[CBFF] Anderson to start?

[Kenny Claxton]

High Mark may lead to start
With 12 sacks, rookie Anderson could move ahead of Brown at DE

December 27, 2006
BY BRAD BIGGS Staff Reporter
Either Mark Anderson is getting a real, live opportunity much sooner
than anyone imagined, or else Alex Brown is getting a serious
motivational tool.

Anderson, the rookie fifth-round draft pick, could be moving into the
starting lineup at right defensive end. Everyone already figured a
solid offseason and training camp next summer would afford him that
chance, but don't rule it out before this season is over.

It's not that Brown hasn't played well -- the fifth-year veteran was
named a Pro Bowl alternate for the second consecutive year -- but that
Anderson continues to make big plays.

''Anything is possible,'' defensive coordinator Ron Rivera told
WSCR-AM (670) on Tuesday morning. ''I don't want to say no just
because the young man has played so well for us, and I don't want to
say yes because the other guys have played solid football for us. But
we've got to continue to find ways to keep the kid on the field to
give us a chance to make plays.

 ''I know in the pass-rush situation, he is out there and doing some
dynamic things. This is a young man who can play more and is quite
frankly earning the opportunity to play more.''

Anderson was a bright spot for a defense that surrendered more than
300 yards for the fifth consecutive game Sunday in a 26-21 victory at
Detroit. He picked up two sacks to give him a team-leading 12 and
forced a fumble on a fourth-quarter sack of Jon Kitna that led to an
insurance field goal. It was Anderson's fourth sack/strip and third
that resulted in a turnover.

Well before the midpoint of the season, Anderson began taking snaps
from Brown on the right side and Adewale Ogunleye on the left side as
the Bears evened out the reps in their rotation. It would be a major
statement if the coaching staff promoted Anderson over Brown, who has
made 62 consecutive starts, tops on the defense.

Ogunleye discussed Anderson's rise to prominence after the game
Sunday, as did Brown, who later wasn't the happiest Bear in the den.
With one sack of Brett Favre on Sunday night at Soldier Field,
Anderson would have the most by a Bear since Richard Dent notched 13½
in 1987.

He's also 2½ sacks behind Jevon Kearse's NFL rookie record, and
although he hasn't gotten much of a push from the team, Anderson has
to be considered in the running for the defensive rookie of the year
award. The last Bear to win that honor was Brian Urlacher in 2000.

After going five games with only a half-sack, Anderson has four in the
last three games and four multisack games overall as he makes a late
push for postseason honors.

''We start off giving a player a certain amount of reps,'' coach Lovie
Smith said. ''If he shows us he can handle more, we'll give him more.
Mark has definitely showed us he can handle more reps. That was one of
the bright spots that we had Sunday was his play.''

At this point, about the only way Anderson can get more reps is by
playing on all downs, not just in sure passing situations. The
question early on was how he would hold up against the run at 6-4, 255
pounds and with a background as a speed rusher. Those questions seem
to have been answered, at least in the minds of those who matter.

''He's played the run well; he made a couple plays on the run,'' Smith
said. ''You would look at him and say surely he's just a pass rusher,
but he could be an every-down player in time and do just as well
playing the run as the pass.''

If you thought chatter about sacks and their significance got former
Bears defensive coordinator Greg Blache fired up, he has nothing on
Brown. The subject might rile him up more than a Florida-vs.-Florida
State debate.

Brown contends that sacks are vastly overrated and don't take into
account the total picture, such as every run down. He has a point, but
sacks do pay -- and the Bears need to put a premium on reaching the
quarterback the way their pass defense has performed in surrendering
nine touchdowns in the last three games.

''I'm just playing within the scheme,'' Anderson said after the game
Sunday. ''The scheme is for the end to get upfield and make plays, and
that's what I'm doing.''

Brown has six sacks, matching his career high that he has been stuck
on the last two seasons, but only one since he rolled through the New
York Giants' Luke Petitgout and Bob Whitfield seven games ago.

The Bears are considering everything. Anderson's time is going to come
sooner or later, and sooner at least is being considered in the same
breath with this week.

''Sometimes when you look at defensive linemen, you just look at their
sacks and assume that you're playing well or you're not playing
well,'' Smith said. ''Tommie Harris had a stretch where he didn't get
any sacks, but he was a dominant factor throughout that time.

''Mark has played well throughout. Teams have been noticing him a lot
more, putting more players on him to block him and things like that.
That can keep his sack total down, but he's played well throughout.
The more you play, you get more moves and things like that.

''Some guys are just good outside pass rushers, and Mark is one of
them, and he'll continue to get better each week.''

bbiggs at suntimes.com