Orton gives stability to Bears

Instead of simply having him wear the orange practice jersey reminding teammates that quarterbacks are off-limits from hitting, the Chicago Bears might want to erect some sort of cage around Kyle Orton this week.

Barring anything freakish happening on or off the field, Orton will start his sixth straight game when Baltimore visits Soldier Field on Sunday.

That may seem like no significant achievement in cities like Green Bay or Indianapolis, but it’s practically grounds for a parade in Chicago.

Orton’s sixth straight start will tie Chris Chandler for the Bears’ longest stretch of stability at QB since Jim Miller directed their last playoff team in 2001.

Coincidence? Probably not. The revolving door of starting quarterbacks – three in 2002 and 2003 and four last season – has played a large part in the Bears’ recent mediocrity.

“Stability is so important,” coach Lovie Smith said Monday. “The teams that have won on a consistent basis have had the same quarterback. Look at our division. In Green Bay, Brett Favre has been there forever. They’ve had a lot of success based on that.

“It’s important to have your leader there, just like having a defensive leader or having a coaching staff in place for a while.

“All these things add up.”

Against Minnesota, the Bears had just two drives of 40 or more yards, a 44-yarder and a 50-yarder. Both resulted in touchdowns. But Orton also took advantage of the two times the defense gift-wrapped the ball for the offense inside the 5, setting up 3- and 1-yard scoring drives.

Orton said he feels more comfortable with each start. His resiliency is well documented by now, crystallized most clearly when he reacted with both defiance and disgust – “I played like crap,” he said – to his five-interception game against Cincinnati.

“It was hard watching that game, for sure,” Smith said. “But hard to throw him back out there next week? No. Very few quarterbacks go through a season without having a bad game. We were hoping we wouldn’t have to go through that. But that’s reality to me.”

Jets’ Mawae done for year

Kevin Mawae has started every game the last 10 seasons, played through any injury, taken immense pride in stepping onto the field every week to help his team.

When he hurt his elbow Sunday against Buffalo, Mawae thought he would be able to tape it up and keep the streak alive. For the first time in his career, he cannot.

The Jets center is out for the season after tearing his left triceps, coach Herman Edwards said. The six-time Pro Bowl selection had started 177 straight games, third among active players behind Packers quarterback Brett Favre (210) and Chiefs guard Will Shields (196).

The prospect of watching from the sideline was enough to bring Mawae to tears.

“The injury’s not the hard part to deal with,” Mawae said, his eyes welling up. “The hard part is not being able to play the game.”

Mawae was hurt on the second play of the third quarter when Sam Adams, listed at 335 pounds, fell on his elbow. Mawae returned to the game for one series in the fourth quarter with his elbow heavily taped, but couldn’t push off.

Edwards said an MRI exam confirmed the injury, and Mawae will get a second opinion before undergoing surgery next week. Mawae said he needs six months of rehab and anticipates being ready for off-season training activities in April.

Vikings hire security specialist

The Minnesota Vikings hired a former FBI agent as their new security director after NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue told the team to tighten its discipline following accounts of a wild boat party attended by some of its players.

Retired agent Dag Sohlberg has been the team’s liaison with NFL security for five years but was not a full-time employee.

Vikings owner Zygi Wilf had asked to see Tagliabue, and they met Sunday at a private airfield near Chicago before the team’s 28-3 loss to the Bears.

“The commissioner emphasized to me that I inherited an organization that was inadequately structured and staffed,” Wilf said, “and that we must correct that to ensure the highest standards of team operations.”

Bruschi to practice Wednesday

Tedy Bruschi is ready to play football again, just eight months after a mild stroke left him unsure whether his life would ever return to normal.

The Patriots linebacker said he’ll practice with the team Wednesday after doctors cleared him. Just 10 days before the stroke, Bruschi intercepted a pass in New England’s second straight Super Bowl win last Feb. 6.

“I came to the point where they tell me I can play. I feel like I can play. Shoot, I know I can play,” Bruschi said Monday. “So let’s just play.”

Coach Bill Belichick will decide when to use him in a game, but Bruschi said he has no doubt it will be this season. Belichick said it’s possible Bruschi will play in the Patriots’ next game against Buffalo on Oct. 30 after a bye next weekend.

Texans could be down five starters

The winless Houston Texans could be without as many as five starters for Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts.

Linebacker Kailee Wong is out for the season after tearing the patella tendon in his right knee in last Sunday’s 42-10 loss to Seattle that dropped the Texans to 0-5.

Although Wong is the only player out for the season, receiver Andre Johnson, defensive end Gary Walker, guard Zach Wiegert and strong safety C.C. Brown are also injured.

Around the league

Mayor Phil Hardberger reiterated his resolve to bring the Saints to San Antonio permanently, saying he wanted to close the deal before next season begins. Hardberger, part of a sellout crowd at the Saints-Falcons game Sunday in San Antonio, said that Saints owner Tom Benson agreed to serious talks with him, probably at the end of this season. … Brian Griese underwent more tests to determine the severity of a knee injury that coach Jon Gruden said could sideline the Tampa Bay quarterback for weeks or possibly the season. Gruden emphasized the team had not received a firm diagnosis. … Eagles defensive end Jerome McDougle had emergency surgery for a hernia, a setback to his recovery from a gunshot wound in July. McDougle had been working out to make a return to the Eagles. He needed surgery for an internal hernia due to adhesions and scar tissue from his previous operation after the shooting.

Linebacker Saleem Rasheed, expected to step into Jeff Ulbrich’s starting spot on Sunday at Washington, went down with a knee problem Monday shortly after the 49ers went back to work following a weekend off. Rasheed was scheduled for an MRI exam. … Arizona Cardinals defensive end Calvin Pace is out for the season after cutting his arm while falling through a window at his home during the weekend. … The Dallas Cowboys learned that left tackle Flozell Adams is out for the season with a torn knee ligament, a major blow to an offensive line that’s been a big reason for the success of quarterback Drew Bledsoe. Bledsoe’s supporting cast took another hit with news that receiver Patrick Crayton is out at least a month with an ankle injury. … Safety Michael Jameson had his contract terminated by the Cleveland Browns, one week after finishing his four-game NFL suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. … The New Orleans Saints have dismissed executive vice president of administration Arnold Fielkow. The team did not provide details on the dismissal, other than to announce Fielkow is no longer associated with the team in a one-sentence news release.