Vikings’ Peterson prime concern for Bears’ defense
No matter if it’s Daunte Culpepper, Gus Frerotte, Brett Favre or Donovan McNabb quarterbacking the Minnesota Vikings, the Bears’ defense always considers running back Adrian Peterson its primary concern.
He leads the NFC with 498 rushing yards. The Bears held him to 51 yards on 17 carries in the one game he played against them last season and 179 yards on 49 carries in two games in 2009 for a combined 3.5 yards per carry.
But in 2007 and ’08, his first two seasons in the NFL, Peterson pounded the Bears for 554 yards on 90 carries (6.2-yard average) and 8 touchdowns in four games.
“He’s, if not the best, he’s up there in the top three backs I’ve faced in the NFL since I’ve been here,” Lance Briggs said, “and he’s playing well right now. So guys are going to have to buckle their chin straps and get their nose in it.
“It’s kind of like he’s fighting when he runs. He’s fighting everybody on the field, and he’s relentless. He keeps churning those legs. He’s a guy who raises your level of play.”
Peterson has never rushed for fewer than 1,298 yards, averaged less than 4.4 yards per carry or scored fewer than 10 touchdowns in a season.
“He’s got everything you want in a running back,” Brian Urlacher said. “He runs the ball hard. He’s good between the tackles. He’s good outside. He does it all.”
Long arm of the law:Officials may be overreacting to the league#146;s decision to crack down on unnecessary violent hits.Brian Urlacher was flagged for an alleged helmet-to-helmet his on Detroit tight end Tony Scheffler that showed on replay was a shoulder-to-shoulder hit.#147;I don#146;t care what#146;s legal or what#146;s illegal,#148; Urlacher said. #147;I#146;m going to play the way I play, no matter what. The refs are going to call it. If they think it#146;s close, they#146;re going to call it, and that#146;s what they#146;ve been told to do. You can#146;t fault them.#148;Long in the tooth:With six 30-something players in key roles, some might say the Bears are getting old on defense.#147;I don#146;t know,#148; said 30-year-old linebacker Lance Briggs. #147;I don#146;t really have a comment for that. Call it whatever you want to. We#146;ve got a lot of young guys out there, too.#148;Sunday night#146;s starting safeties, Chris Conte and Major Wright, are 22 and 23, respectively, and nickel corner D.J. Moore is 24, as are tackles Henry Melton and Amobi Okoye.Long time gone:Wide receiver Earl Bennett returned to practice this week for the first time since suffering a chest injury in Week 2. But he#146;s not expected back until next week in London against Tampa Bay.Quarterback Jay Cutler has missed Bennett, the team#146;s best possession receiver and a key third-down option underneath.#147;I love playing with Earl,#148; quarterback Jay Cutler said. #147;He#146;s a guy who does a lot for us. He really calms that unit down, he#146;s able to play any position, he#146;s a tough player, and he helps the running game and the passing game.#147;Without him, obviously we took a little bit of a step back. But Dane (Sanzenbacher) is doing a great job of stepping in there.#148;At long last:After five weeks of being inactive on game day, second-round defensive tackle Stephen Paea is expected to play Sunday night.Paea was the first noninjured Bears second-round pick to be inactive in the season opener since defensive lineman Pat Riley in 1995.Paea was slowed in the preseason with a knee injury. He has been healthy since the season started, just buried on the bench at a deep position.#147;We have other players, and there#146;s a rotation you go through,#148; coach Lovie Smith said. #147;Sometimes it#146;s hard for you to get an opportunity.#147;But I#146;ve never seen a situation where a player that deserves to play didn#146;t get an opportunity. Stephen has to just continue to do what he#146;s been doing: going to work, practice, improving.#147;We#146;re still as high on him as we#146;ve been. It#146;s just that there#146;s been other guys before him.#148;ŸFollow Bob#146;s Bears reports via Twitter @Bob LeGere and check out our Bear Essentials blog at dailyherald.com.