Mike Brown out for year again; Dvoracek, too
Submitted by cubsnet on Tue, 2007-09-11 21:15.
"But the worst news feared Sunday at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego after their 14-3 loss was confirmed Monday by MRI. Brown and defensive tackle Dusty Dvoracek both were placed on season-ending injured reserve with anterior cruciate ligament ruptures in their left knees," reports the Chicago Sun-Times.
The Bears' defense is good, but it is it good enough to overcome the loss of two starters, especially as one as important as Brown? They did play without Brown at the end of last season as well (and, it seems like, every other season of his career).
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Brown injured
This is terrible news. I was amazed at how great the Bears defense was again now that Brown and Tommie Harris were back; they were good without them last season but I had forgotten just how awesome they were with them.
I think Brown is underrated even though he's obviously very well regarded. He does so many things well and covers so much ground - almost like a second Urlacher.
That said, one thing I was happy about on Sunday was that new defensive coordinator bob Babich seems a lot more creative in his play-calling than we've previously seen. Maybe he'll have a better plan for covering for the loss of Brown than Rivera, whose plan seemed to be roughly "put the next guy in there and hope he's as good."
RE: Brown injured
I believe Harris's injury last year was more important than Brown's, but Brown is obviously very good, and has always had an excellent ability to not only create turnovers, but get yards on interception/fumble returns.
RE: Babich, you're right he's more creative. I hope that translates well. I know Urlacher has said that he's excited about the opportunity to blitz more, but Urlacher has always seemed to me to be a better pass defender than a blitzer.
I believe Harris's injury
I believe Harris's injury last year was more important than Brown's
I do, too, but in tandem it left the defense with a lot of problems - less pressure up front, and less ability to cover for that in the defensive backfield.
Of course, they were still a good defense without either of them. But with them, they're really great. Brown, Urlacher, Briggs and Harris are all truly exceptional players, I think, and all playing in a system that takes full advantage of their strengths.
I know Urlacher has said that he's excited about the opportunity to blitz more, but Urlacher has always seemed to me to be a better pass defender than a blitzer.
This is also true, and I think his pass coverage is what makes him so valuable. I wonder what the perception of Urlacher is inside the offices of offensive coordinators around the league. Is the mere threat of Urlacher blitzing something that they're really afraid of, so that the Bears can use this threat as an effective decoy? Or do they realize that he has trouble shaking blocks, and will try to tempt the Bears into sending him?