Bears' 'D' needs more than a shuffling secondary
Pass rush also could use some tweaking against Rodgers, upcoming opponents
November 14, 2008
BY BRAD BIGGS bbiggs@suntimes.com
Lovie Smith humorously announced two years ago that he was getting out of the injury forecasting business. Dr. Smith had retired.
That's fine, but the Bears (5-4) had better hope there's a doctor in the house at Halas Hall this week. Smith needs to write a prescription for a pass defense that's entering a critical game at Green Bay. After quarterback Aaron Rodgers stumbled a bit the last two weeks, the Packers would love to see him get right Sunday at Lambeau Field (noon, Fox-32, 780-AM).
After all, if the Bears can make Detroit's Dan Orlovsky look legit, just think what they can do for Rodgers. Brett Favre could become a distant memory in no time. Rodgers and the Packers (4-5) would like nothing better than to remove the immense shadow Favre casts over the organization, and the Bears will face less of a risk-taker in Rodgers after intercepting Favre nine times in the last four meetings.
Green Bay has struggled to find any momentum running the ball and has handed off only 39 times in the last two games, content to sling it around with Rodgers now that its corps of receivers is healthy. Greg Jennings, Donald Driver and rookie Jordy Nelson present real challenges before even considering the ''Big Five'' empty-backfield package coach Mike McCarthy enjoys deploying.
''I know our guys are very frustrated, as are the coaches, with some of the things that are going on,'' Bears defensive coordinator Bob Babich said. ''We're very disappointed in the pass defense.''
Change is expected once again. Four consecutive opposing quarterbacks have passed for a season high in yards against the Bears, who've rolled out a different secondary each of those weeks, swapping safeties Mike Brown and Kevin Payne last week against Tennessee.
Pretty soon they'll exhaust the possible permutations, and while no plans have been disclosed, the best guess is that Corey Graham returns to the starting role at right cornerback that he filled when a hand injury sidelined Nathan Vasher. How things align from there is a good question. Vasher could come in for nickel situations -- and there should be a lot of them -- with Graham kicked inside. Danieal Manning could reclaim the nickel job. Rookie safety Craig Steltz might figure in the mix.
But to think that inserting Graham into the lineup will solve the issues, which include a pass rush stuck in rush-hour traffic, is wishful thinking. Graham had three strong games when he started in Vasher's place. He stood out in a poor overall effort at Atlanta when rookie Matt Ryan passed for 301 yards, and he played well the next week when Gus Frerotte and Minnesota rolled up 41 points, the most the Bears ever have allowed in victory.
So any possible change involving Vasher isn't a sure solution, and pretty soon the coaching staff will be out of shuffles. If it's decided that Vasher shouldn't start, it's a little late. After this season, he will have pocketed $17.65 million of the new deal he received in June 2007. There's $11.2 million remaining over the next four seasons, all but $200,000 in base salaries.
With a victory, the Bears would at least remain tied for the division lead and would be two games up on Green Bay with six to go. A loss could turn the NFC North into a muddled .500 mess. The time to fix the pass defense is now. Still on the schedule are New Orleans (top-ranked passing offense), Houston (fourth) and a rematch with Green Bay (11th).
It hasn't taken a good offense, however, to have success against the Bears lately.
''Just need to get better,'' linebacker Lance Briggs said. ''There's no secret to it. We play a technique, and that's the way we're supposed to play it. If we get beat doing our techniques, that's on the scheme. If we get beat from being undisciplined or not being able to execute, that's on us as players.''
Orton looks ready to go vs. Packers
BEARS IN BRIEF:
November 14, 2008
BY BRAD BIGGS bbiggs@suntimes.com
The Bears might wait until 90 minutes before kickoff Sunday to make it official, but quarterback Kyle Orton showed what he needed to while running the first-team offense in practice Thursday to get the start at Green Bay.
Orton jogged off the field on his taped-up right ankle, proof that even if he was limited in the workout, he felt just fine.
''He's a lot better today than he was [Wednesday],'' coach Lovie Smith said. ''If he continues to make the same type of progress, hopefully we'll have him available.''
Barring a setback, count on it.
Firing back
No one takes exception to the work of the media more regularly than defensive tackle Tommie Harris, who complained at length about a Sun-Times column from earlier in the week that he acknowledged he didn't read. Harris said the column made it appear he was pointing fingers at teammates after the loss to Tennessee.
''You think that a lot of the fans are saying a lot of negative stuff, but it's really just the media that always keeps us going,'' Harris said. ''That's what you guys have to do, that's your job. ... I just pray for you guys and hope that you can sleep at night.''
Cornerback Corey Graham said Wednesday that everyone with the Bears was on thin ice, and that seems to be the way some want it.
''Where is it not tense Week [11]?'' Smith said. ''It's a big game, and each week it's that way. I hope it would be tense. There's a lot at stake, and guys want to play well. It will be the same thing next week and the week after that.''
On the horizon
Guard Terrence Metcalf will be eligible to be reinstated to the active roster Monday upon completion of his four-game suspension for violating the league's policy on steroids and related substances. To make room, the Bears could part ways with tackle Fred Miller, who has been replaced on the game-day roster by first-round pick Chris Williams.
Health beat
Cornerback Charles Tillman (shoulders) and linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer (right thumb) were limited in practice.
