"Fifty days had passed since Bears wide receiver Earl Bennett played in a game, but, admit it Chicago, it felt like longer.

Let's just say Bennett was gone long enough not to wonder why Jay Cutler doesn't smile more. Nobody missed Bennett more than the Bears quarterback, as Monday night's thrilling 30-24 victory over the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field confirmed.

"It was awful,'' Bennett said of the time missed with a serious chest injury. "I'm a competitor and I wanted to help my team win and wasn't able to. I was frustrated for a minute, but thank God I'm back now.''

And a football city says, "Amen.""