Bears Notes Ogunleye: Brown's absence hurts run defense
LAKE FOREST — Bears defensive end Adewale Ogunleye put blame for Bears struggles against opposing runners out into the open for everyone to hear — especially the team's safeties.
"I'm a little concerned about it," Ogunleye said. "The last three weeks in a row we've given up 100 yards to some backs. Tiki (Barber) is a really good back, but some of the other backs we should have held under 100 yards.
"Circumstances dictate some reasons why they're going to run draws. But honestly, I think we miss Mike Brown a little bit, I really do. I really think that he was the stabilizing factor back there, kind of got us shored up. We just need more guys to step up and play better against the run."
Brown is out for the year with torn foot ligaments and the Bears have allowed 127, 161 and 150 net rushing yards the last three games.
Bears safeties Chris Harris, Todd Johnson and Danieal Manning have the difficult task trying to do what Brown did.
"He made us right on the defensive line," Ogunleye said. "If I was out of a gap, Mike would be there.
"I'm not knocking anybody else on the team. I'm just saying that we've just got to all rally to replace a Pro Bowl guy like Mike, and I think it's affecting us a little bit against the run."
Defensive tackle Tommie Harris couldn't disagree.
"True," he said. "How long has Mike been out?"
It's been three games, the same number of games the Bears have struggled to stop Barber, Ronnie Brown and Frank Gore.
"So that pretty much speaks for itself," Harris said. "I think the guys that are filling in in spots are doing well right now.
"They're (coaches) trying to find a steady person to put in there. Everybody is getting in there and doing a great job that they can to try and replace Mike Brown. We just have to try to find a way to get past that and move on."
When the Bears looked at game films, they noticed the Jets' running style is one that can cause problems for a defense like they use.
"They run plays we don't like to see on our defense -— the misdirection plays," linebacker Brian Urlacher said. "Our keys take us different places. So we've got to be slow until we know what is going on exactly and just go and figure it out and go to our gaps."
Unlike the last three opponents, the Jets bring a tag-team approach in their running game against the Bears' defense.
Leon Washington is the speed merchant while Kevan Barlow is the power back at 6-foot-1, 232 pounds.
The Jets' goal is to use one more than the other based on the opponent's defensive scheme.
"It will look different week-in and week-out and the packages will look different week-in and week-out," Jets coach Eric Mangini said. "And sometimes it's more opponent-based than package-based, just sharing the hot hand."
Washington, a rookie, has 432 yards on 95 carries (4.5 per carry) and Barlow 327 yards on 101 carries (3.2 per carry).
Through Nov. 14, the Bears' popularity with fans nationwide was apparent in voting for the Pro Bowl.
The Bears led in voting at seven positions.
Linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs were leaders for the NFC at inside and outside linebacker and defensive tackle Tommie Harris led at his position. Center Olin Kreutz was the lone Bears offensive player leading at his position.
The Bears had a near sweep going of the four special teams positions. Kicker Robbie Gould, special teams coverage man Brendon Ayanbadejo and returner Devin Hester led at their spots, as well.
Quarterback Rex Grossman ranked fourth among all players receiving votes over the Sprint wireless network. However, Grossman had the third-most votes among quarterbacks. Michael Vick had more votes than any quarterback, followed by Peyton Manning and then Tiki Barber.
So far, 986,000 ballots have been cast by fans, but the winners are decided by a combination of balloting among players, fans and coaches.
Prospects for wide receiver Bernard Berrian playing Sunday continued to look good as he practiced Thursday without problem following a missed game and most of another game due to bruised ribs. Berrian remains questionable.
Tight end Gabe Reid was added to the Bears' injury report. He is questionable with a wrist injury. Dante Wesley, who is also questionable (knee), was the only Bear to miss Thursday's practice.
Urlacher reported little problem with his sprained big left toe in or after Sunday's game.
"At the beginning of the game there was a little," he said. "I wasn't sure how I would feel. Once it got started, I figured Adrenalin would take over and it did. And I felt fine during the game."
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