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Safety becoming a real leader on defense

Dan Pompei On the NFL

Chris Harris wore a neck roll on his shoulder pads Sunday. It's a good thing because he needed it.

Harris ostensibly played strong safety, but really he was a fourth linebacker most of the time against his old team. A review of the tape shows Harris was lined up in the box against the Panthers 24 times, and on 61 percent of the snaps not counting nickel situations or the Panthers' final two-minute drive.

Harris led the Bears in tackles and was a force against the run. Stopping the run was critical for the Bears, because the run was the only hope the Panthers had to win this game.

After allowing Carolina 54 rushing yards on their first five carries, Harris and the Bears' defense bowed up and held DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart and company to 31 ground yards on 20 carries the rest of the way.

Here is what else we learned upon further review.

Grading key: Grades are between 0 and 10 with 0 being complete failure and 10 being perfect.

Safeties

Grade: 9

All Harris and Danieal Manning did was be where they were supposed to be and make the play.

Manning broke up a deep ball that could have been a touchdown. He is really settling into the safety position and arguably is playing the best football of his career. Manning is getting to the ball quickly and making solid tackles. He has not often been out of position.

Harris' leadership in the secondary has been an underrated component of the Bears' success.

Cornerbacks

Grade: 9

Bears coaches felt confident against the Panthers' inexperienced receivers and played a heavy dose of man-to-man. Charles Tillman, Tim Jennings, Zack Bowman and D.J. Moore met the challenge. Tillman continued his fine season with three pass deflections and an interception.

Now would be a good time for coaches to explain why he was moved from the right side to the left in the offseason.

Linebackers

Grade: 7

Lance Briggs was a standout before he left the game with an ankle injury. His instincts and quickness in shooting gaps is amazing. He is the perfect linebacker for this scheme.

Brian Urlacher played well and added a late interception but wasn't quite as effective as he had been in previous games.

Defensive line

Grade: 8

Julius Peppers may be having the best two-sack season in NFL history. Though he went another game without a sack Sunday, it should be noted that in addition to his interception he did have four quarterback pressures.

Israel Idonije doesn't always look pretty, but he sure got the job done against the Panthers with three sacks and a forced fumble. His consistency — being in the right place and doing what he was supposed to do — was just what the Bears needed


Anthony Adams had a couple of tackles for a loss, but he got crushed by a double team on DeAngelo Williams' 23-yard run.

Running backs

Grade: 10

Matt Forte was truly outstanding. He beat the Panthers every way a running back can beat a defense. He chose the right holes. He ran with power. He was elusive. He ran away from defenders. He gave tacklers a stiff arm. He caught the ball. He blocked.

One play really demonstrated his all-around game. In the second quarter he caught a pass behind the line of scrimmage at the 32. He had some space in front of him and burst forward for 8 yards, where he avoided cornerback Chris Gamble at the 40. Four yards later, he was hit by linebacker James Anderson, but he got away from him and made it three more yards before going down with a 14-yard gain.

Chester Taylor was a solid complement and seems to have finally developed a defined role as the change-of-pace back and short-yardage guy.

Wide receivers

Grade: 6

They didn't contribute much as wide receivers, but they did contribute as football players.

Johnny Knox, Devin Aromashodu and Earl Bennett all played like skinny offensive linemen, throwing big blocks. Knox also had a tackle after an interception, and he was smart enough to stay in bounds late in the fourth quarter after a 14-yard catch.

Tight ends

Grade: 6.5

They were non-factors as receivers, but Brandon Manumaleuna was a factor as a blocker. He helped spring Forte on his 68-yard run, and he threw the lead block for Taylor on the third-and-1 conversion in the fourth quarter. Really, that play was almost all Manumaleuna because the Bears went with a weak-side run from an unbalanced look.

Manumaleuna had a couple of glitches in pass protection and run blocking, but his contributions outweighed his mistakes.

Offensive line

Grade: 6.5

Frank Omiyale had a pair of penalties and J'Marcus Webb had a third. Olin Kreutz struggled at times and Roberto Garza was inconsistent.

But overall, the results were pretty encouraging. Edwin Williams was a pleasant surprise in his first start at right guard. Together with Webb, they got some movement in the run game.

Take away the false start and the holding and Omiyale might have played his best game of the year.

Quarterback

Grade: 1

Todd Collins looked worse on tape than he did in person. And he looked really, really bad in person.

He threw an interception just about every way you can throw an interception — into double coverage, overthrow, underthrow and an apparent miscommunication. Collins held the ball too long and got himself sacked.

By comparison, Caleb Hanie looked like Otto Graham.

Special teams

Grade: 10

Manning and Devin Hester tilt the field in ball-control games and make opponents pay for mistakes. Hester is on a roll, returning punts with confidence and aggression.

Robbie Gould's leg is getting stronger as he gets older. He had a career long 53-yard field goal and two touchbacks.

dpompei@tribune.com

Hester's plays scaled back, keeping him fresher for runbacks

He'll likely be in on more snaps when Cutler returns

It's certainly not a good indicator of precisely what lies ahead for Devin Hester because of the Bears' focus on the running game at Carolina, but the wide receiver says the plan is for him to be scaled back a little on offense.

Hester was on the field for only 19 of the 64 snaps in the Bears' 23-6 victory Sunday as the 42 running plays dictated that more tight ends be used. It was a dramatic change for Hester, who had been on the field for 90.7 percent of the plays through the first four games, the highest percentage among skill players.

"That's just the way we want to keep receivers' legs fresh, knowing I have to return," Hester said in the locker room after the game.

Earl Bennett, meanwhile, got 38 snaps against the Panthers and is deployed in the three-tight end packages the Bears used in piling up 218 yards rushing, the most for the franchise in two decades. Devin Aromashodu also benefitted from a run-first approach because he finally saw the field again, even if he was targeted with just one pass.

Maybe fresh legs helped Hester. He found a small crease along the sideline and returned one Jason Baker punt 50 yards. Had Hester waited to make a fake, he might have scored. Danieal Manning nearly had two kickoff returns go the distance. His first return was 62 yards and a potential touchdown was foiled when he ran into his blockers. On a day the offense totaled only 247 yards, the Bears got 201 yards from their returners.

Don't expect Hester's playing time to be dramatically reduced when quarterback Jay Cutler returns, but he might not be out there at a 90 percent rate moving forward.

Health beat: The Bears remain in relatively good shape and coach Lovie Smith said he hopes left tackle Chris Williams (right hamstring) will return this week. Lance Briggs suffered an ankle injury Sunday and had a walking boot on his left ankle as he left the stadium. Smith said "hopefully he'll be good to go by Wednesday." Briggs was given select practices off at the start of the season after suffering a sprained right ankle in Week 3 of the preseason.

Extra points: The Bears' training camp future beyond next summer — when they will be at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais — remains fluid. If the team elects to leave Bourbonnais for Lewis University in Romeoville starting in 2012, a decision will have to be made before the end of the year, said a source. … Safety Chris Harris was credited with a team-high 11 tackles in the win over the Panthers. Briggs made nine and Julius Peppers had six tackles, four quarterback pressures and an interception.

Running ball a wrecking ball vs. Panthers, but Smith not married to it

Bears coach doesn't see team having 40 carries every game


Considering the game plan, the Bears should have broken out their throwback jerseys Sunday at Carolina. It would have made the 218-yard rushing effort even more authentic in a return to old-school football.

But the day after coach Lovie Smith said he wasn't going to talk about getting off the bus running, he reiterated that a heavy dose of running isn't going to be in the works every week, especially not after quarterback Jay Cutler returns.

Matt Forte's career-high 168 yards rushing was the most by a Bears' back since Anthony Thomas ran for 173 in 2001 at Tampa Bay. Forte is the first back in Bears' history to have 150 yards rushing and 150 yards receiving in single games, a tribute to his versatility and Mike Martz's playbook.

Sure, the Bears wanted to get the offensive line going with its run blocking, but the 41 handoffs against the Panthers in a 23-6 victory was a means to a win more than anything else.
Going into this one, we felt like we needed to run the ball more," Smith said. "But I don't think we'll end up running the ball over 40 times each game. But you get into a game and something's working, of course you always stay with it. It's good for our team to see that if we have to run the football that many times we can."

It was a nice start for the new-look right side of the offensive line. J'Marcus Webb could become entrenched at right tackle and Edwin Williams was solid in his debut at right guard. When left tackle Chris Williams (right hamstring) and guard Lance Louis (left knee) return, it will be interesting to see how the starting five shakes out.

Frank Omiyale was solid at left tackle against the Panthers and line coach Mike Tice will have some decisions to make. Tice has been seeking growth and improvement on the line, and the younger players may represent the best option.

Maybe what's most surprising is the Bears have managed to win two games in which they've turned the ball over four times. Sure, those victories came against the winless Panthers (0-5) and the Lions (1-4), but they lost the turnover margin in both games and managed to prevail. A year ago, the Bears were 0-6 in games in which they had a negative turnover ratio.

That is the sign of a winning team, one that can overcome miscues small and large like turnovers, penalties and red-zone failures that still plague them. The offense is 29th in red-zone efficiency and 32nd in goal-to-go efficiency, something that will surely be a focus for this week.

The defense has been stout throughout the season, but it's clear the offense isn't there yet. That's what makes the 4-1 start so promising. The Falcons are the only other NFC team at 4-1 and the Bears have built a nice early lead in the division.

It's the 10th time in the Super Bowl era the team has started 4-1. In eight of the previous nine instances, they've reached the playoffs, with the exception being 1989. They've won their division in seven of the previous nine.

It's tough to take too much out of a victory over a team that could be in contention for the No. 1 pick in the 2011 draft, but the Bears found a way to be successful in the face of adversity minus Cutler. Smith's teams have done this before, most recently in 2005 and 2006. It's early, but the division is there for the taking again even if most everyone figured the Packers and Vikings were the favorites.

"We've felt the window was open for us from Week One," tight end Greg Olsen said. "We felt confident in the team we were going to put out there week in and week out."

Play of the game in Slo-Mo

Situation: The Bears lead the Panthers 7-3 with 7:46 remaining in the first quarter and have a first-and-10 on their own 32.

Result: Matt Forte takes a handoff around left end and takes it 68 yards for a touchdown.

The tape shows: The Bears line up with one running back and three wide receivers. Forte starts to his right and gets near the gap between the center and right guard before making one cut to his left. Left guard Roberto Garza goes low on linebacker James Anderson. Tight end Brandon Manumaleuna, lined up next to the left tackle, throws the key block on middle linebacker Dan Connor and left tackle Frank Omiyale seals off right end Derek Landri, opening up the left side. Wide receiver Earl Bennett gets a downfield block on cornerback Captain Munnerlyn, leaving Forte one-on-one with rookie safety Jordan Pugh, whom he easily beats to the end zone.

Peppers opens doors for rest of Bears' defense

October 11, 2010 4:30 PM | 1 Comment

By Fred Mitchell

The residual effect of having imposing superstar defensive end Julius Peppers attracting so much attention on one side of the Bears' line was evident Sunday in Carolina.

While the Panthers double-teamed Peppers, veteran teammate Israel Idonije was able to claim a career-high three quarterback sacks. Linebackers Lance Briggs and Pisa Tinoisamoa also were credited with a sack apiece in the 23-6 victory.

"Peppers has been double-teamed quite a bit. We wanted some others to step up and take advantage of guys focusing in on Julius so much," Bears coach Lovie Smith said Monday. "Izzy did that (Sunday). And not just that, he had one-on-one opportunities and he beat his man one-on-one. Even against the run, he made some good plays. He was physical. We're just pleased with what he did. We've been waiting for him to have a football game like that. Now he sees exactly what he is capable of doing. We need to bring a couple more along with him."

Peppers was credited with an incredible, acrobatic interception Sunday, as well as four tackles and a deflection. He batted a pass attempt from Jimmy Clausen into the air, then intercepted it as he was stretched out prone on the ground. The overall increased pressure up front also helped the Bears get interceptions from Charles Tillman and Brian Urlacher.

"He's just a play-maker," Bears safety Chris Harris said of Peppers. "He might not have any sacks, but he'll get three holding calls (by the opposition), put pressure on the quarterback, make him get out of the pocket, which is big. So Julius was a huge, huge addition to our defense. A tremendous upgrade. He comes to work every single Sunday."

Briggs availability in doubt

By Neil Hayeson October 11, 2010 3:07 PM

Lance Briggs left the locker room after Sunday's game wearing a walking boot on his left ankle, casting doubt about his availability for Sunday's game.

Briggs aggravated a high-ankle sprain he first suffered in the third preseason game while stuffing Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart late in the third quarter.
"Lance is a good player and has consistently made plays," safety Chris Harris said. "It would hurt but we have very capable guys behind him in Brian Iwuh and Nick Roach. They can play pretty good football too so if Lance has to miss time, I don't think it will be a huge letdown."

Smith also said that tackle Chris Williams and safety Major Wright were improving from hamstring injuries and could be available this week.

Firsts for Forte

Running back Matt Forte became the first NFL running back to have 150 yards receiving in a game and 150 yards rushing in a game during the same season since Marshall Faulk in 1999. He is one of only four to accomplish that since 1970; the other two are Marcus Allen in 1984 and Joe Cribbs in 1981.
Forte also became the first player in team history to have a 150-yard receiving game and 150-yard rushing game in his career.

Tight end Greg Olsen said Cutler is optimistic about the timetable for his return. ''I'm sure Jay feels confident as every player does that they're going to be back as soon as possible,'' Olsen said.
Briggs uncertain

Lance Briggs left the locker room after Sunday's game wearing a walking boot on his left ankle, casting doubt about his availability for this weekend's game.

Briggs aggravated a high-ankle sprain he first suffered in the third preseason game while stuffing Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart late in the third quarter.

''It would hurt [without Briggs], but we have very capable guys behind him in Brian Iwuh and Nick Roach,'' safety Chris Harris said. ''They can play pretty good football too, so if Lance has to miss time, I don't think it will be a huge letdown.''

Smith also said tackle Chris Williams and safety Major Wright are improving from hamstring injuries and could be available this week.

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Safeties

Grade: 9

All Harris and Danieal Manning did was be where they were supposed to be and make the play.

Manning broke up a deep ball that could have been a touchdown. He is really settling into the safety position and arguably is playing the best football of his career. Manning is getting to the ball quickly and making solid tackles. He has not often been out of position.

Harris' leadership in the secondary has been an underrated component of the Bears' success.

Cornerbacks

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Forgot to mention this yesterday, almost the whole game it was harris at SS and Manning at FS, they switched some in the 2nd quarter, but for the most part it worked well and nice to see Manning with the pass breakup in 4th quarter.

I thought Pisa played pretty well too.

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Originally Posted by BearStuff

I thought Pisa played pretty well too.

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Pisa had a real good game, esp when lance went down- he took over his position and had the sack. When healthy do think the Bears are a top 3 LB unit in the NFL, with Pisa,url and briggs.

Also props to Robbie and even lovie for going for the 53 yarder- 2 years ago, we punt- but Robbie is showing can now hit the 50+ Fg's and good to Lovie have the confidience in him to go for it at that point, and risking the field Position, had to make him feel good