<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Brad Biggs on the Bears: The Bears will try to remain atop the NFC in Sunday's clash with the Buffalo Bills at Soldier Field. Also at stake is their ranking as the best special-teams unit in the league.While it's not quite the Super Bowl for special-teams coordinator Dave Toub and his group, it is a meeting with the best. Buffalo was ranked first in the composite special teams rankings created by Dallas Morning News football writer Rick Gosselin and adopted by most teams for the last two seasons. The Bears hold the top spot on the strength of Robbie Gould being 13-for-13 on field goals, a touchdown by punt returner Devin Hester, a fumble recovery by Brendon Ayanbadejo and solid play by coverage teams.''You get keyed up every week,'' long snapper Pat Mannelly said. "But knowing Buffalo is as good as they are, they have great players across the board, Bobby April does a heck of a job in scheming, and just his basic schemes are great. It's the best test we've had here in a couple years.''Bills punter Brian Moorman might be the best in the AFC and Buffalo has dangerous returners in Terrence McGee on kickoffs and Roscoe Parrish on punts. Josh Stamer and Mario Haggan are talented cover men. The tradition of special-teams excellence in Buffalo can be traced to the arrival of Marv Levy there as coach in 1986. Currently the Bills general manager, Levy was hired by George Allen to coach the Redskins special teams in 1971, his first NFL job at a time when there were only two special-teams coaches in the league. Washington went to the Super Bowl the next season, and Levy has said they blocked 15 kicks that year.''We want to be No. 1,'' Toub said. ''That's something we use for motivation.''The Bears finished 11th last year, a figure that would have been higher had Bobby Wade not had so many fols returning punts. Their field-goal percentage of 70.9 did not help either. Toub's group was 10th in 2004 and would have cracked the top five had kicker Paul Edinger been better. His struggles -- he made just 15-of-24 -- dragged the group down.Leading the way for Toub is Ayanbadejo, who leads Toub's points system. Running back Adrian Peterson, safety Todd Johnson, cornerback Dante Wesley and linebacker Leon Joe are core contributors. Joe will not play with a pulled right hamstring, and likely could miss next week's game at Arizona because he effectively will have two weeks to heal with the bye following.Rookie linebacker Jamar Williams was making a big impact before he was lost for the season with a torn tendon in his left pec. Rod Wilson has filled in quickly, and now Toub is expecting production from safety Chris Harris.''We've been fortunate because I think [general manager]Jerry Angelo and [pro personnel director] BoBobby DePaul have given us a lot of great players,'' Mannelly said. ''With Toub's schemes, there's no reason why we can't end up No. 1. But it's only been four games, we've got a long ways to go.''One thing they need to shore up is Hester's ball control. He's muffed three punts, although he's recovered two and none has been lost. He says it's been a product of trying to scan the field before he's got the ball put away, and Toub has spent extra time working with him this week.''I'm just basically getting prepared for the wind, it's going to get worse,'' Hester said. ''I need to make sure I keep my eye on the ball and not peak to see my surroundings.''Indeed. Everyone knows what a fumbling returner can do to the standings.HEALTH BEAT: Defensive end Adewale Ogunleye and tight end Desmond Clark returned to practice Friday and are expected to start.''Everything felt [good],'' said Ogunleye, who has 1? sacks and a fumble recovery.Coach Smith said he expects Ogunleye to go, and said the same for punter Brad Maynard, who was out again with an illness. Gould would be the emergency replacement. Wide receiver Mark Bradley (ankle) remained out.For Buffalo, linebacker Takeo Spikes practiced for the first time since Week 1 and would be a big boost. He is questionable with a pulled hamstring. Tight end Robert Royal (ankle, questionable) also practiced and likely will be counted on in a big way as the Bills are expected to use two-tight-end sets to protect quarterbackJ.P. Losman and run the ball with Willis McGahee.</div>http://www.suntimes.com/sports/football/be...earnt07.article
