Minnesota, the leader in the mediocre NFC North, is just 7-5 with a month to go.

"We're right back in this thing," wide receiver Marty Booker said.

The Bears have other issues to deal with as they prepare to go to Green Bay: starting right guard Chris Villarrial (ribs) and right tackle Aaron Gibson (sprained knee) were undergoing tests Monday to determine the extent of their injuries. If they can't go, Terrence Metcalf will take Villarrial's spot as he did Sunday and Steve Edwards will move from left guard to right tackle.

And the Bears are hoping Anthony Thomas, who missed Sunday's game with viral pneumonia, will be well enough to play, even though they hardly missed him. Rookie backup Brock Forsey stepped in as a starter and ran for 134 yards and a TD on 27 carries.

"How Brock played won't affect our thinking on Anthony at all. Our concern with Anthony will be his health," Jauron said.

"The fact Brock again played a strong game makes us feel good about our running back situation."

Another rookie, wide receiver Justin Gage, was also impressive Sunday, catching four passes for 100 yards, including a leaping 57-yarder to set up the Bears' first first-quarter TD all season.

The 6-foot-4 Gage played both football and basketball at Missouri and with his jumping ability brings back memories of ex-Bears wideout Marcus Robinson, who is having a great comeback season with the Baltimore Ravens.

"I think he [Gage] can be a terrific player as long as he keeps working and pushing," Jauron said. "He's a playmaker and has come so far in the pro game from where he started."

The performances by Forsey and Gage marked the first time since 1965 that two Chicago rookies had reached 100 yards in the same game. During that season, Gale Sayers ran for 113 yards and Jimmy Jones had 113 yards receiving against the 49ers.

Notes: Injured thumb or not, Green Bay's Brett Favre is always tough on the Bears. He's 19-4 against Chicago in his career. "He'll be out there playing and playing well," Jauron said. ... Chicago WR David Terrell has a dislocated finger that won't keep him out.