Sun-Times: 2-minute drill

[Xee]

2-minute drill

November 12, 2008

Are there any moves the Bears can make on defense to get better this week? Coach Lovie Smith says the problem isn't with the scheme, so you have to look at some player moves. Defensive tackle could use an upgrade. Tommie Harris is playing better and might be aided by playing next to rookie Marcus Harrison or veteran Anthony Adams. Dusty Dvoracek has been credited with helping the run defense, but he offers nothing against the pass.

Dvoracek has 12 solo tackles among his 34 stops and has five tackles for loss. But he has only three quarterback hits and no sacks. Harrison only has eight tackles to go with two more for loss, but he has two sacks and as many quarterback hits as Dvoracek in one-third the playing time. Adams has only played in three games, but he has two quarterback hits.

Israel Idonije, who also remains in the tackle rotation, has shown a disturbing tendency to stand up straight in recent games and has been getting blocked pretty well as a result. He has 15 tackles, four quarterback hits and two sacks to go with five passes batted down.

Tweak week

The Bears also need to tweak their secondary. Cornerback Corey Graham should never have been moved from the starting role he excelled in when Nathan Vasher was out. In an ideal world, it should be Vasher and Charles Tillman vying for a job opposite Graham. Tillman has done a remarkable job of playing through injuries to both shoulders and will have to be monitored closely.

Defensive coordinator Bob Babich said after the Lions game that Graham would've been his emergency safety if the team lost Kevin Payne or Craig Steltz after Mike Brown went down in that game. Danieal Manning already was down with a hamstring issue. Now that everyone is healthy, the Bears ought to think seriously about moving Graham to free safety.

They've moved Brown from free to strong safety, and Payne is struggling at free safety. It's not his natural position. Manning would be a good fit in that role, but the team already has given up on him a couple of times. Graham might be able to play an effective center field, which is much needed in a bad pass defense.

Lovie loves Lambeau

Smith has won four consecutive games at Lambeau Field, becoming the first NFL coach to do so since Hall of Famer Bud Grant won six in a row at the hallowed ground with the Vikings.

[Fumblebuck]

They've moved Brown from free to strong safety, and Payne is struggling at free safety. It's not his natural position. Manning would be a good fit in that role, but the team already has given up on him a couple of times. Graham might be able to play an effective center field, which is much needed in a bad pass defense

We just lack anyone who can play FS in this scheme. Everyone is either too slow (Payne, Brown, Steltz) or too stupid (Manning). Maybe giving Graham a chance is what we should do, although I thought he was making some plays at nickel and would like to see him continue with it.

If we move him the question becomes who plays nickel.

[DaDitka]

Defensive tackle could use an upgrade. Tommie Harris is playing better and might be aided by playing next to rookie Marcus Harrison or veteran Anthony Adams. Dusty Dvoracek has been credited with helping the run defense, but he offers nothing against the pass

I expect Tommie to help out these other DTs rather than the other way around.

That said, it is a valid point because Harrison looks like he could be a stud at some point. He's really going to have to work on his gap control and run responsibility though.