Most Valuable Bear, Mike Brown?

by Shawn Domagal-Goldman on Jan 10, 2007 10:32 PM CST

There's only one thing that has me worried about the Bears making the Super Bowl this year - the absence of Mike Brown. For some reason, the run D in the cover 2 seems to be strongly dependent on the free safety. Don't ask me why, but apparently it seems to. Look at the difference Bob Sanders has meant to the Colts run D this year, and the difference Brown has meant to the Bears D since Lovie Smith took over in 2004. Here is the Bears' record the last 3 years with and without Mr. Brown (Year/Record with Brown/Record without Brown):

2004/1-1/4-10
2005/9-3/2-3
2006/6-0/7-3
Total/16-4/13-16

Yes, many of those losses came in '04 when Lovie was still building the team around his scheme. However, just over the last two seasons the records are wildly divergent, 15-3 with Brown and 9-6 without him.

We'll beat Seattle this weekend, because they're probably the worst team to make the playoffs and were lucky to escape their own stadium with a win last weekend. I also think we'll be able to beat either New Orleans or Philly at home, but in my mind it would be a sure bet with Brown back at safety.

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Mike Brown has a nose for the football

He does nothing except for make plays and his abscense has been felt.

first the Rush...now the Bears.

by mike @ Windy City Gridiron on Jan 10, 2007 11:04 PM CST reply actions

I don't think

the SS is more important to run d in the cover 2 specifically, especially since (by their own admission in ESPN Mag and standard practice) they only run out of the 2 about 30% of the time, but the SS is very important in all run D's since he supossed to be the last sure tackle before the endzone.

That being said Brown is a huge loss, and he is often mentioned as the actual leader of this defense. I wonder how much longer they will stick with him, without too many things to address in the offseason I believe they may go after a SS at some point.

Brown makes this unit click, love watching him play, really hope he can start staying healthy.

by mike b on Jan 10, 2007 11:05 PM CST reply actions

in 2004

as well we were 5-4 with Urlacher, 0-7 without.

I'm sure many of that coincided with Brown's absence.

But yeah we miss Brown, I think we miss Tommie Harris more.

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by thecubreporter on Jan 11, 2007 12:21 AM CST reply actions

100% agree...

And there is no way that Seattle was the worst team to make that playoffs. The Giants are way worse and I personally think that Dallas was worse as well.

by Chad @ Windy City Gridiron on Jan 11, 2007 1:07 AM CST up reply actions

i have wondered from time to time...

why urlacher has not been moved to brown's spot, with hillenmeyer moving to mlb and either leon joe or ayanbedejo (sp?) taking the outside lb. this would surely keep 54 in the middle of the action, and keep devin hester or chris harris limited to the nickel or dime packages only.

and, who better to pick up a tight end or tailback coming between the numbers?

just asking.

as far as harris being missed, it's a damn shame dvoracek got hurt at the end of camp. he would have eased the pain of loss of harris greatly.

by dc60123 @ Windy City Gridiron on Jan 11, 2007 2:24 AM CST reply actions

Fun idea...

But Urlacher needs to be closer to the line to be most effective. He is able to run side line to side line with almost any back in the league. Hunter can't do that as well. Urlacher is also AWESOME at making plays behind the line of scrimmage and that is so important to our D.

by Chad @ Windy City Gridiron on Jan 11, 2007 2:46 AM CST up reply actions

MLB in the Cover 2

has to cover the most ground and Urlacher may be the best pass defending MLB to ever play, as well as all the other stuff Chad mentioned.

He needs to stay there....

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by thecubreporter on Jan 11, 2007 10:15 AM CST up reply actions

What about Todd?

The big nasty stat after they lost Brown was the 3 or 4 straight games giving up 100+ rushing yards.

Still, while it took him a few games to get his legs after Brown went down (e.g., to start making tackles), and though he's certainly not in any way a replacement for the veteran safety, Todd Johnson wasn't looking so bad immediately before he sprained his ankle.

Since he went out with an injury, though, they've consistently had a combination of him, Vasher and/or Tillman missing from the secondary... Leaving, what, Danieal Manning at safety, Ricky Manning at corner and Devin Hester at nickle in how many games? How much playing time has Dante Wesley logged lately on D? Cameron Worrell?

Johnson, Tillman and Vasher are all healed now, and I trust that their return will help restore a bit of balance to the Force.

by Danimal on Jan 11, 2007 11:16 AM CST reply actions