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Bear Breakdown: D.J. Moore and Nick Roach Need To Step Up

21st September 2011 by under Bear Breakdown     

The first two weeks of the NFL season, Bears linebacker Nick Roach and nickelback D.J. Moore have been on my list of “Players Who Must Step Up” in my weekly game previews. They haven’t stepped up just yet.

Last week in New Orleans they both had opportunites to turn the game around, but they failed to take advantage of them.

Both, Roach and Moore have seven tackles on the season. Moore has two pass deflections, while Roach has one.

Playing aside Pro Bowlers, Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs, you’d think Roach would get some turnovers through their play.

Roach has been steady so far, but he hasn’t been as good as he can be. In his first year penciled in as a starter, not much competition sits behind him. Competition is important for motivation, just look at the Bears defensive line, they have plenty of that.

He had his chance to make a play last Sunday against the Saints. In the third quarter, Roach had a chance at an interception, but it went through his hands. I’m sure in practice this week, the Bears saw that on film and are showing him how to fix that issue.

The instincts are there, but the hands and focus aren’t. Roach is one player the Bears would love to see step up on defense, it would make things that much easier for them.

Roach isn’t known for reeling in interceptions one bit, considering he’s had zero in his four seasons with the Bears. But nickelback D.J. Moore has been known for doing that as of late.

Moore reeled in four interceptions, returning one for a touchdown last season, after basically being redshirted his rookie season (2009).

He has confidence as a nickelback, despite being undersized at 5’9″. That confidence is still there, but he just simply isn’t making plays.

Through two weeks of play, not a single cornerback on the Bears has intercepted a pass. Last season Charles Tillman led all corners with five, Moore trailed him by only one with four and Tim Jennings had one.

Moore needs to rise to the occasion and make that big play the Bears are waiting to see out of him, if not he could be on the bench soon. Moore deflected a Drew Brees pass in the second half of last Sunday’s game that could have been intercepted, but he failed to do so.

Moore thrives off of the play of the linebackers. He’s constantly in position to make plays off of tipped passes playing with stars Julius Peppers and Brian Urlacher.

Hopefully both Roach and Moore will take advantage of errant throws made by opposing quarterbacks sometime soon.

Who do you think the Bears need to step up more? D.J. Moore or Nick Roach?

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Chicago Bears In Search for a Diamond in the Rough

10th August 2011 by under Bear Breakdown     

The Chicago Bears have decided that rather than go out and look for big named guys like Nnamdi Asomugha, they would look for players who fit their system, can come in for cheap, and produce at a high level.

In doing this, they are risking very little while having a lot of potential upside.

The first player that fits this bill is former Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Roy Williams.  He has virtually disappeared from the spotlight ever since the Lions drafted Calvin Johnson.

The pick up immediately upgrades the Bears’ wide receiver core, but just how much depends on who you ask.  The signing has received mixed reactions from experts.

Some feel that he is nothing more than a bust who is going to continue his mediocre career in Chicago, while others feel that he is in the perfect situation to thrive.

But what is different about Chicago than his previous homes?

The first thing that is going to help Williams is his quarterback. Jay Cutler has had issues with the Bears and hasn’t produced like he did in Denver. But some of that could be contributed to the fact that he doesn’t have a big receiver that he can throw the ball up to if he is in trouble.

At 6’3 and 215 lbs, Williams is that receiver who can go up and make a tough catch over a corner.  He is also going to be able to run inside the holes created by Johnny Knox, who requires defensive backs to pay attention to him.

The final thing that is going to give Williams an edge in Chicago is Mike Martz.  He was the offensive coordinator for Williams when he had his two most successful seasons in the NFL, which included a 1,310 yards, seven touchdowns in 2006.

Williams already has time under this system and will be able to come in and contribute immediately, something other free agents are going to have a tougher time doing because of the lockout.

Another player who the Bears are hoping will resurrect his career in Chicago is former sixth-overall pick Vernon Gholsten.

Gholsten has yet to record a sack in three years with the New York Jets and is garnering attention as possibly the biggest bust defensive lineman ever, but Chicago is banking on his issues not being with skill and more with scheme.

In college, Gholsten was dominant as a defensive end in the 4-3 scheme. But, after being drafted by the Jets, he began a trend of being moved back and forth between defensive end and linebacker in a 3-4 scheme, which doesn’t always translate well to production for a young player.

The Bears have defensive lineman guru Rod Marinelli to teach Gholsten. A switch back to the 4-3 scheme could be the move that Gholsten needed to prove that he isn’t a bust and can actually be effective.

He will have a tough time getting on the field with Julius Peppers, Israel Idonije, and Corey Wootton all beginning training camp ahead of him, but he has every physical tool to become a force in the NFL.

The final player who has received the bust label is defensive tackle Amobi Okoye.

With Tommie Harris officially out of Chicago, the Bears need a new force in the middle.  They are likely going to be relying on Matt Toeaina, Henry Melton, and Stephen Paea to hold down there interior defensive line, but they are still without that disruptive force.

Although Paea, a second round pick in the most recent draft, may be able to fill that role, we won’t know until the season actually starts.

Okoye has shown that he can be that guy in the past, but it is uncertain whether he can make the changes to become a force.

In four seasons he has 138 tackles, 11 sacks and two forced fumbles.  These aren’t the stats that you expect from a top ten pick to put up, but at just 24-years-old, he has more experience than most in the NFL at his age.

Although all three of these players have been labeled “busts” in the past, they have all the tools to turn their careers around. If one or two of these guys reach their Pro Bowl potential with the Bears, they will be a team that can’t be ignored come playoff time.

I’m Joe W.

For more news on Twitter, follow @Bearsbacker

Also make sure to follow me on Twitter @JWillett2

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Henry Melton Likely To Get A Shot To Start Next Season

5th April 2011 by under Bear Breakdown, Bears News     

Defensive lineman Henry Melton got his first playing time this past season. Melton definitely took advantage of his chance. Melton flashed potential during his rookie year, 2009, but suffered a season-ending ankle injury during the pre-season.

Melton appeared in all 16 games last season making 16 tackles, three sacks and one forced fumble. Melton’s first sack came in week 10 against the Vikings. In that game Melton sacked Vikings QB Brett Favre.

Five weeks later fellow teammate Corey Wootton knocked Brett Favre out on Monday Night Football helping the Bears clinch the NFC North for the first time since 2006.

The Bears defensive line was much improved last season. The addition of Julius Peppers through free agency, the emergence of Israel Idonije at defensive end, second-year player Henry Melton and rookie Corey Wootton helped the Bears unit get back to the where it used to be.

Melton could be a big part of the defense next season with the departure of Tommie Harris this off-season. The only other defensive tackles under contract are Matt Toeaina, Marcus Harrison and Tank Tyler.

Veteran Anthony Adams is a unrestricted free-agent and should be re-signed. Marcus Harrison and Tank Tyler are both question marks to even make the team. The Bears will be looking to add a defensive tackle through the draft.

Henry Melton and Matt Toeaina project to be the starters. If Anthony Adams is re-signed, which he likely will be, he will be in mix for some playing time.

Through the draft, Corey Liuget could be an option at the #29 spot. Liuget is moving up draft boards according to Mike Mayock of NFL.com and might not be there at #29. Stephen Paea from Oregon State is another option. The Bears will add a defensive tackle sometime in the draft coming up on Arpil 28th, if not in the first round they will look for someone special in the later rounds.

Either way DT Henry Melton will be a vital part of the Bears next season. He will get his shot, the Bears like what they saw out of him. He is an athletic player who can come right in and replace the disappointing Tommie Harris.

For more news on Twitter, follow @Bearsbacker.

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Will Major Wright Take The Next Step This Season?

24th March 2011 by under Bear Breakdown, Bears News     

Chicago Bears safety Major Wright wasn’t a major contributor last season, but he could potentially be one this season.

Wright appeared in 11 games last season for the Bears. He made 24 tackles. He didn’t get much playing time because Chris Harris and Danieal Manning did such a solid job in the secondary.

Danieal Manning isn’t under contract for the upcoming season, but the Bears clearly want him back. If Manning doesn’t return expect Wright to get his spot next to veteran Chris Harris.

Wright, a third-round pick  from the University of Florida surely has to be excited about the possibility of starting next season. But did the Bears truly see enough of him last season to just hand him the job right away.

We all saw that the potential in Wright, but could he turn into another Craig Steltz or Adam Archuleta, two safeties who had high exceptions coming to the Bears, but failed to succeed.

Wright has solid instincts, hands and tackling ability, but he was hit with the injury bug early last season. A hamstring injury plagued Wright last year and he started to gain valuable experience on the field in the safety rotation with Chris Harris and Danieal Manning.

If Wright stays healthy he will get that shot at the starting job that he deserves. Danieal Manning seems unlikely to be returning to the Bears at this point, so Wright is the next player in the line at safety.

Major Wright will take that next step next season, depending on the improvement that he shows in the off-season. Major Wright knows what he has to do and he will likely succeed.

For more news on Twitter, follow @Bearsbacker.

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ESPN On The Clock: Bears

20th March 2011 by under Bear Breakdown, Bears News     

For more news on Twitter, follow @Bearsbacker.

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Bear Breakdown: Corey Wootton Getting His Chances

15th December 2010 by under Bear Breakdown     

Rookie defensive end Corey Wootton was active on Sunday for the first time in eight games. He seemed to make some plays, when he was in the game.

I hope he is used more down the stretch because he was one of the bright spots in Sunday’s game. Besides Devin Hester and Danieal Manning on special teams and Brian Urlacher on defense, Corey Wootton was a pleasant surprise.

Look for him to get his opportunities in the rotation.

Here is what GM Jerry Angelo had to say about Wootton:

“He made some plays. I thought he played his area of responsibility well. He used his hands well in terms of disengaging from blocks and getting to plays. He looked natural. I was very encouraged based on the fact that he hadn’t played in a while. When he got into the game, he showed up. That’s what you look for when a new player plays: Is he showing up? Is he making plays? I thought Corey did that.”

All quotes from Chicagobears.com

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Bear Breakdown: Earl Bennett Is Becoming The Go-To Guy

10th December 2010 by under Bear Breakdown     

The “Commodore connection” is what Bears head coach Lovie Smith calls former Vanderbilt stars wide receiver Earl Bennett and quarterback Jay Cutler. This connection was pretty strong last year when Cutler hit 54 times for 717 yards and two touchdowns.

This season it started out slowly because of a severe hamstring slowed Earl Bennett. Bennett missed most of training camp and pre-season and finally got into the mix in week 2 against Dallas.

Bennett quickly got into the mix taking away minutes from Devin Aromashodu. He is second on the team this season with 39 receptions and 457 yards. In his last two games, Bennett has 11 receptions for 160 yards and two touchdowns.

Bennett has been a great possession receiver and he seems to always to get the first down when the Bears need one. Earl Bennett and Johnny Knox are arguably the top two receivers on the team. Devin Hester gets time on offense, but the Bears are using him correctly by letting him return  kickoffs and punts.

Bennett has picked up as of late and will be needed against the Patriots this Sunday look for him to be a big part of the game plan for the Bears.

Here is what Bennett had to say about his production lately:

“Great plays are being called by Coach Martz,” Bennett said. “Jay is just finding me, and I’m just making plays and helping us extend drives and get points.

“Jay has been great, outstanding, he’s been doing a great job of leading us and staying composed. He makes sure everything is run [properly] on offense, so hats off to him.”

Final Breakdown:

It’s great seeing the potential of Earl Bennett finally come out. Look for him to reel in some passes against the Patriots defense on Sunday. Bennett could be in line for another big day.

all quotes from ESPNChicago.com

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Bear Breakdown: Who Is D.J. Moore?

22nd September 2010 by under Bear Breakdown, Bears News     

D.J. Moore won the starting nickelback spot on the Bears this season over veteran Corey Graham. Bears coaches seemed to have made the right decision because Moore made three big plays last week against the Cowboys.

Moore picked off Cowboys QB Tony Romo two times and was tackling WR Roy Williams when teammate Charles Tillman forced a key fumble to seal the win for the Bears.

Moore seems to be thriving in the nickelback role right now, he is playing to the speed of the defense. Moore reminds me a lot of Ricky Manning Jr. a couple years back. If Moore can get as many interceptions as Manning did in 2006 (5), then he could be a huge factor in this defense’s success.

This whole defense is much improved, having Brian Urlacher back is clearly a huge reason why, but players like D.J. Moore playing great helps a lot as well.

Look for Moore to keep playing well. Head coach Lovie Smith works with Moore during practice one on one, helping Moore understand the defense more and more. That tactic by Lovie Smith seems to be working, because Moore is making flashy plays.

Where did D.J. Moore come from?

When Moore came out for the draft in 2009 out of Vanderbilt, he was ranked as the sixth cornerback by scout.com. Moore was said to be too small to cover the big receivers. At 5’9″, Moore does seem small, but he plays big which helps him be aggressive. Moore was a solid punt returner at Vanderbilt and could be used this year if Devin Hester continues to struggle.

What should we expect from D.J Moore the rest of the season?

Expect solid play from Moore, he is thriving because the rest of the defense is flying around. Being in position will be key to Moore’s success and with Lovie Smith coaching him up one on one during practice that can only be positive. Look for Moore to get better as the season goes along.

Good luck D.J. Moore, keep up the solid play.

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