Chicago Bears Countdown to Kickoff: 54 Days with Brian Urlacher
By Peter Jurich
Brian Urlacher continues his dominance for the Chicago Bears
The Bears finished the 2001 season with a 13-3 record but regressed to a four-win season in 2002, Urlacher's third season. Despite a lack of team success, Urlacher had another dominant season, and after leading the league in solo tackles, was named to his second consecutive First-Team All-Pro and third consecutive Pro Bowl. In 2003, Urlacher took a small step back (which is crazy when considering what he finished with) and ended the season with just 115 total tackles and another Pro Bowl nod.
Ahead of the 2004 season, the Chicago Bears made a coaching change and brought in Lovie Smith, who implemented his iconic Tampa-2 defense. Urlacher was able to team up with a second-year Lance Briggs and the two constructed one of the best linebacking tandems to date but unfortunately, Urlacher had to miss nearly half of the season due to injury.
Nonetheless, Smith and his defensive scheme suited Urlacher and Briggs' skillsets perfectly. The former Lobo was able to play a position similar to the "Lobo-back" as a Tampa-2 middle linebacker, where he was able to roam across the middle of the defense between the linebacker and the safeties.
In this scheme, Urlacher enjoyed some of the best success of his career. In his first season under Smith, the All-Pro had perhaps his best season so far, recording 122 total tackles and six sacks. Urlacher was nominated to the First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl roster once again, but was able to finish the season as the Defensive Player of the Year, making him the first Bears player to do so since Mike Singletary in 1988.
The following season, Urlacher had another stellar season with 142 total tackles and three interceptions and helped lead the Bears to a top-five defense on the year. After winning the division with a 13-3 record, Urlacher and the defense helped lead the team to a Super Bowl birth, where they, unfortunately, folded to another all-time great in quarterback Peyton Manning.