Wide receiver Bobby Engram. Among his team-high 31 catches and 525 yards, the guy with “no deep speed” has touchdown receptions of 33, 54, 79 yards. Fast enough, apparently. With Curtis Conway and Chris Penn at full strength, he’s finally making opposing defenses honest.
MVP DEFENSE
Tie: Jim Flanigan and Walt Harris. Dana Stubblefield, Chester McGlockton, Dan Wilkinson, Sean Gilbert? The Bears will take Flanigan, who is on a pace for career year in sacks with six.
Harris broke up 19 passes as a rookie, 18 last season and has 15 already in ’98.
SPECIAL TEAMS MVP
Tyrone Hughes? Yikes. Glyn Milburn makes Hughes, last year’s special teams flop, look even worse with his sudden impact: two returns for touchdowns and several long returns (18 of 20 or more yards), including 47-yarder last week to set up game-winning field goal.
Runners-up are plentiful
Lemanski Hall, Jim Schwantz, Frankie Smith and Jeff Jaeger have helped make the Bears one of the top special teams units in the league.
QUIET IMPACT
Center Casey Wiegman has done the job and answered some doubters, possibly at the expense of Olin Kreutz’s development but remember, Wiegman is only 23 himself.
Special teams posse of Schwantz, Hall and Smith qualify, as does tackle Mike Wells (see: Flanigan’s career year), Jeff Jaeger (better in Soldier Field than Kevin Butler ever was–look it up) and Chris Penn, who has three touchdowns. Not bad for a non-starter.
Mark Hatley has been the NFL’s trading czar with seven deals in the last 14 months and has done it economically, getting four impact players–Lee, Milburn, Hall and Penn–for fifth-round picks or less.
MISSED MOST
Alonzo Spellman. At his best, he still could have come in handy this season. Imagine a defensive-end rotation of Spellman, Lee and Thomas. Too bad.
MISSED LEAST
Bryan Cox, Carl Simpson. Cox you can’t forget, Simpson you can’t remember.
BIGGEST PLAYMAKER
Move over Conway, Glyn Milburn can and has turned the tide of games faster than anyone in a Bears uniform in quite some time.
TEAM YO-YO
The Dow doesn’t fluctuate as much as fullback Ty Hallock: Disastrous fumble against Jacksonville. Four catches for 42 yards vs. Minnesota. Open-field fumble at Arizona on phantom hit. First career rushing touchdown, fumble recovery on special teams, and heady knockdown of deflected Kramer pass at Tennessee.
MOST IMPROVED
Special teams coach Keith Armstrong. Amazing how much smarter a coach he became with guys who can tackle.
Chris Penn was somewhat lost last season and had drops to prove it. That followed him into early this season but hasn’t been a problem lately.
PLAYER WE’D LIKE TO SEE MORE FROM IN THE SECOND HALF
Mayes and Enis are gimmees. Fullback Robert Chancey seems ready, but he needs another off-season of seasoning.
MOST PLEASANT SURPRISE
Linebacker Sean Harris, at least early in the season, with his enthusiastic play. Took him four years to get on the field, just needs to prove first half of season wasn’t a fluke.
Disappointment: Curtis Enis. The fifth pick in the draft has frustrated coaches at times with his attitude and hasn’t developed into an NFL-caliber blocker yet, but no doubt will improve when he decides he wants to.
Yes, Curtis Conway has been injured but that doesn’t mean his absence and lack of overall impact isn’t a disappointment. And now he has a bruised thigh to go along with his sore groin.
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO?
Ryan Wetnight. It isn’t his fault but he has had only one catch over the last three games after career-high 46 catches last year.
ON THE BUBBLE
These guys could be fighting for jobs next training camp if they don’t pick it up and quick: Carl Reeves and John Thierry, who have made the Bears really appreciate the injured Mark Thomas and Shawn Lee.
Tight end John Allred has been invisible, playing in only two games, but he’ll likely only go in return for trade.
Dave Wannstedt? Not for the rest of this season.
JURY’S OUT
Rookie tight end Alonzo Mayes has impressed coaches with superior blocking ability they did not realize he had, but has yet to make the impact in pass receiving that he should be.
Erik Kramer. Good year or mediocre. No call yet. As many big mistakes as big plays, but receivers are beginning to hang onto the balls they were dropping early on.
JURY’S IN
Rookie safety Tony Parrish is a keeper, not merely serviceable but a key member of the defense with only one below-par in Tennessee.
ROOKIE OF THE MIDYEAR
Parrish for the reasons above.
BIGGEST TRAINING CAMP MYTH
Bears offensive line is done. Fans and even coaches were saying they might be ready for an overhaul after 16 sacks allowed. Running game is still suspect, but they’re not over the hill yet.
BEST TRAINING CAMP PROPHECY
That this team has more character than last season. Sounded like a cliche at the time, but it’s proving to be true.
