Bears go on the defensive
The Philadelphia Eagles provide the Bears' defense an excellent opportunity for redemption, considering their offense has been held to fewer than 17 points in four of five games this season.
But the Minnesota Vikings had scored more than 17 points just once before they hung 34 on the Bears on Sunday.
So the formerly formidable defense of coordinator Bob Babich and coach Lovie Smith is in dire need of some major adjustments between now and Sunday afternoon in Philadelphia.
Job 1 is to increase the effort level, which Smith questioned earlier in the week -- and rightfully so -- according to Pro Bowl defensive tackle Tommie Harris, who was credited with 1 assist and zero solo tackles against the Vikes.
"You definitely can't argue that," Harris said of the effort. "The team that was out there (last) Sunday was not the Bears' defense. That's not how we play football. I don't know what it was.
"Our offense played well enough. When they put up that many points, we're supposed to win."
The last time the Bears scored 31 or more points and lost was Nov. 5, 1995, when they were defeated 37-34 by the Pittsburgh Steelers in overtime.
On Wednesday, Smith said he has challenged the defense to play up to its reputation.
"When you have pride, which our players do, which we all do, this past game we didn't play well," Smith said. "We stunk up the place. I don't have to tell them that every second. We know it. The guys will do something about it."
Smith declined to talk about any lineup changes, but he didn't deny that there would be some. He did say Danieal Manning would no longer be asked to divide his time and effort between cornerback and safety but allowed to focus on one position -- obviously safety -- where Adam Archuleta has been struggling with a broken hand and Brandon McGowan's play has been uneven.
The problems on defense the last four games, in which the Bears have allowed an average of just more than 31 points, cannot be attributed to one or two or even several players.
"When you play like that, you don't point out one guy," Smith said. "Defensively, it was a group effort, so it will be a group effort when we make that rise."
Players also scoffed at the idea that the change in defensive coordinators from Ron Rivera to Babich has had any effect. Defensive end Adewale Ogunleye said the Bears aren't doing anything differently; they're just not doing it as well.
"It's the same thing," Ogunleye said. "Let's be realistic: this is Coach Smith's defense. He runs the show and it's been the same scheme. Nothing different.
"We don't have any new blitzes, any new styles. We run the same (defense). We haven't created the turnovers we normally do, and that's the problem."
Last season the Bears led the NFL with 44 takeaways and were plus-8 in the turnover edge. This year they've forced only 12 turnovers and are minus-7.
"We're not executing right now," said linebacker Brian Urlacher, who had just 5 tackles Sunday. "It's the exact same scheme, the exact same defense.
"It's not on the coaches; it's us players that aren't doing it. The coaches are putting a good game plan together; we're just not going out and doing a good job."
A loss to the Eagles would be the Bears' fourth in the conference to go with a 1-2 record in the NFC North, leaving them at a disadvantage in tiebreakers and with an overall 2-5 record.
"We really need this game, so it's very desperate," said Harris, who sat out Wednesday's practice to rest his sore hamstring. "It's more than desperate to us. We're at our lowest right now, so we need this game."
He said the Vikings game, while disappointing, shouldn't handicap the defense this week.
"It's not difficult to get through that," Harris said. "It's like any loss that you have in the real world. Time heals all wounds. Unfortunately, right now, we're running out of time."