(The following is a weekly exclusive Q&A with Bears All-Pro linebacker Brian Urlacher conducted by FOXSports.com’s Senior NFL Writer/NFL Insider Jay Glazer. Urlacher has elected to conduct a weekly sit down with Glazer to open up about the latest news from the Bears and his own play in what has so far been a disappointing Bears season. In this installment, Urlacher gives insight into the mindset of his team facing the “skittish” Eli Manning, Chicago’s defensive struggles and why in the world teams still kick to Devin Hester.)
Eli Manning has taken his lumps this week after an atrocious performance last week vs. your division rival Minnesota. Even his GM, Jerry Reese, declared he looked “skittish” at times. From what you have seen of him on film, does he look skittish to you?
I don’t know if that’s the right word. If you put pressure up the middle on him, just like most quarterbacks, he can’t step up on his throws. If he can’t step up, he can’t make accurate throws. But to be honest with you, when I watch film I don’t pay a lot of attention to the quarterback. I look at the linemen, try to find something on them, and the running backs a lot more than the quarterback.
Even with his problems, our first priority is still to stop the run. That’s our key in this game and then pressure Eli.
With a win last week and the Giants and Lions seemingly taking turns south, you guys are actually back in the playoff hunt. Do you go into this game as if it’s a playoff game or is it that blowing the matchup out of proportion?
That’s actually what Coach (Lovie) Smith’s message is: this is a one-game playoff. Every game from here on out we are approaching as a one-game playoff. We’re trying to approach it as if we lose another game we’re out of it.
Brian, your defense is supposed to be the heart and soul of this team. What the heck happened to that vaunted, unbreakable Bears defense?
We’re too inconsistent. Coach Babich (defensive coordinator, Bob Babich) put up a stat today from the Denver game. Our defense was on the field for 70 plays. On 60 plays we gave up a total of 180 yards. The other 10 we gave up 240! That’s 10 plays we’re giving up big plays. It’s frustrating. We have guys in the right position to do something but we’re just not making the plays.
Have you guys had any player-only meetings or clear-the-air meetings recently to try to figure out an Rx for your woes?
We’ve done that. We tried meeting as a defense. We tried to meet to as a team. Peer pressure is the biggest pressure you can have on a football team. We had those meetings like three or four weeks ago but obviously that’s not the answer. The answer is to do your job.
It seems like every week we do this, I have to ask the same question: why in the world would anyone possibly kick to Devin Hester. Are you guys thinking the same thing on the sideline?
Jay, it’s unbelievable. I don’t know how he does it. I don’t know how you explain it. It’s unreal. Every week I say he won’t see another ball kicked to him or punted to him the rest of the year. Then, teams go out and kick to him. I’ve never seen anything like it. We can’t figure out how he does it either but it makes every special teams play exciting as we’re standing on the sideline.
The one thing nobody is talking about though is the job the guys blocking for him are doing. Some returns they set up so well he’s not touched. Those guys are doing an unbelievable job.
If I’m a special teams coach I’m squibbing, kicking out of bounds, anything but kicking to him. I hope they keep doing it and we’ll just keep scoring touchdowns.
Now that you are back in the playoff hunt, what’s the one game you lost that absolutely ticks you off today?
The Detroit game at our place or the Minnesota game at home. Minnesota ran all over us. These losses could really hurt us in the long run. You don’t want one game to be the reason you don’t get in. We put ourselves in a tough spot.
Rex Grossman actually hasn’t been bad in his return to the starting lineup. He’s actually been a bit of a bright spot. What’s the difference in his play during this stint as opposed to his play before he was benched?
He’s not being careless with the football. He’s taking care of the football better. We have to protect our quarterback better. We have to run the ball to protect him. Losing Cedric (Benson) is huge. We have a really good backup in Adrian Peterson but losing your starting running back hurts. Our season isn’t shot yet. I know we’ve lost a lot of guys but so have the Colts and they’ve still won with all their injuries. We’ve gone through worse injury situations in the past, we’ll fight through it.
ok.. considering how we played Sunday I know if the team keeps doing what they did theres no way we wouldn't make it to the playoffs... Sundays game was the best game I've seen since last years Arizona game.. I have faith.. but hey even if we don't we'll get a great pick in the draft... but I still think we can make it... Who's to say we can't? Our opponents? Screw 'em.. The only one's stopping the Bears is themselves.. We'll just see how the rest of the season goes to judge that...
Melissa,
I totally agree with you! I am a Bears fan from Washington, DC. I love my Skins, but as a fan of both, I feel that the December 6th game is a win-win situation for someone like me! Last Sunday was an exciting day to be a Bear's fan and it cheered me up after the Skin's foolish loss. I think that there is more than a glimmer of hope for the Bears to make it to the playoffs!
Go Bears!!!
PS- Everyone, please pray for Sean "21" Taylor's little girl!
I wonder if this is a maturity thing. It seemed so easy last year. They have had a lot of injuries, especially the whole defensive backfield and the ceaseless attacks on Rex. It is time for them just to play and forget the "woe is me" attitude. If they play their game, they will be in the playoffs. If not, they can start the restructure of the team.
What a GREAT game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO BEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can't believe we are down to 5 games,this season is going too fast! Hope we make the playoffs so we can watch the Bears more :)
Keep up the good work Devin,and Brian you are awesome !
If Tom Cofflin kicks it to Hester once he will be fired on Mon. I think the o will take advantage of starting in awesome field position all game long and win.
hey Brian, I hope your not laboring the fact that the Cowgirls might go to the Superbowl. Because the rest of us are going to laugh at how badly they will get their butts handed to them. Nobody is going to beat the Patriots, i hate to say it, but it's true. You may look at the last game and think you might have a chance, but dont get your hopes up. The superbowl will be decided by halftime! Go Bears...
i seriously am sick of unrealistic @ick @ucking fans who can not see beyond the #### of their respective teams, be realistic i admit as a bear fan that this season is awash so plz admit it
Lovie's right. Every game from here on in is a playoff game. No way 10-6 doesn't make the playoffs. If that happens, watch out for the Monsters of the Midway because we all know anything can happen on any given Sunday. Our toughest game left? Packers at home. Remember, the Bears already beat the Pack in Lambeau; albeit with the aid of costly Jennings fumbles. Who says we can't beat them in Soldier? Obviously the New York City Football G-Men of New Jersey game this weekend is huge. However, the Bears always seem to have the G-Men's number. I remember a couple years ago when Alex Brown beat the Giants in the Meadowlands BY HIMSELF! Vasher's back this week. The secondary will improve. Time to pile on Manning.
I think the play offs are too far away for the Bears, the way they have been playing all year, they can start to think about next year, especially if they keep the attacks on Rex, he's not the whole problem
You're a sorry excuse for a fan. I suppose they should just give the trophy to the Pats right now...why even play? Even though the lowly Eagles with AJ Feely at the helm nearly beat them. Who in the NFC is really that much better? Dallas? They've played 3 teams with winning records, two of those being the Giants. I'm not sure they have the fortitude to beat two or three good playoff caliber opponents in a row. Anything can happen, such as say...a bobbled hold on a extra point. You are the pathetic one, not the fans that still hold hope, if for nothing other than to see a 17th game, or 18th game.
Washington, Detroit, Arizona and New Orleans all very easily could lose this weekend. If that happens and the Bears win, will you come on here Monday and claim that the Bears still have no shot?
I think you should jump on the Dallas bandwagon, f'ing quitter.
The Bears are my team and I love em, but I kind of agree with bearplz that maybe they should start thinking about the draft. I believe that most of the Bears problems start at the "Im Almost Ready For Social Security" o-line. If they get blocks then Cedric, or now AP could get a hole to run through. A good running game opens up the passing game in which Rex and Griese haven't had anytime to throw this season. Every game that the Bears have had a passing attack is the same game where the o-line is kicking butt. Hmm, protection anyone? The biggest domino effect that the Bears poor o-line has had on this team is time of possesion on offense. If the Bears could maybe get a first down or sustain a drive longer than 20 yds then that would keep Urlacher and company off the field long enough to catch their breath. The o-line is giving no protection to anybody so the Bears have to constantly go 3 and out. Leading to an exausted defense that is already injury plagued, some of which could possibly be from being on the field for too long. Please get a couple of promising o-linemen in the draft. Kreutz can stay, all the rest can go for all I care. Spending too much money for not enough production. Oh yea, USE HESTER! He should be the starting slot in every game. Promising future with him, Wolfe, and Olsen. Much love to all my fellow Bears fans. Favre will be gone soon.
Melissa5489 or whatever it is. Nice photo...kind of posing your arse off, eh?..."my turn-ons are Boston in the fall and candlelit dinners...my turn-offs are smokers and beer bellies"..hehe
Thank the good Lord for Devin Hester and Robbie Gould. If it wasn't for them... well, we all know.
They are our two top point earners. They save our butts time and time again.
Bears in the playoffs? Please. They are sorry. The Seahawks should have won in Soldier Field in the playoffs last year, despite the injuries to Hasselbeck & Alexander and the waiver-wire defensive backfield. They got a little bit of satisfaction by taking care of the cubs in Seattle this season. The only exception being the Seahawks, no SB loser this millennium has gone back to the playoffs the following year. The Bears will follow that trend.
This country was built on hope and dreams. Yeah they are facing monster odds , but wouldn't it be great. I'll keep rooting every week. And dreaming too.
Bears in the playoffs?????? WTF????? You are joking right? You have to get past the vikings again, which you won't do in Minny, plus other much better teams. Keep smokin and tokin people. Only in LaLa land. Ha!! Thanks for the laughs bears fans. Vikes will have another 200+ yard running game against the Bears Who??? Face it, you S.U.C.K. Not like Vikings are great, but at least I am not delusional when it comes to my team. Please!!!!! You have to get past, Washington, Vikings, Lions, Giants, and I think 2 more teams Keep Smokin Crack! Go VIKINGS!!!
Could can you tell Angelo to open the door and let Archeletta (I don't care if I spelled that rigth)walk out of it. He is the biggest weakness on our defense. All those big plays, ran or passed, have been given up because of poor safety play on his side. I'd rather we have another linebacker off the bench back there. Or put Ayenbadejo ( I hope I didn't spell that right, respect) back there, he has a nose for the tackle.
P.S. Turner is like that coach from the Waterboy. He doesn't want to turn his weapons loose. Please stop throwing that pass to Devin Hester off the line and let him streak down the field. No one can out run him or Bernard. Put Hester on one side Berrian on the other Moose and Olsen across the center. Who do you guard???
GO BEARS!!!!! One game at a time. We can do this. We won 7 in a row to start the season last year, right? was it actually 7? I forget. But we can do this 10-6 thing.
Krunchin, we have NY, Washington, Minnesota, Green Bay and New Orleans left. All 5 are beatable, even Green Bay, as we already proved up in Lambeau this year. But I especially like our chances in Minnesota. any team can win on any given Sunday. Which is pretty much what happened when your team came to Chicago. We'll get ya back. We love the roller-dome!
I'm not putting money on the playoffs, but with the NFC this year, anything is possible. It's enough to make you want to smoke crack. :)
Last edited by pianodude on November 29th at 8:21 PM.
bearplz, thank god one of you bears fans is realistic about your team. I am a Vikings fan, and believe me when I say, I do not hold out any false hope that they are really in line for a wild card shot. Now if at week 17 they are sitting at 10 wins then yes, I may hold out hope, but it is nice to see a bears fan that finally recognizes the team for what it is.
Before you all start slammming me, LIKE I SAID, I am not unrealistic when it comes to the Vikings, but they are playing better ball than the Bears, and they did hand their collective A.S.S.E.S. to them the first time around at Soldier Field. Next time is in Minny and A.P. is back, so Bears fans should at least try to be a little on the realistic side.
You have to pass, Giants, Lions, New Orleans, Arizona, Philly, Washington and the Vikings, before you even have a shot, and it is more than a long shot at best, so just admit that you need to start planning for the draft. Vikings and Bears will more than likely be sitting home watching the playoffs, unless all hell breaks lose and all of the other teams fall off the face of the earth, which isn't very likely to happen.
Pianodude, like I said earlier, stop smokin crack and wake up. After what the Vikes did to the Bears last time and at Soldier Field at that, do you really think you have a shot? Not like Vikes have a very good chance at Wild Card either, but at least I see my team for what it is and don't live in LaLa land. Vikes will beat Detroit and the Bears, and probably Denver. Out of all the NFC north teams the Vikings actually have the easiest schedule and the best shot to run the table. That is the pros predictions also. Check the NFC North schedules.
Hate to burst your bubble but the Bears have a much harder schedule and they are playing P.I.S.S. poorly. The whole defense is terrible, and Hester is hurt now so who do you have??? Giants are looking to make a statement after the absolute butt whooping they took from my Vikings so Bears better be very careful.
Hey,it's after 5:00. I can smoke as much crack as I want.
I hear ya, your boys looked good last week, but man, NY looked really bad. Manning looked like he was adopted at birth. And last week against Denver, if we stop dropping passes, we're not having to comeback at the end like we did.
I guess if the Bears fall flat on their face this week, I will eat crow and agree the season's over, and go back to my crackpipe. But it's way too early with so many teams in the hunt, all capable of screwing up. That's all I'm saying.
Thanks for the great laugh.
There are too many teams in the NFC logjam.
Hester can't put da Bears in the playoffs by himself. Besides, da Bears can't expect to win a game against GBay or Dallas. It's ugly out there.
Gotcha pionadude. Hey if my Vikings screw up how's about sharing the pipe with me. lol I don't hold out much hope for the Vikes as they would have to run the table to even be considered and I predicted 6 wins for them this season. So far 1 away from being right.
I agree with you there. It would be nice to be one of 6 teams in, but yeah, being number 6 doesn't give you much hope for getting passed week 17. On second thought, when's the draft?
I used to be dead-set against flip-flopping viewpoints, but then I changed my mind! :-)
There's enough to go around krunchin. Actually, I have a friend in New England, the ####. anyway, i've been warning him that the Bears were going to run the table in the 2nd half. 0-8! :-)
Like I just told my friend 5 minutes ago. It could be worse. We could be Fins or Jets fans! How awful would that be right now? Could be worse, so we should count our blessings that both the Vikes and Bears at least have 5 wins and that puts them ahead of a few teams. Not a lot of teams but enough to make us all feel a little better about our teams.
One other thing. At least the #### went down tonight. That has to count for something!
That should say the F.U.D.G.P.A.C.K.E.R.S.! I hate this site sometimes. My message doesn't make any sense if you can't see the team I am talking about.
Last edited by krunchin247 on November 29th at 9:24 PM.
I actually think that the Lions and Giants are going to juke themselves out of the wildcard hunt. I don't think the Lions have what it takes and they have a tough schedule left as well. We can all go back to our safe little NFC North worlds with the kitty cats at the bottom where they have been for years.
I only wish Minny still had to play the Pack again. Could bode well for the Bears though, if he can't play. Wouldn't hold out much hope for that though. The great and powerful Oz would put himself in a wheelchair and have the team push him up and down the field if it meant the man was going to miss a start and break his streak!
Hey say what you will about Wannstedt, but at least they had a win with him. Too funny. Never thought I would see a team go 10-0 and 0-10 in the same division in the same season!
Brian Urlacher is a six-time Pro Bowl selection who also holds the distinction of being just the fifth player to win both Defensive Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors during his career. The mainstay of the Bears' defense will speak frequently with FOXSports.com senior NFL writer Jay Glazer ... and we'll bring it to you here.
