Bears defensive linemen face toughest test of season
By TOM MUSICK -- Shaw Suburban Media
LAKE FOREST – A revived pass rush has put the Bears on pace to double their sack total from last season.
Meanwhile, the Atlanta Falcons offensive line has allowed just two sacks in four games to lead the NFL.
You don’t need Jack Nicholson to tell you that something’s gotta give.
When the Bears (3-1) visit the Falcons (3-1) on Sunday night, camera crews from NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” telecast will follow the football from center to quarterback to playmaker. But the battle along the line of scrimmage likely will provide a better indication about which team will win its fourth game.
The Falcons have not allowed a sack in their past three games, which has provided extra time for second-year quarterback Matt Ryan to complete 66.7 percent of his passes. In fact, the Falcons' offensive line has not allowed a sack against Ryan in 10 of the quarterback’s first 20 games in the NFL.
And you wonder why the 24-year-old signal-caller seems so calm beyond his years.
“Our offensive line has done a great job in pass protection,” Ryan said. “Likewise, our receivers are running really good routes and being in the right space at the right time, which allows us to get the ball off in a timely manner. But they’ve done a great job up front.”
Bears defenders have watched film this week to try to solve the Falcons’ stingy pass protection. Atlanta’s offensive line has shut down the pass rushes of San Francisco, New England and Carolina in recent weeks.
“I haven’t seen a defense really play them aggressive,” Bears defensive end Adewale Ogunleye said. “I’ve seen a lot of people sitting back and almost playing like patty-cake, looking too much. We’ve just got to put our head down, put our blinders on, and focus on our keys. Hopefully they’ll take us to the ball.”
The revived pass rush has played a key role in limiting opposing offenses and assisting the Bears young secondary this season. After the Bears finished 22nd in the NFL with 28 sacks in 2008, they have registered 14 sacks in their first four games for the fourth-best total in the league.
Bears linebacker Lance Briggs said sacks had a way of demoralizing the opponent.
“If you’re getting dominated, I think it’s pretty tough for an offensive lineman,” Briggs said. “In football, you’re taught to have a short memory and forget about it and move on to the next play. But if you’re getting beat on a consistent basis, it’s going to be kind of rough to recover.”
Ogunleye leads the Bears with 4½ sacks, but the Bears have rushed the quarterback from many angles. Nine Bears players have contributed to the team’s 14 sacks, which have pushed back opposing offenses 112 yards.
“This year, early on, we’ve been able to get after quarterbacks both with the blitz and with the front four,” Ogunleye said. “It’s been fun. I think all of the work that we’ve done in the offseason is starting to pay off, and that’s a big confidence booster for us to keep going this season.”
