Bears Need Harris to be Dominant Again
by John M. Crist of BearReport.com, October 29, 2009 at 3:10pm ET
Adewale Ogunleye Profile
Bears coach Lovie Smith always says three-technique defensive tackle is the most important position on the field in the Cover 2, and while Tommie Harris used to be the best in the business, he hasn't performed up to his reputation for quite some time.
After being a healthy scratch in Week 7 and forced to watch his teammates get humiliated 45-10 by the Bengals, Harris was back practicing this week on a Wednesday for the first time in recent memory and is expected to be in the starting lineup again Sunday against the Browns.
A three-time Pro Bowler, Harris only has seven tackles in six games and is yet to record a sack, and defensive end Adewale Ogunleye knows how crucial it is to get his line mate back in the swing of things.
"It's important for the three technique in this defense to excel," Ogunleye said Thursday before practice at Halas Hall. "It's basically made for him to do well. And it's made for everybody to do well. But the Will (weak-side linebacker), the three and the safety, those are the best three positions in this defense, and Tommie's got to play at a high level for us to do well in the long run. And, hopefully, this will be one of the weeks where he gets back to the level of playing that we know."
If fans assume Harris is never again going to be the disruptive force he was earlier in his career, since he plays the money position in this particular scheme, it's fair to ask if Chicago can still play at a high standard on the defensive side of the ball.
"I think that you can because of the guys you have," said Ogunleye, referring to Pro Bowlers like linebacker Lance Briggs. "I think what's going to happen is everybody else is really going to have to step their level up. But the biggest part of that question is just having a three technique that's going to do what he needs to do and do what this defense needs to do, and I think Tommie understands that."
Ogunleye went on to say he doesn't think Harris has been totally healthy this season, which flies in the face of what Smith and GM Jerry Angelo have indicated lately.
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