Written by Brett Solesky | 13 September 2009

It's a pretty simple premise that most Bears fans, and NFL analysts have come around to, the Bears have to fix their defense.  The defense has to get pressure on the QB, they have to hold up against the pass.  Aaron Rodgers had over 4,000-yard passing and both of his receivers had over 1,000-yards receiving in 2008.  The pre-season showed no signs of the Packers' offense slowing down, arguably it has only gotten better. 

Charles Tillman playing with Zack Bowman and Danieal Manning as the nickel put the Bears in a stronger position in the secondary.   So what is the best way and first way to slow down the Packers' passing attack?  None other than these five players,

Tommie Harris, Israel Idonijae, Marcus Harrsion, Mark Anderson and Adewale Ogunleye.  These five players represent the Bears' best pass rushers the Bears have on the team.  Marcus Harrison showed that he could show up as a pass rusher as a rookie in 2008, possibly filling the three-technique role that  Tommie Harris has. 

This is where it will start is Harrison rushing the passer causing problems for the Packers' offense.  The Packers will likely focus their attention on Tommie Harris and rightfully so.  Harris has shown in the pre-season that he still has the burst to get off the ball and cause havoc in the backfield.  If Harris is being double teamed then it's up to Harrison to help collapse the pocket on the side opposite of where Harris lines up.  This won't be the only DT applying pressure, Israel Idonijae too has shown up with a burst off the ball and the ability to attack the QB and get pressure.  If the Bears can consistently get pressure up the middle this will help slow Aaron Rodgers.  It will help in that Rodgers is not a very mobile QB and he can't step up and roll out of the pressure, or step up and run far from the line of scrimmage.  Collapsing the pocket is the best way to get pressure because the QB has no way to step up to make a throw. 

Having three legitimate pass rushers at the DT position puts the Bears in position to be successful.  With Rod Marinelli's teaching the young players with pure raw ability should step up and have some success today.  A pass rush from the front four helps the Bears hold up in zone coverage which gives the inexperienced Bowman the ability to make the plays.  The Bears have the ability to take a lead on offense, so the pressure that will be required to a hold a lead in the fourth quarter may be the difference if the Bears get into a shoot out.  The key will be seeing if Rodgers can in fact show up in the fourth quarter and make a come back game winning drive. 

This is the area that Rodgers struggled in the most last year, was his ability to lead a come back drive.  The Packers were win less in games that were decided by four points or less.  The Bears' defense and pass rush  needs to keep that streak alive by forcing the pressure and forcing Rodgers to make hurried throws, or even mistakes with the football. 

The lead weak was what the Bears needed to stop in the Packers' run game last year.  But that game was easily a fluke of luck for the Packers and just one bad game by the defense for the Bears.  The Bears were fifth in the league against the run last year, holding teams to under 100-yards per game rushing.  Were it not for the fluke 195 yards rushing the Packers put up in Lambeau last year, the Bears' rushing defense would have been in an even better rating.  I suspect the defense will step up and shut down the Packers' run.  Sure the Packers have the ability to come out and run the football, but the Bears have proved consistently that they can step up and stop the run against the best rushing teams in the league. 

A strong and healthy Brian Urlacher should help to shut down the lead weak given Urlacher can better attack the strength of that play with his health.  The Bears will definitely attack the Packers' offense and make them one-dimensional.  Sure Aaron Rodgers can beat you with his arm, but if the Bears prove they can shut down the run, they can easily use their ability to pressure the QB a lot more by stuffing the run. 

Charles Tillman has always matched up well with the under-sized Packers receivers.  Neither Greg Jennings or Donald Driver measures over 6-feet tall.  Bowman and Tillman are typical physical Cover-2 corners that can physically attack the Packers' wide receivers.  As I covered previously only Jennings has ever gone over 100-yards receiving against the Bears which is one sign that if the Bears are more improved on defense as I expect them to be, they can use this to win the game. 

This is where the Bears are at, they will shut down the run, and they need to attack Aaron Rodgers to win.   If they can use the speed they have on the defensive line they can cause pressure and keep Rodgers on his back a lot.  The key will be knocking Rodgers down because he is not as mobile as other QBs who have big arms.  Cutler is more mobile, McNabb is more mobile and you wear a QB down the more pressure you get on him.

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