Next man up.
That’s the mantra of Bears coach Lovie Smith and virtually all of his counterparts in the NFL when it comes to compensating for inevitable player injuries. So when starters such as Jay Cutler, Matt Forte and Major Wright go down with injuries, the next man up is expected to perform competently with some semblance of professionalism.
A reasonably seamless transition speaks to the quality depth on a team. Backups who demonstrate competence in practice, are expected to deliver when the lights go on. There is no alternative.
“That’s about all you can go on, what you see in practice,” Smith said Friday as his team attempts to avoid a three-game slide Sunday against the Broncos in Denver. “Most of our (backups) we have seen in game situations. we don’t have a lot of young players who haven’t played a lot.”
Caleb Hanie has struggled mightily while replacing Cutler, throwing six interceptions in two games. Marion Barber and Kahlil Bell have played adequately in place of Forte, but without the big-play flair Forte has demonstrated.
“We have a real resilient team. We have a lot of character on our team,” Forte said. “They know what to do and how to do it.”
When the Packers lost key players last season, they not only managed to survive, they won the Super Bowl.
Offensively, the Packers lost tailback Ryan Grant, tight end Jermichael Finley and right tackle Mark Tauscher.
“A lot of their key guys still were able to play (perhaps most notably quarterback Aaron Rodgers),” Bears cornerback Tim Jennings said,. “Yeah, their depth is still deep and they have playmakers there. That speaks a lot for them.”
Craig Steltz will start in place of Wright at strong safety against the Broncos.
“You have to prepare each week like you’re the starter and realize you are only one play away,” Steltz said. “I have that opportunity this week and I am going to take advantage of it.”
Steltz and linebacker Brian Urlacher believe the Bears’ defense is designed to stop quarterbacks such as the Broncos’ Tim Tebow, who can run the option.
“We’re an athletic defense … we have a pretty good front,” Urlacher said. “We run to the football. Hopefully we get takeaways, which we haven’t done in the last couple of weeks. Just run to the football and do what we do.”
Said Steltz: “You have to continue to read keys … you have to be alert that big plays happen in their pass game.”
The Bears (7-5) can control their playoff destiny if they can scrape out a few more victories in the final four games with backups in key positions.
“We have to win every game,” Urlacher said. “I think 11-5 will definitely get you in, 10-6 will probably get you in. So it’s a race to 10 for us.
“Whatever happens with everybody else doesn’t matter. We have to take care of our business. We just didn’t do it in the last two weeks.”
Nick Roach is a starter now, but he knows what it is like to be an eager young linebacker waiting for his chance with the Bears.
“Performance in practice will not dictate your performance in a game, but it will help,” Roach said. “You want (the coaches) to have confidence with their decision to put you in.”
After the last two losses, Bears players and coaches may have more confidence in themselves right now than their fans.
Twitter @kicker34
