Notes on the Bears’ 48-24 victory at Solider Field yesterday afternoon.

Rod’s revenge.

The offense and special teams shined yesterday (more on each later), but how about that defensive line? Consider this: they recorded an interception (Tommie Harris), a fumble recovery ( Adewale Ogunleye) and tallied five sacks. Ogunleye now has 4 1/2 sacks, which leads the NFL. Somebody’s going after a contract! The second half is where the line really shined: Stafford was consistently rushed and bothered before he was knocked out with an injury. It helped hold the Lions to only three points in the second half.

You’re special.

With Jay Cutler, this team doesn’t desperately need great field position on each possession. But it certainly doesn’t hurt. The Bears’ return game was terrific yesterday, (or maybe it was Detroit doing a woeful job on kick/punt coverage) topped off by Johnny Knox’s 102-yard kickoff return to start the second half, which really set the tone for the Bears’ dominant third and fourth quarters. Earl Bennett also did a nice job filling in for an injured Devin Hester on punts.The offense’s average starting field position? The Lions’ 46. That’s how you score 48 points.

Never would have done that with Orton.

Cutler’s passing numbers don’t stand out, (18-28, 141 yds, 2 TDs) but when you are starting drives inside enemy territory and Matt Forte is running well, you don’t need to air it out. Cutler was much more game manager than gunslinger yesterday. Yet, his quarterback rating of 100.3 marks three straight games over 100, which is the first time a Bears quarterback has done that since Jack Concannon in 1970. Even though Cutler wasn’t gunning the ball around yesterday, there was one situation that marks just how different Ron Turner is running this offense under a new quarterback. With time winding down in the first half and the score tied, the Bears were actively pushing the ball up field, in the hopes of either netting a field goal or touchdown. Out of field-goal range and with time expiring, Cutler threw a Hail Mary into the end zone, which was knocked down by Detroit. With Kyle Orton behind center, Turner has him take a knee, glad the Bears are tied heading into half.

Oh, and that TD run, complete with the acrobatic dive into the end zone? A thing of beauty.

Slow to start.

How awful have the Bears been to start each game this season? Green Bay? Three and outs, and then a Cutler pick. Pittsburgh? Let the Steelers march right down for a touchdown. Seattle? Same thing. Yesterday? Same thing.

I suppose it’s not how you start, but how you finish. Yet, giving up the lead early is never a way you want to start.

Where have you been all my life, Matt Forte?

Forte finally showed up yesterday. It was funny, his first breakout run of the season, that 61-yard explosion, was made possible by a huge hole the offensive line created for him. That same offensive line some blamed for Forte’s poor performance so far. Forte netted a touchdown in the fourth quarter on a nifty 37-yard run, and finished the day with 121 yards on 12 carries, good for a 10.5 yards per carry average. Besides the two big runs, there wasn’t much, but you can’t fault a guy for busting out, can ya?

Garrett Wolfe was also impressive in limited time, as he rushed five times for 22 yards, including a late touchdown.

Got to pick up those third downs.

In a game like yesterday, it’s not a huge deal, but during closer battles the Bears are sure to encounter later this season, they must do a better job converting on third downs, something Cutler excelled at in Denver. The Bears were only 2-of-10 on third-down conversions yesterday, and are now 19-for-53 on the season (35.8 percent).

Calvin Johnson is a freak.

Just wanted to fit that in somewhere. OK, that’s about all she wrote.