The Bears are often criticized for being too frugal. Rarely are they labeled wise money managers. Defensive tackles Jim Flanigan and Mike Wells are making the Bears look fiscally smart as well as physically imposing.
The off-season market for defensive tackles last winter went through the roof.
The Carolina Panthers lured Sean Gilbert out of a contract-disputed retirement for six years and $40 million.
The Washington Redskins signed free agent Dana Stubblefield from San Francisco for six years, $36 million.
The Redskins also traded for Dan Wilkinson of the Cincinnati Bengals and signed him for five years, $21.4 million.
The Kansas City Chiefs landed Oakland’s transition free-agent tackle Chester McGlockton for five years, $30 million.
Combined, the four multimillionaires have 5 1/2 sacks this season.
The Bears kept free agent Flanigan for five years, $15 million. He has 5 1/2 sacks all by himself.
Getting free agent Wells from Detroit for five years, $11 million also has paid off. Wells comes out in favor of Shawn Lee on passing downs, but he routinely occupies two blockers over the nose to free up Flanigan on early downs. Against Dallas Sunday, the Cowboys consistently found themselves in third and long.
“Wells is a stout guy who has helped Flanigan a lot,” personnel director Mark Hatley said. “Our defensive line has done a lot better than I thought it would.”
McGlockton has yet to play a down in Kansas City as he recovers from back surgery.
Gilbert has two sacks on the winless Panthers.
Stubblefield has one sack and Wilkinson 2 1/2 on the winless Redskins.
The free-agent defensive tackles who stayed home–Flanigan, Minnesota’s John Randle (five years, $32.5 million), Arizona’s Eric Swann (five years, $25 million) and Buffalo’s Ted Washington (five years, $27.3 million) among them–are performing better. Nobody is getting more for their money at the position than the Bears.
“Every situation is different, but sometimes when you go to a different team, you never know if it fits you,” Hatley said. “You can’t take a whole scheme and adjust it to the guy you get.”
Then there were two: The Buffalo Bills have knocked off two undefeated teams in the last three weeks, San Francisco and Jacksonville. But since the Bills don’t play the 6-0 Denver Broncos or Minnesota Vikings, and the Broncos and Vikings don’t play each other, it’s time to start the undefeated Super Bowl hype.
The bandwagon already has left in Denver, where the Broncos get ready for the Jaguars this week.
Asked about the undefeated talk, Denver coach Mike Shanahan didn’t sound fazed:
“Any time you’re with a good football team and you win football games, people are going to talk about that constantly, and I think it’s great. But I think our team is smart enough to know that there’s only one thing we’re concerned about and that’s Jacksonville.”
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Broncos receiver Rod Smith said, “They should keep (the undefeated talk) amongst themselves, don’t tell none of the players, don’t tell none of the coaches. Debate amongst yourself about the undefeated stuff. We don’t want to hear it.”
Still, Broncos rookie quarterback Brian Griese said he expects a call “very soon” from father Bob, who along with Earl Morrall quarterbacked the 1972 Miami Dolphins, the NFL’s only 17-0 team.
Linebacker Bill Romanowski remembers the Broncos were 6-0 last year and talking about staying undefeated on their way to the airport to play the Raiders.
“Next thing you know, we got killed in Oakland,” he said.
Lies: The Cincinnati Bengals have committed only two turnovers–a Neil O’Donnell interception in the fourth quarter of the season opener and an O’Donnell fumble on Sunday against Tennessee. They have been penalized 27 times, fewest in the league. But they are 2-4, proving again that statistics are for losers.
“It’s kind of weird, because usually that’s a direct reflection on your record,” said Bengals center Darrick Brilz.
The Bears, meanwhile, are the most generous team in the league, with 15 fumbles lost and a total of 22 giveaways. They are 2-5.
The difference: The Atlanta Falcons have outscored every opponent in the second half. They have a 110-46 second-half margin.
“We don’t let (mistakes) bother us,” defensive end Chuck Smith said. “I think Dan (Reeves) teaches that. (Defensive coordinator Rich) Brooks, too. The `Uh-oh!’ factor is not there. Back in the old days, you would see guys saying, like, `here we go.’ But not now. Our mentality is just to come back and stop them the next time they get the ball.”
Maybe next year: The Browns-Ravens are 4-25 in the regular season plus a playoff loss at Three Rivers Stadium.
Said Ravens defensive end Rob Burnett: “You know there are some things you want to do before you die. I want to win a game at Three Rivers Stadium.”
Peyton’s picks: The Indianapolis Colts’ Peyton Manning avoided interceptions for the first time Sunday in their loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
But is that all good? The Colts have employed some pretty good quarterbacks who had longer interception streaks than Manning’s five games.
Bert Jones went 12 games in a row with interceptions. Morrall went 11. Johnny Unitas went nine once and eight another year.
Recalls former New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms: “I remember Bill (Parcells) telling me on the sideline before a game, `Simms, if you don’t throw two picks today, you ain’t trying.’ “
QB change: Eager to revive an offense that has gone 10 straight quarters without a touchdown, Baltimore coach Ted Marchibroda is leaning toward replacing quarterback Eric Zeier, who has a sprained ligament in his right thumb, with Jim Harbaugh for Sunday’s game in Green Bay.
Kanell surgery: A small lump removed from the chest of New York Giants quarterback Danny Kanell is probably a benign growth, his doctor said. Kanell underwent surgery Monday at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center after discovering the lump under his left nipple.
Dr. John Daly said the growth, called gynecomastia, cannot be confirmed as non-cancerous until a pathology report is completed Tuesday. A national expert said 2 percent of such growths are malignant.
Kanell, 24, should be ready for the Giants’ next game against Washington on Nov. 1.