CHICAGO – Oakland reserve linebacker Slade Norris recovered a muffed punt in the end zone for a go-ahead TD and later blocked a punt for a safety Saturday night, leading the Raiders to a 32-17 preseason victory over the Chicago Bears.
Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher, who missed all but one game last season after hurting his wrist in the season opener, injured his calf on the opening drive and did not return.
Starting quarterbacks Jason Campbell of the Raiders (2-0) and Jay Cutler of the Bears (0-2) both played the first half in the game at Soldier Field.
Campbell was 10-for-20 for 170 yards with a short TD run and an interception. Cutler completed 7 of 15 for 99 yards with a 22-yard TD pass to Johnny Knox and was sacked five times — four of them credited to Raiders' linebacker Kamerion Wimbley.
Chicago's first-team offense got a big lift when Matt Forte broke loose on an 89-yard TD run in the first quarter.
After Cutler scrambled and found Knox for the score late in the opening half, Chester Taylor's 2-point conversion run put the Bears ahead 14-13.
The Raiders regained the lead early in the third quarter when Chicago's Eric Peterman muffed the punt and after a scramble, Norris fell on the ball in the end zone for a touchdown.
Kyle Boller quarterbacked the Raiders for most of the second half, scoring on a 2-yard run to cap a 10-play, 51-yard drive late in the third quarter that gave the Raiders a 27-14 lead. Dan LeFevour replaced Cutler and led a drive that reached the 4 before the Bears settled for a 25-yard field goal by Robbie Gould.
Chicago got the ball back but Stevie Brown intercepted LeFevour and returned to the Bears 9. Colt Brennan came in to quarterback the Raiders and Oakland got a 28-yard goal from Swayze Waters. Minutes later, Norris broke through and blocked Brad Maynard's punt attempt and it went through the end zone.
Campbell was impressive in an 81-yard touchdown drive to open the game that featured some no-huddle. He hit Michael Bush with a 24-yard screen pass on a third-and-17. He completed an 18-yarder to Johnnie Lee Higgins, a 13-yarder to Zach Miller and a 27-yarder to Louis Murphy that carried to the Chicago 2. Campbell sneaked in for the score on a third-and-goal as the Raiders' first unit accounted for its first points of the preseason after failing to score in just over a quarter of action in last week's opener against Dallas.
Cutler was sacked on two straight plays in Chicago's first possession, losing 21 yards and forcing the Bears to punt out of their end zone. Bush the had a 15-yard run to set up Sebastian Janikowski's 43-yard field goal.
Campbell hit another screen pass of 40 yards to Marcel Reece late in the first period but followed that up with a poorly thrown pass that Chicago's Charles Tillman intercepted on the 11.
On the very next play, Forte broke through the right side, cut inside of safety Michael Huff and raced 89 yards for a TD. After the Bears botched the snap on the extra point, Oakland led 10-6.
With veteran Chicago long snapper Patrick Mannelly out with a shoulder injury, the Bears were forced to use tight end Desmond Clark and he again made a bad snap on an attempted second-quarter field goal by Robbie Gould.
But after Raiders center Samson Satele limped off the field late in the second quarter, Campbell couldn't hold a high snap from Chris Morris on the very next play and Chicago's Israel Idonije recovered. That set up the Cutler-to-Knox TD.
Notes: Oakland RB Darren McFadden missed the game with a hamstring injury and QB Bruce Gradkowski was out with a groin strain. The Raiders rested DT Richard Seymour and Desmond Bryant replaced him in the lineup. Higgins started at wide receiver in place of Darrius Heyward-Bey, who is fatigued. Murphy was in at wide receiver for Chaz Schilens, out with a foot injury. Chicago backup QB Caleb Hanie was out with a shoulder sprain.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.