Biggs: Minus Urlacher, Bears' blitz different animal

CHICAGO—In a conversation with an NFC scout earlier this week, he said that the Chicago Bears would miss middle linebacker Brian Urlacher the most in pass coverage.

Urlacher has a freakish combination of size at 6-4, 258 pounds, and speed. He can cover from sideline to sideline, and when he drops deep in the middle of the field, he’s a difficult defender for quarterbacks to get the ball over.

APChicago may have to alter its strategy blitzing with Hunter Hillenmeyer replacing Brian Urlacher at middle linebacker.

But the scout made another point, that Urlacher’s absence would affect the blitz. The numbers certainly don’t bear that out. Urlacher went without a sack last season as he did in 2006 when he was in the midst of a stretch of 28 consecutive regular-season games (32 including postseason) without a sack. The 2005 defensive player of the year made five sacks to go with five interceptions in 2007, joining what Bears coach Lovie Smith called an exclusive 5-5 club for linebackers. After last Sunday’s opener at Green Bay, Urlacher has been held without a sack for 19 consecutive regular-season games.

Like a lot of things, there is more to the story than just the stats.

When Urlacher walked up into the A gap, something the Bears did a lot last season in a mug look with weak-side linebacker Lance Briggs, he was an imposing figure who got the attention of the offense immediately. Urlacher wasn’t going to catch any line off guard with a blitz. His presence on the blitz often freed up linemen for one-on-one opportunities.

“They see it on film, they know what you’re doing, they know what your stance is when you’re doing this and that,’’ Urlacher said. “On third downs it’s good because they have to get rid of the ball. It’s third down, they think you’re blitzing, they have to get rid of the ball.

“It helps our corners out. If (the offense) thinks it’s a blitz, the ball has to come out, and I’m still able to run down the middle. I can cover from there. I didn’t get beat down the middle.’’

The Bears have changed 50 percent of their secondary for Sunday’s game with the Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers at Soldier Field. That secondary will need help against Ben Roethlisberger, and more on the secondary changes Sunday morning. Hunter Hillenmeyer, an able backup who might be better suited in the middle than at strong-side linebacker where he started for four seasons, doesn’t have the same range as Urlacher. He might not be able to fake a rush at the line of scrimmage and drop like Urlacher.

It will be interesting to see how this impacts the strategy of Smith. Nickel cornerback Danieal Manning, who is starting at free safety now, has been a productive pass rusher since the middle of last season. He could get more opportunities. Stay tuned.

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