Chris Chandler is in his 15th NFL season and in danger of setting a record he wants no part of.
If the Bears lose Sunday to the Detroit Lions, it will be their ninth consecutive defeat, breaking the franchise record for a losing streak.
“We already have a bad taste in our mouth,” Chandler said. “Nobody likes what’s going on. I’m not concerned with that. It already tastes like we bit into something really bad.”
Chandler was knocked out of the Nov. 10 New England game with a blow that strained his neck and forced Jim Miller to play despite elbow and shoulder tendinitis.
Chandler was watching TV Sunday when Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Tommy Maddox took a hit that left him momentarily paralyzed on the field.
Chandler, whose neck was still sore Sunday, acknowledged an ABC/ESPN report Monday that the Maddox hit was on his mind the day before the Rams game.
“Seeing Tommy get hit the way he did does make you think, especially when you have a sore and stiff neck,” Chandler said. “I can’t say I thought about it much on the field, but after seeing that, it did become more of a concern. I think everybody who saw it kind of felt for him and pretty lucky that we’ve gotten away without having that.”
Urlacher defender
Defensive coordinator Greg Blache took on the media Wednesday in defense of middle linebacker Brian Urlacher, who appeared to get trampled by Detroit fullback Cory Schlesinger and guard Ray Brown with regularity in the Lions’ Oct. 20 win. Running back James Stewart rushed for 172 yards, one of the highest single-game totals ever against the Bears.
Urlacher dismissed questions about his play after that game, and Blache continued that theme.
“Honestly, I know there was a lot of stuff in the media about this last game [with Detroit] we played, about the untimely passing of Brian Urlacher’s greatness,” Blache said. “I think it was greatly exaggerated. You always need a scapegoat or whipping boy around here. There were no more people blocking Brian that game than any other game.
“A lot of the yardage wasn’t all over Brian. I think it’s like I say sometimes when I hear about things: I’m semi-amused about how you [media] guys see the game one way and we see it a totally different way. Sometimes I think we [don’t] all have the same film.”
Blache’s criticism of the media, both publicly and to his players, is well known. Does he use the media to motivate players?
“Naw,” Blache scoffed. “You know what; you guys aren’t that important.”
Good news/bad news
Marc Colombo is expected to miss the rest of the 2002 season after dislocating his left kneecap Monday night. He does not appear to have ligament or cartilage damage, and surgery has not been ruled out. But before he was hurt, Colombo had played his way into being considered the team’s answer at left tackle.
“I think he’s our left tackle,” said coach Dick Jauron, who acknowledged Colombo still has a ways to go. “I really like this guy, like the way he plays, like his demeanor. I think he’s going to be a fine player. Certainly he does things that you can’t teach and he’s got things you can’t give him. He’s obviously a giant, he’s got long arms and he’s got a great attitude. I think he’s going to be a fine player for us for a long time.”
Sick bay
Urlacher and receiver Marty Booker were expected to miss practice Wednesday with knee and foot injuries, respectively. But they did practice and were healthy enough to stay off the injury report, although tight end John Davis is questionable with a concussion.
Defensive end Joe Tafoya, among the team leaders in special-teams tackles, is doubtful with a hamstring strain.
STATS & STUFF
BY THE NUMBERS
41
Through 10 games, total “starter” games lost by the Bears to injury this season, with starters at exactly half of the positions (11) losing at least one game to injury.
8.5
Corrected sack total for linebacker/defensive end Rosevelt Colvin, tops on the Bears and within reach of his team-leading 10.5 last season. Not since 1990-91, when Richard Dent collected a total of 22.5 sacks over two seasons, has a Bear led outright in sacks two consecutive seasons. Middle linebacker Brian Urlacher (three) is the next closest to Colvin.
42
Players who have started at least one game for the Bears this season, most in the NFL. Last year the Bears had only 31 different starters through the entire season.
QUOTABLE
“With the fact that those guys ran for 192 yards on us last time, Olin just told me, `Get your [butt] down, here they come.'”
— Defensive tackle Bryan Robinson on the advice center Olin Kreutz gave him on preparing for the Detroit Lions.
1,000-YARD CLUB
1,048 Projected rushing total for running back Anthony Thomas at his current 65.5 yards per game average. Thomas would become the first Bear since Neal Anderson (1988-1990) to top 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons.
UP NEXT
Bears (2-8) vs. Detroit Lions (3-7)
Noon Sunday, Memorial Stadium, Champaign.
TV/Radio: WFLD-Ch. 32, WBBM-AM 780.
Quick look: Matchup of two of the NFL’s worst in virtually every category, including record. Bears rank 29th on offense in yardage, 22nd in scoring; Lions on offense are 30th in yardage, 23rd in scoring. Bears are 25th in yardage allowed, 25th in points allowed. Lions are 30th in yardage allowed, 32nd in points allowed. Both teams rank in the top 10 defensively in rushing average, both at fewer than 4 yards per carry. The Bears (ninth) allow opponents 3.9 yard per rush, the Lions (eighth) 3.8. More important, however, the Lions have allowed 13 rushing TDs, tied for most in the NFL with the Jets and Patriots.
TEAM STATISTICS
CATEGORY BEARS LIONS
Points for 19.8 (22) 18.6 (23)
Points allowed 25.3 (25) 29.1 (32)
Total offense 280.4 (29) 278.9 (30)
Total defense 361.4 (25) 367.4 (30)
Passing offense 196.1 (22) 187.1 (27)
Passing defense 245.2 (28) 252.8 (29)
Yards per play 4.60 (31) 4.61 (30)
Yards/play allwd 5.426 (23) 5.427 (24)
Completion pct. 56.8 (25) 49.0 (32)
Comp.pct. allowed 63.8 (22) 64.9 (28)
Intercepts. Thrown 10 (13) 14 (28)
Interceptions 6 (28) 6 (28)
Sacks allowed 27 (24) 14 (3)
Sacks 22 (17) 20 (22)
Rushing offense 84.3 (31) 91.8 (29)
Rushing defense 116.2 (17) 114.6 (16)
Rushes 24.6 (25) 23.2 (28)
Yards per carry 3.4 (31) 4.0 (23)
Fumbles lost 8 (18) 4 (4)
Fumble recoveries 12 (2) 11 (3)
3rd-down conv. 35.3 (28) 25.5 (31)
3rd-down allowed 36.6 (11) 46.5 (29)
Penalties 63 (13) 61 (7)
Time of possession 28:06 (29) 26:24 (32)
Individual leaders
CAT. BEARS LIONS
Passing Miller, 1,494 Harrington, 1,719
Rushing Thomas, 655 Stewart, 768
Rec. Booker, 827 Hakim, 541
Sacks Colvin, 8 1/2 Porcher, 5
KO ret Merritt, 23.4 Howard, 22.6
Punt ret Johnson, 10.6 Hakim, 14.8
Kicking Edinger, 17-of-20 Hanson, 13-of-15
Note: NFL rank in parentheses.
John Mullin
