Now that Lovie Smith has added to his coaching staff, he might consider asking new assistant coach Mike Brown how the Bears plan to stop wide receiver Randy Moss and Terrell Owens in successive games without their two best defensive backs.
That reality confronted the Bears on Monday after the team ruled Brown out for the rest of the season with a torn Achilles tendon and prepared to play at least the next month without cornerback Charles Tillman because of a sprained right knee.
Tillman hopped around Halas Hall on crutches Monday and, though Bears officials were awaiting official word from the team’s medical staff, two sources said Tillman would miss at least a month and termed the latest development “a disaster.”
The setback puts Tillman on a similar timetable to Jerry Azumah, who has been making progress since surgery in August.
As expected, Mike Green will move from strong safety to free safety to replace Brown, and Bobby Gray will slide into the starting lineup. On pass plays that require five defensive backs, free safety Todd Johnson will enter, and Green will remain as the nickel back assigned to defending the slot receiver.
Rounding out the injury report is right guard Mike Gandy, who has a pulled hamstring; defensive tackle Alfonso Boone, who sprained his right knee; and safety Cameron Worrell, who has a tight left hamstring.
