Thud practices. That`s the tempo Bears coach Mike Ditka will try to have this week to generate more contact and have his team better prepared to clash with Green Bay Sunday.
”We have to practice better,” Ditka said Monday. ”We have to give the defense a better picture in practice. They have to concentrate a little better, too.
”We don`t put any pressure on our defensive line in practice. It comes time for the game and they go up against a line like Kansas City and it`s not all so easy.
”We have to come up to a thud tempo. Not live, not all out, but a pretty good tempo so we can figure out what we`re doing. We`ve done it in the past. We`ll be all right.”
Ditka said Walter Payton wasn`t to blame for gaining just 15 yards on 8 carries Sunday in the 31-28 victory over Kansas City.
”There was nowhere for him to run, no holes,” Ditka said. ”Walter was outstanding yesterday as a blocker. He made a couple key catches.
”I designed a couple plays to try and get him outside, but they didn`t work. I`m elated with the job he`s doing. If we can get Thomas Sanders in the game some, I`d love to.
”But I think you have to hold onto your horses and keep going with them. It`s not bad, it`s pretty darn good.”
Ditka said Emery Moorehead will remain the starting tight end against the Packers. He added that Cap Boso will alternate with him. ”Emery`s having some problems catching the ball,” Ditka said. ”I just want him to play like he`s capable of. Cap is just a baby at the position. He`s going to learn it and get better.”
At 253 pounds, the Chiefs` Christian Okoye is an incredible bulk for a back, but defensive tackle William Perry said the rookie runner is no match for him- or the rest of the Bears` defensive line.
”He couldn`t run over me,” Perry said. ”He is a runner, and if he gets in the open field it could be hard for a defensive back. But for someone like me, Steve McMichael, Richard Dent or Dan Hampton, it`s no problem.
”But he`s a big running back, and if he gets going, he`s going to make three or four yards easily. Kansas City had a great scheme. They blocked down on me or McMichael and pulled the guard around on the linebacker.”
Perry refused to reveal his weight. ”I`m not going to get into that.”
Ditka hasn`t talked about Perry`s specific weight lately, either. So apparently the Bears are going to keep that subject under wraps for a while.
Perry said he hasn`t worked with the offense since training camp.
”As far as getting back on offense, Coach Ditka runs the show. I have to go by what he says. He`s the coach, I`m the player.”
