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Corners cram for T.O. test
BEARS | Tillman's size offers option of covering Owens man-to-man
September 21, 2007
BY BRAD BIGGS bbiggs@suntimes.com
Now that the Bears have faced two of the NFL's best running backs in LaDainian Tomlinson and Larry Johnson, they prepare to face two of the finest wide receivers.
Dallas' Terrell Owens and Detroit's Roy Williams present challenges in the next two games, and it will be interesting to see if the Bears choose to have Charles Tillman match up with either one of them man-to-man because of his size and physical nature. It's a strategy that goes away from their norm, but the Bears had success at times last season with one-on-one matchups.
No one is about to tip off the plan for Sunday night against longtime nemesis Owens, but consider that the Bears chose Tillman to shadow a receiver with similar size and traits in the New York Giants' Plaxico Burress last season. Burress was limited to four catches for 48 yards in a blowout Bears victory.
''We have right and left corners, and that's what we go with,'' defensive coordinator Bob Babich said. ''Obviously we have [matched up one-on-one] in the past, and at any time, we could possibly do it.''
It was a strategy born out of desperation, really, at halftime of the wild Monday night game at Arizona last October. The Cardinals rushed out to a 20-0 lead with a game plan that picked apart the zone defense. The Bears went in thinking they could cover the Cardinals' three big, physical receivers -- Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Bryant Johnson -- with their base Tampa Two scheme.
Arizona introduced a fourth wideout in Troy Walters, and the Cardinals systematically moved the ball up and down the field with their receivers playing physical and Matt Leinart taking what the Bears gave him underneath. Chunk by chunk, they put together four scoring drives.
The Bears came into the locker room at halftime, and secondary coach Steve Wilks suggested that they switch to man coverage, that the defensive backs could handle the Cardinals one-on-one. A scheme was devised, and after a forced fumble by Brian Urlacher and the introduction of Devin Hester to the nation, well, the rest was history.
Four weeks later, Tillman was matched on Burress. The next week, Nathan Vasher was assigned to follow the Jets' Laveranues Coles. He made eight catches for 80 yards, but the Bears won 10-0. Vasher also followed the Colts' Marvin Harrison in the Super Bowl, and the perennial Pro Bowler had only five catches for 59 yards.
Owens had a record day against the Bears in 2000 with 20 receptions for 283 yards. At 6-3, 218 pounds and with a rare size-and-speed combination, Owens is difficult to contain. Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo has kept him happy this season with three touchdowns and 23 yards per catch. More eye-opening is that Dallas receivers are averaging 18.3 yards per catch.
''T.O. gets a lot of YAC [yards after catch],'' Tillman said. ''He's hard to bring down if he catches the ball when he's moving. It's not just T.O. It's Jason Witten and [Patrick] Crayton. When you worry about one receiver, that's when the other guys will hurt you.''
Tillman never has faced Owens. When the Eagles visited in 2004, before the brotherly love ran out for Owens in Philadelphia, Tillman was sidelined with a knee injury. Vasher got his first career start that day, picking off a Donovan McNabb pass intended for Freddie Mitchell. Owens got in the Soldier Field end zone, though, and celebrated with sit-ups.
Vasher said it takes a little extra work in practice to get used to playing on the other side. No one is saying if they even have added that to the preparation this week.
''It's a totally different situation,'' Wilks said. ''This year we are looking to keep our corners involved in the game as far as not having to think a lot, just trying to look to keep them left and right and let them play their position.''
Owens, who will line up in the slot often, is not quite sure what to expect. By the end of the Cowboys' 37-20 victory Sunday in Miami, Dolphins cornerback Will Allen was following him. He finished with five catches for 97 yards and a score.
''I'm not sure,'' Owens said of the Bears' likely plan. ''It's probably going to be a game feel for them.''
Middle linebacker Brian Urlacher said the Bears' corners match up well ''on whoever they're guarding.''
''I don't see us changing too much because we trust our corners, and they've done a good job for us,'' Urlacher said. ''[Babich] has been pretty aggressive this season. I think that's going to continue.''
However the Bears decide to cover Owens, it needs to be successful early. He's a much better player when he gets involved in the offense quickly. Those sideline flaps don't happen when he's regularly getting the ball.
''They definitely try to get Terrell the ball, and they move him everywhere to do that,'' Vasher said. ''Anywhere he can stretch the field is where they put him. I'll be excited to see what we do.''
BEARS | Tillman's size offers option of covering Owens man-to-man
September 21, 2007
BY BRAD BIGGS bbiggs@suntimes.com
Now that the Bears have faced two of the NFL's best running backs in LaDainian Tomlinson and Larry Johnson, they prepare to face two of the finest wide receivers.
Dallas' Terrell Owens and Detroit's Roy Williams present challenges in the next two games, and it will be interesting to see if the Bears choose to have Charles Tillman match up with either one of them man-to-man because of his size and physical nature. It's a strategy that goes away from their norm, but the Bears had success at times last season with one-on-one matchups.
No one is about to tip off the plan for Sunday night against longtime nemesis Owens, but consider that the Bears chose Tillman to shadow a receiver with similar size and traits in the New York Giants' Plaxico Burress last season. Burress was limited to four catches for 48 yards in a blowout Bears victory.
''We have right and left corners, and that's what we go with,'' defensive coordinator Bob Babich said. ''Obviously we have [matched up one-on-one] in the past, and at any time, we could possibly do it.''
It was a strategy born out of desperation, really, at halftime of the wild Monday night game at Arizona last October. The Cardinals rushed out to a 20-0 lead with a game plan that picked apart the zone defense. The Bears went in thinking they could cover the Cardinals' three big, physical receivers -- Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Bryant Johnson -- with their base Tampa Two scheme.
Arizona introduced a fourth wideout in Troy Walters, and the Cardinals systematically moved the ball up and down the field with their receivers playing physical and Matt Leinart taking what the Bears gave him underneath. Chunk by chunk, they put together four scoring drives.
The Bears came into the locker room at halftime, and secondary coach Steve Wilks suggested that they switch to man coverage, that the defensive backs could handle the Cardinals one-on-one. A scheme was devised, and after a forced fumble by Brian Urlacher and the introduction of Devin Hester to the nation, well, the rest was history.
Four weeks later, Tillman was matched on Burress. The next week, Nathan Vasher was assigned to follow the Jets' Laveranues Coles. He made eight catches for 80 yards, but the Bears won 10-0. Vasher also followed the Colts' Marvin Harrison in the Super Bowl, and the perennial Pro Bowler had only five catches for 59 yards.
Owens had a record day against the Bears in 2000 with 20 receptions for 283 yards. At 6-3, 218 pounds and with a rare size-and-speed combination, Owens is difficult to contain. Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo has kept him happy this season with three touchdowns and 23 yards per catch. More eye-opening is that Dallas receivers are averaging 18.3 yards per catch.
''T.O. gets a lot of YAC [yards after catch],'' Tillman said. ''He's hard to bring down if he catches the ball when he's moving. It's not just T.O. It's Jason Witten and [Patrick] Crayton. When you worry about one receiver, that's when the other guys will hurt you.''
Tillman never has faced Owens. When the Eagles visited in 2004, before the brotherly love ran out for Owens in Philadelphia, Tillman was sidelined with a knee injury. Vasher got his first career start that day, picking off a Donovan McNabb pass intended for Freddie Mitchell. Owens got in the Soldier Field end zone, though, and celebrated with sit-ups.
Vasher said it takes a little extra work in practice to get used to playing on the other side. No one is saying if they even have added that to the preparation this week.
''It's a totally different situation,'' Wilks said. ''This year we are looking to keep our corners involved in the game as far as not having to think a lot, just trying to look to keep them left and right and let them play their position.''
Owens, who will line up in the slot often, is not quite sure what to expect. By the end of the Cowboys' 37-20 victory Sunday in Miami, Dolphins cornerback Will Allen was following him. He finished with five catches for 97 yards and a score.
''I'm not sure,'' Owens said of the Bears' likely plan. ''It's probably going to be a game feel for them.''
Middle linebacker Brian Urlacher said the Bears' corners match up well ''on whoever they're guarding.''
''I don't see us changing too much because we trust our corners, and they've done a good job for us,'' Urlacher said. ''[Babich] has been pretty aggressive this season. I think that's going to continue.''
However the Bears decide to cover Owens, it needs to be successful early. He's a much better player when he gets involved in the offense quickly. Those sideline flaps don't happen when he's regularly getting the ball.
''They definitely try to get Terrell the ball, and they move him everywhere to do that,'' Vasher said. ''Anywhere he can stretch the field is where they put him. I'll be excited to see what we do.''
