It’s not like the Bears didn’t know what they were getting.
They knew Thomas Smith had six interceptions over his seven-year career when they signed the free-agent cornerback to a five-year, $22 million contract in February. They knew he was known more for his coverage ability than his hands.
“We knew,” Bears defensive coordinator Greg Blache said, “but you still hope.”
Halfway through the season, that hope has gone unfulfilled. Neither Smith nor Walt Harris has a single interception, a statistic for starting cornerbacks matched only by a handful of the worst teams in the NFL.
Blache says he has seen improvement in Smith. But he won’t downplay the importance of turning that shortcoming around, in part because winning the turnover battle might be their only chance of beating Indianapolis on Sunday at Soldier Field.
“Turnovers are gold,” Blache said. “We’ve missed quite a few opportunities where we could have taken the ball away, where we had opportunities to catch it and we haven’t. We’ve got to improve on that. It’s not just a stat, it’s huge.”
Smith’s forte is coverage, but that has been suspect at times this season as he has found himself stranded and beaten by the likes of Randy Moss–once for 66 yards, once for a 7-yard touchdown–and Keyshawn Johnson, for a 14-yard TD.
Atlanta’s Ashley Ambrose, the other free-agent cornerback the Bears considered signing, is tied for third in the NFL with four interceptions and leads the league with 139 return yards, including one for a touchdown. Bears coach Dick Jauron concedes that Smith thus far has not been the playmaker he had hoped for.
“He’s had excellent coverage and gotten himself in great position and just had things happen to him,” Jauron said. “Either the ball goes through his hands or he’s misjudged a couple of balls.”
When asked to grade his play, Smith gave himself a C.
“Some games I’ve played well, some games I’ve played average,” he said. “It’s kind of hard to tell for a cornerback because guys are going to catch passes. But I should have some interceptions at this time in the season.”
Harris said he and Smith are bothered by their lack of interceptions. Safeties Tony Parrish (two) and Mike Brown, reserve cornerback Jerry Azumah and linebacker Brian Urlacher account for the Bears’ five interceptions.
“Sometimes it gets on your mind,” Harris said. “We have eight more games left, and you just have to believe [opportunities] are going to come, and when they come, you just have to catch them.”
On one hand, Smith seems to resent the emphasis placed on interceptions.
“You think about it because that’s how everybody measures a cornerback’s success, by his stats,” he said. “Hold a guy to four receptions, 29 yards, nobody reports about that, but if I get two picks it’s headlines.
“It’s part of the game and part of what has been affecting me throughout my career. I’ve played some good football and been a good cover corner throughout my whole career, but I don’t get interceptions, and that’s the key stat that labels me.”
Still, Smith said he also measures his success by interceptions.
“I try my hardest to get interceptions, I really do,” he said. “But if I play physical and dominate a guy and keep him from scoring or getting the big play, then I’ve also done my job. It’s a two-way street on that one.”
Against Peyton Manning and the Colts, the Bears’ secondary and linebackers will be vulnerable to perhaps the best play-action in the league. Manning enjoys the luxury of spreading it around among the NFL’s leading rusher, Edgerrin James, the leading receiver, Marvin Harrison, and a host of other targets, including tight end Ken Dilger and receivers Terrence Wilkins and Jerome Pathon.
“I wouldn’t say it’s impossible [to defend], but it’s almost impossible when it’s done well and they execute it very well,” Jauron said of the play-action.
“It’s hard to shut it down, particularly when they have success running the ball, and you’re always going to fear the run because of the talent level of [James].”
Harris didn’t sound very hopeful.
“Either way, that talent is going to find a way to beat you,” he said. “You just have to try to offset that. The main thing is you have to try to get Manning off rhythm.”
Four of the Bears’ next six opponents are AFC East teams, which should make ex-Buffalo Bill Smith feel at home. More than anything, though, it makes him reminisce about how it felt to be on a winning team.
“It’s definitely weird,” he said. “I hate losing. It’s a different feeling than I’ve ever experienced before. . . . Losing makes you [watch] your back a little bit, make sure you’re doing the right thing. Everybody’s concentrating on their job and trying to make sure they’re here when next year comes around. That’s everybody, including myself.”
