Bears’ D does what it does

  • By Scott M. Johnson / Herald Writer
  • Thursday, January 11, 2007 9:00pm
  • Sports

KIRKLAND – It’s not so much Brian Urlacher’s imposing size, Lance Briggs’ surprising speed or Ricky Manning’s timely interceptions.

It’s not the blue-collar fans, the classic uniforms or the smoke-like breath streaming out of facemasks.

When an offense lines up against Chicago’s smothering defense, the most intimidating thing isn’t what the Bears do – but what they don’t do.

There are few adjustments and limited tricks. When the Bears line up on a Sunday afternoon – as they will this weekend against the Seattle Seahawks – they just line up and dare offenses to come at them.

“We don’t change for anyone,” said Urlacher, a 6-foot-4, 258-pound linebacker who runs like a safety. “We didn’t double (Carolina receiver) Steve Smith (in a playoff loss last season) – maybe we should have; we didn’t. We do what we do. We run some man (coverage), some zones, and blitz a little bit.

“Our defense is pretty simple when it comes down to that.”

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

So simple that no one’s figured out how to attack it. Chicago’s defensive package, which is based in a Cover-2 scheme much like the one Tampa Bay rode to a Super Bowl title four years ago, is effective in that it doesn’t try to do too much.

The Seahawks know this all too well, having struggled to solve the Bears’ open-book equation in a 37-6 loss on Oct. 1. Chicago didn’t trick Seattle in that game; the Bears just beat them.

“They came out and knocked us around,” Seahawks offensive tackle Walter Jones said, “and they did a good job of it.”

If there are reasons for Seattle to feel better about the rematch, it’s because of who will be in uniform for the Seahawks – and who won’t be for the Bears. Seattle played that game without star running back Shaun Alexander and tight end Jerramy Stevens, both of whom are now healthy, while Chicago has since lost defensive playmakers Tommie Harris and Mike Brown.

Harris was particularly effective in the October game, dominating left guard Floyd Womack all day long. Harris almost single-handedly shut down Seattle’s running game, and sacked quarterback Matt Hasselbeck twice. He’s out for the year with a torn hamstring, so that gives the Seahawks one less worry heading into Sunday’s game.

“Tommie is not a good player; Tommie is a great player,” Bears coach Lovie Smith said this week, “I think as good as there is in the league at his position.

“We had him, now we don’t. No one else has a player like Tommie, but we have other good football players. We have moved on.”

Brown, who had five solo tackles in the first Seattle game, has been on injured reserve since Oct. 19 after suffering a foot injury.

Without Harris and Brown, the Bears’ defense has struggled down the stretch. After allowing 251.8 yards per game through the first 11 weeks, Chicago gave up 364.7over the final six.

Meanwhile, the Seahawks’ offense has shown some signs of coming out of its season-long funk. Alexander has only recently started to look like himself after missing six games in October and November with a broken bone in his left foot. While he might not have made much of a difference in the earlier meeting – the Seahawks fell behind 20-3 in the second quarter – the addition of last season’s NFL MVP has its benefits.

Stevens could provide a boost in that he had his best game of the season last Saturday. His five-catch, two-touchdown performance served notice that he can be a postseason playmaker.

“With Jerramy and me in, it gives us a great chance to score more first downs and also move the ball in the red zone a little bit easier,” Alexander said Thursday. “Hopefully it goes well for us.”

The general belief is that the best way to play a Cover-2 system is to send a tight end over the middle, but Urlacher’s speed makes that easier said than done.

“If he’s around the middle of the field and if we’re in Cover-2, he’ll be my responsibility sometimes,” Urlacher said. “It’s hard to say because I hardly ever get stuck on tight ends. There are times. I think the first game they tried to run the tight end down the middle one time.”

The Seahawks aren’t giving any hints about what they’ll try to do this time. Their offensive game plan is shrouded in secrecy, while the Bears’ defensive strategy is right there for everyone to see.

“You have to respect it anytime a team feels like it can just line up and play their scheme,” Seahawks fullback Mack Strong said. “They don’t feel like they have to resort to a whole lot of blitzing. They might mix stuff in every now and then, but for the most part, these guys know their role on the defense and they play it to a T.”

Notes: A veteran cornerback was at the Seahawks’ practice facility on Thursday, but it wasn’t to help out Seattle’s injury-ravaged defense. Washington Redskins cornerback Shawn Springs stopped by while visiting Seattle to tend to a business matter. … Wide receiver Darrell Jackson (toe) missed practice again Thursday but could be on the field today. He is listed as “questionable” for Sunday’s game at Chicago.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Sports

Everett AquaSox infielder Colt Emerson cracks his bat as he gets a hit during the game against the Tri-City Dust Devils on Tuesday, May 6, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
AquaSox weekend update: Frogs throw combined no-hitter

Three AquaSox pitchers combined to throw a no-hitter in… Continue reading

The awards table with different athletic honors and trophies at the Everett Community College Athletics 2025 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Everett, Washington on June 5, 2025. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
Everett CC Athletics enshrine 2025 Hall of Fame class

The late Chet Hovde, longtime women’s hoops coach, headlines the seven-member class.

Stanwood's mixed unified 400-meter relay team -- (from left to right) senior Ciara Beam, sophomore Camrie Ingram, junior Xander Krause and junior Levi Stiers -- poses with their medals and state championship trophy at the WIAA Track & Field Championships in Tacoma, Washington on May 31, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Michael Randall / Stanwood track & field)
Stanwood’s Inclusive Track Field state champions blaze trail

The program takes huge step forward for intellectually disabled athletes and their peers.

AquaSox pounded by Emeralds

The Eugene Emeralds hit the AquaSox early and often… Continue reading

Tyrese Haliburton hit a last-second shot to take down favored Oklahoma City in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. (Yong Kim / Tribune News Services)
Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton stuns Thunder to open NBA Finals

Tyrese Haliburton raced up the court, paused for a… Continue reading

Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (14) participates in a workout during day six of OTAs at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton on Thursday, June 5, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Edwin Hooper / Seattle Seahawks)
Revisiting Washington’s 2000 upset over mighty Miami

It’s impossible to find two power-conference college football programs farther apart geographically… Continue reading

Seahawks offensive tackle Abraham Lucas, an Archbishop Murphy High School graduate, participates in OTAs at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Rod Mar / Seattle Seahawks)
Seahawks offensive tackle Abraham Lucas talks about new season

The healthy Archbishop Murphy graduate talks about a number of topics at OTAs.

Seahawks quarterback Jalen Milroe (6) participates in a workout on day five of OTAs at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Edwin Hooper / Seattle Seahawks)
As Milroe learns, there’s no QB competition for Seahawks

There are obvious similarities between the Seattle Seahawks’ quarterback situation… Continue reading

Everett AquaSox infielder Colt Emerson gets a high-five from teammate Lazaro Montes after scoring during the game against the Tri-City Dust Devils on Tuesday, May 6, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lazaro Montes hits 13th homer, Frogs win

Suisbel and Montes go deep for second straight night.

Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners hits a single during the first inning against the Washington Nationals at T-Mobile Park on Thursday, May 29, 2025, in Seattle. (Stephen Brashear / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Cal Raleigh is blasting his way toward a historic season

When the owners of the Seattle Mariners gathered last week for a… Continue reading

Seattle Storm forward Gabby Williams (5) puts up a shot over Dallas Wings forward Teaira McCowan (15) at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle on June 3, 2025. (Photo courtesy of the Seattle Storm)
Storm brew fourth-quarter run to beat Wings

SEATTLE – Gabby Williams scored 18 points, and the Seattle Storm went… Continue reading

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.