"An old saying — absence makes the heart grow fonder — seemed appropriate after the Bears' 25-20 loss Sunday in Oakland.

Suddenly, for even the most critical Bears fans, one of Chicago's most important thumbs — neighboring in the stratosphere with Sun-Times movie critic Roger Ebert's — can't heal soon enough after backup Caleb Hanie tossed three interceptions against the Raiders.

But even Jay Cutler, the owner of that surgically repaired right thumb, acknowledged that any hope of returning for the regular season is a long shot, at best."