[CBFF] Urlacher's play, back, improve at season's end -- chicagotribune.com - Sent Using GoogleToolbar

[Phil DeNomme]

They mentioned that pick-6 he had was his first defensive TD.  Seems amazing
that was his first after 8 years.

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[mailto:cbff-bounces at chicagobearsfanforum.com] On Behalf Of Tom Shannon
Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2008 9:34 AM
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Subject: [CBFF] Urlacher's play, back,improve at season's end --
chicagotribune.com - Sent Using GoogleToolbar

Urlacher's play, back, improve at season's end -- chicagotribune.com




www.chicagotribune.com/sports/cs-080101chicagobearsurlacher,1,319957.story
chicagotribune.com
Urlacher's play, back, improve at season's end
Linebacker predicts Bears' defense will bounce back to form

By Vaughn McClure

Tribune staff reporter

7:12 PM CST, January 1, 2008



Critics questioned the health of his back. Pro Bowl voters figured
other players were more deserving of a trip to Hawaii.

 Through it all, an irritated Brian Urlacher opted for short responses
rather than lashing out in a full-blown tirade. With the season now
complete, the Bears linebacker aired out some of his feelings.

 "My back got blown way out of proportion," Urlacher said Monday
before leaving Halas Hall. "It's fine. I won't need any surgery.

 "If you look at the way I played the last few weeks, obviously it got
a little bit better as the season went on. Early on, I didn't make as
many plays as I should have. It didn't have anything to do with my
back. I just didn't play well. That's all there is to it."

 Twice over the first six games, Urlacher finished games with five or
fewer tackles. He and the defense as a whole looked a step slow when
the Vikings and Adrian Peterson rolled into Soldier Field in
mid-October and gained a ridiculous 311 total rushing yards.

 From that point on, Urlacher-who turns 30 in May-started to play like
his old self. He had interceptions in four of his last five games,
including one he returned 85 yards for a touchdown against the
Packers.

 The week before the Green Bay game, Urlacher was left off the Pro
Bowl roster for just the second time in his eight-year career.

 "Was I motivated by that? No," he said. "Did I deserve to go?
Obviously not, because I didn't make it.

 "I played the same way all season long. I just made a few more plays
near the end. I had a chance to make more plays at the end, and I made
them. And we played better as a defense.

 "It had nothing to do with getting snubbed for the Pro Bowl."

 Regardless of how outsiders might rate his performance, Urlacher
still led the team in tackles with 158 and in interceptions with five.
His chances to make plays in 2008 could increase if teammate Lance
Briggs bolts as an unrestricted free agent.

 Urlacher doesn't expect his good friend to be around. And if Briggs
is, the Bears might have another dilemma on their hands: keeping both
players happy, financially.

 "You look at it and Lance is one of the best linebackers in the
league, and so is Brian Urlacher," end Adewale Ogunleye said. "There
becomes the issue of if you do Lance's deal, you have to do Brian's
too."

 Urlacher seems more concerned with resting his tired body than
discussing his contract situation.

 "I'm signed up for four more years. It's not up to me," he said.

 "It doesn't matter what people think. It matters what people value me
at and what they think I'm capable of."

 Urlacher views the Bears' defense as capable of regaining its glory,
even minus Briggs. He expects changes in personnel but figures to
answer to the same defensive coaches next season.

 "I don't anticipate any coaching changes," he said. "I don't see that
being an issue. The coaches didn't screw up this year. The players
screwed up.

 "They didn't miss 20 tackles as a coaching staff; we did as players.
And they didn't drop all those balls or miss all those blocks on
offense.

 "It's our players, and that's all there is to it."

 vxmcclure at tribune.com

Copyright (c) 2008, Chicago Tribune

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