Strong safety Marty Carter is the acknowledged leader of the Bears’ secondary. This week he has talked with cornerback Walt Harris about Harris’ failure to get up close on Minnesota Vikings receiver Chris Walsh in Sunday’s loss and gave the second-year defensive back one command: Next time, go for it.
Harris was reluctant to depart from the defense called. Carter said another call takes precedence every time.
“I told him, `Your job is to keep your man from catching the ball. If you feel like you need to bump and go up and press the guy, last play of the game, go press him,’ ” Carter said. “He understands that he has the leeway to do whatever he has to do to keep his man from catching the ball. So it’s a learning process for Walt. Now he understands.”
The loss to Minnesota was devastating to the Bears. But Carter has looked at a longer-range result that isn’t so bad.
“It cost us a ballgame,” Carter acknowledged, “but I think it’ll help us in the long run if we ever get back in that situation, knowing he (Harris) has the freedom to take his man out of the game.”
Weight watcher: A broken leg takes a whole lot of the fun out of your NFL season. But when it starts affecting your eating habits, it’s pretty serious.
Center Chris Villarrial, out several weeks with a broken leg, is running in place in the team’s pool and maintaining his upper-body conditioning with other training machines. But he is facing real sacrifices, too.
“I’ve just got to watch my diet,” Villarrial said. “I’m not going to be able to splurge like I used to. I’m not eating any chocolate. Chocolate is out of my diet.”
Lineup change: Rookie safety Van Hiles has taken the starting special-teams “flyer” job from Corey Dowden, who was released Tuesday. Hiles had that job in training camp before being injured and had a tackle Sunday against Minnesota.
“He’s worked there since training camp, so he knows what he’s doing,” coach Dave Wannstedt said.
Mirer watch: Bears coaches do not have a specific plan to use quarterback Rick Mirer in the Detroit game, at least not one they are sharing. “Outside of injury,” Wannstedt said, “I would not anticipate that.”
Out: The Bears cut defensive tackle Tyrone Williams to make room on their practice squad for tight end Tremayne Allen.
