Briggs fires back at critics
Lance Briggs didn't wait for an invitation to hit whatever he wanted Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field.
When the Bears were done escaping Detroit 19-14 in the season opener, Briggs displayed the same lack of social graces with the media.
Asked about his biggest play in the victory, Briggs chose to hit on his own topic.
"I more want to address some of the critics that say some of us are too old and too slow," Briggs said. "We're not slow enough or we're not fast enough to make plays and this and that, man. You know, all the critics know what they can do."
Briggs was referencing a recent story that suggested the Bears defense, which features three thirty-somethings led by middle linebacker Brian Urlacher, might be past its prime.
"Five-four (Urlacher) went out and balled today," Briggs said. "All the guys that people have question marks (about) went out and balled today. We played good defense."
Some might call it great defense.
"They are the reason we won the game," said quarterback Jay Cutler.
Until the Lions' final drive that climaxed with Calvin Johnson's controversial non-touchdown catch, the Bears allowed just 110 total yards.
Detroit managed 1 first down and 15 total yards on the eight possessions leading up to the Lions' last-ditch drive against the Bears' prevent defense.
That stretch included the Briggs highlight destined to be replayed on the Soldier Field big screens for years to come.
With Detroit on its own 9-yard line early in the fourth quarter, Briggs lined up outside left end Mark Anderson.
As quarterback Shaun Hill called the cadence, Briggs shifted over the center and timed the snap perfectly.
He raced in untouched and chopped Hill's left arm as he tried to hand off to running back Jahvid Best. Briggs forced a fumble that he recovered at the 1-yard line.
Urlacher, who sneaked out of the locker room while Briggs delivered his anti-ageism manifesto, posted 8 solo tackles in his first action since he broke his wrist in last year's opener.
Urlacher delivered a 9-yard sack on a blitz, outran Best to the corner for a 2-yard loss and nailed Maurice Morris for a 3-yard loss after defensive end Mark Anderson blew up the gap on the snap.
Thirty-year-old Julius Peppers, who contributed another crucial play when he forced a fumble and knocked Matthew Stafford out of the game on the same second-quarter play, was more diplomatic about the age question.
"I don't know anything about that," Peppers said. "All I know is we've got guys that can play that good. I don't know how old they are or how many years (they have in the league).
"All I know is they made plays today."