The Real Monster Of The Current Midway

Many people, myself included, were calling this years Bears defenses one of the best in recent memory, if not ever, earlier this season. They were killing people. They were causing turnovers. They were stopping the run. They were stopping the pass. They were pressuring the quarterback. They were keeping opponents out of the end zone. They were dominant. They were everything the Ravens were at the end of the season. Then, in week 6, things started to go down hill.

They started with an injury to Pro Bowl safety Mike Brown. Now, Colts fans will completely understand how important Brown was to the Bears defense since he is everything that Bob Sanders is to the Indy defense. Brown is that guy that does everything well. He is a big hitter. He can play the run. He is good/great in coverage. He makes big plays, and most importantly, he understands where he is supposed to be at all times. That is why these types of guys, and Ed Reed is in this group as well, are always around the ball. They are great athletes, but more than that, they understand their job and their responsibilities. Well, even with an important player like Mike Brown injured and out for the season, the Bears were no more than a step behind where they were prior to his injury.

Then, their defense took another shot, and it changed everything, almost over night. In the December 3rd game against the Minnesota Vikings, Bears defensive tackle Tommie Harris went down with what was thought to be nothing more than a twisted ankle. He went out for a few plays, even a series or two, then he came back, for one play. After that play, he was on his back again and had to be helped to the bench. He was out for the year after that. Not with the ankle, but with a sever hamstring injury that was not noticed until after the fact. From this point on, the once dominant Bears defense was giving up points like teams in the bottom half of the league.

They gave up 31 to Tampa, they gave up 26 to Green Bay. They struggled against the run. They had to blitz more which hurt their coverage ability. They still got turnovers, but not in the high numbers they had been. All in all, they looked like a totally different defense, and this was all due to Tommie Harris.

How is this one guy this important? How is he more important than the Bear's Pro Bowl linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs. How is he more important that great corners Charles Tillman and Nathan Vasher (who both were also banged up late by the way). He is more important because he is the guy that really makes Lovie Smith's cover 2 work.

My buddy John talked about his concerns on the cover 2 in a blog on his site here. He talks about his concerns in respect to the cover 2 that the Colts run, and I think he was dead on. What made the Bears' version of this defense so much better than the Colts' is Tommie Harris. What does he do that makes them so much better than Indy? Well, I am glad you asked.

First off, he is a great pass rushing tackle, just ask Matt Hasselbeck. He is constantly getting pressure on the quarterback. He is often double teamed or schemed against, and he still constantly gets into the backfield. This is not only important for his stats, but also makes the other Bear defensive linemen worlds better. Why? Because the other team has to do so much to stop Harris, that the Alex Browns and Adewale Ogunleyes of the world can walk to the quarterback. This means that they create a great deal of pressure with out having to blitz and bring extra people. They can leave the other 7 guys on the defense back in coverage. This is one of the reasons they caused so many turnovers earlier in the year. The other 7 guys could fly around to the ball and get INT's or rip the ball away from offensive players. This allows the cover 2 to really operate how it should.

The second thing that Harris does that makes the Bears' defense work is he is great against the run. Not only is he the best DT pass rusher since a young Warren Sapp, but he is as good as Gilbert Brown was against the run for the Green Bay Packer Super Bowl teams. He sheds blockers and always seems to be the first guy to hit the ball carrier. This slows the ball carrier up and allows Urlacher, Briggs, Hillenmeyer, etc. to get to the ball before he can get positive yards.

Without a good run stuffer, the cover 2 becomes little more than a line of police tape across the line of scrimmage. Look at the Colts' defense throughout the regular season. Look at the Bears' defense in the games after Harris got hurt. A bad run defense is due to a lack of run stoppers. Now, before you start jumping up and down about the reformed Colts' defense let me tell you that this helps prove my point. Yes, Bob Sanders helps, but what has really changed the run defense is the improved play of Anthony "Booger" McFarlane. He is playing like an All Pro in the playoffs. He's blowing up running plays before they get started. He's in the backfield on almost every play it seems. He is making the tackles that he was missing earlier in the year.

I know that the DT is not a "sexy" position, and that it is much more exciting to say that a safety or linebacker is the reason for a great defense, but it is the DT. This is why I think that the Colts' defense is going to be leaps and bounds better next year (assuming McFarlane continues to get better, like he should). With a quality run stuffer, the rest of the defense can do what they are supposed to. Fly to the ball, cause turnovers, and keep teams out of the end zone. "Well why was their defense so much better last year without McFarlane?" Two words, COREY SIMON. He was a great run stuffer early in his career with Philly and when he was at Florida State. An average pass rusher, but great against the run, and this is what the Colts needed last year. This type of player rarely fits into the dictionary definition of the cover 2 (speed, speed, speed). However it is vital for the defense to be successful. That is what makes Tommie Harris so great. He is both. He is fast, a great pass rusher, and is great against the run. I promise you, had he not gotten hurt, all those "experts" wouldn't be looking so foolish right now for picking the Saints. Everyone with a brain would've picked the Bears, and their dominant defense.