Jennings shows magic lurking in Bears' depth chart
Jennings shows magic lurking in Bears' depth chart
by Neal hayes
When he signed as a free agent, it hardly registered as news.
He remained under the radar during training camp.
He didn't register a tackle in wins over the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys.
Yet the fifth-year veteran made an instant impact when pressed into action Monday night as the NFL's oldest rivalry played out on football grandest stage.
People know who Tim Jennings is now, or at least they should. The cornerback made seven tackles against the Green Bay Packers, including two body shots that receiver Donald Driver is sure to remember. But it was the one he missed that sent the Bears on their way to 3-0.
Jennings failed to bring down Packers receiver James Jones after Jones caught a short pass from Aaron Rodgers with 2:30 left in the game. Jennings was trailing the play when he recovered a fumble forced by Brian Urlacher that set up the game-winning field goal.
It was just the latest example of a lesser-known player climbing the depth chart to make a difference in the Bears' first three wins.
''You've got to have depth,'' Urlacher said. ''You're going to have guys go down during the season. It's nice to have guys step in and do a good job for us. Tim did a good job last week, made a couple nice hits out there, some good tackles. He missed a couple, but we all missed a couple last week. That's going to happen in the NFL. But it's nice to see guys step in.''
It has been stated here before: The biggest reason the Bears are 3-0 is because -- with the exception of defensive tackle Tommie Harris -- their big-money players are earning every cent. But there's another reason why this team is the biggest early-season surprise in the NFC: It's developing what it has lacked in the past -- depth.
''I wouldn't necessarily say they are backup guys, but we're getting production from guys that people aren't as familiar with,'' linebacker Lance Briggs said. ''That's important for us to win games, for guys that are plugged in or put on the field to produce. That's a big credit to coaching and having the right guys on our squad.''
Quality teams get contributions from more than just the usual suspects, which hasn't been the case with the Bears the last three years. Now, the performances of players such as Jennings, backup tackle Kevin Shaffer, defensive tackle Matt Toeaina and nickel back D.J. Moore may indicate the reversal of a negative trend.
General manager Jerry Angelo and coach Lovie Smith have been widely criticized for not acquiring and/or developing talent. But what has looked like a glaring weakness as the Bears have gone 23-25 since Super Bowl XLI looks less so for an unbeaten team getting contributions from unexpected places.
''It says we have good depth,'' Smith said. ''Each year, of course, you're tying to get that best group together. But some years, it just doesn't work that way.
''During the course of a year, injuries come up, all different type of things come up, that will make you go to the next guy in line. Players realize that, too, especially some of the guys who have been around here for a while. We keep telling them, 'If you deserve to play, eventually something will happen where you get an opportunity to do that.' We've talked about the depth an awful lot. Now, we're getting a chance to really, not just talk about it, but see that depth come up.''
At 5-8, Jennings has made a classic case of ''little man's syndrome'' work for him. He wasn't offered a scholarship by Georgia until the eve of national signing day in 2002. Until then, he was resigned to going to Division I-AA South Carolina State in his hometown of Orangeburg.
That was when he vowed to prove he could play in Division I, which he did while starting 33 games before the Indianapolis Colts made him their second-round pick in 2006.
''Ever since then, I've had a chip on my shoulder,'' Jennings said. ''I decided I was going to make the most out of my career. I didn't have the career I wanted in Indianapolis, so I still have that chip on my shoulder.''
Impact performances by Jennings and Moore, who had two interceptions against the Cowboys, have alleviated concerns about the Bears lacking depth at cornerback. There could be increased playing time for Jennings, who's convinced he can have the effect here that he didn't have consistently in Indy. That kind of competition behind the scenes is another positive development for the Bears, who have seen many of their recent draft picks disappoint.
And unheralded players stepping into the spotlight can be contagious. It makes you wonder who might rise up against the New York Giants on Sunday night at New Meadowlands Stadium.
''That's what good teams do,'' tight end Desmond Clark said. ''When backups come in, you don't miss a beat.''
