No Easy Answers for Fixing Chicago Bears Defense
Dec 9, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher (54) laughs before the the game against the Minnesota Vikings at the Metrodome. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
“Bring Back Urlacher”
Da Bears defense is missing Brian Urlacher’s leadership.
Reality: Urlacher is finished. He was pretty much finished last season. He has been sitting around playing golf and appearing on Fox Sports1’s Fox Football Daily. He hasn’t been working out and couldn’t just pick up and start playing. It is a year round process to prepare to play in the NFL, especially for someone of Brian Urlacher’s age.
“Just coach up the guys we’ve got”
Just take our existing players and make them play better.
Reality: This might be the most realistic option out there, but even that is a long shot. Mel Tucker isn’t going to suddenly add 20 pounds of muscle to Shea McClellin’s frame. They’re not going to take undrafted rookies and guys they got off the street and get them fully up to speed in days. And the reality is, if they were any good they’d have been playing here or elsewhere. Coaching can’t fix a lack of talent. They might be able to come up with some schemes and disguise their blitzes, but they’re not going to replace a Pro Bowl caliber 3-technique like Henry Melton overnight.
The Wrap: There are no easy answers. The best thing the Bears can do is to get guys like Stephen Paea and Charles Tillman healthy, try to come up with some well disguised blitz packages and hope the offense can outscore the opponents.
What do you think? Is there anything the Bears can do to fix their defense midseason?