Taylor thinking team, not sacks
(
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/football/bears/123604,CST-SPT-bearnt04.article)
November 4, 2006
BY
BRAD BIGGS Staff Reporter
It's hard to find a pass rusher as hot as the Bears'
Mark Anderson, but Miami will present one Sunday in
Jason Taylor. He enters with a sack in his last four games and has seven, one-half behind the Bears' rookie, who is tied for fourth in the league.
Taylor's next sack will push him over 100 for his career, a distinction the Bears would prefer he wait at least a week to achieve. He's on pace to have 16, which would be his best for a season since his 18½ in 2002.
Taylor lines up opposite the tight end, so he primarily will be across from left tackle
John Tait. The Bears have yet to be tested by a great pass rushing end, but they have a string coming up.
Next week, the New York Giants will put forth
Michael Strahan and
Osi Umenyiora, who were named to the Pro Bowl last season. Also coming up are New England's
Richard Seymour and
Leonard Little of St. Louis.
Tait said Taylor would be on anyone's list of the best defensive ends in the league.
''He's playing at a high level [at age 33],'' Tait said.
Miami uses 3-4 and 4-3 alignments, and Taylor will play like an outside linebacker at times and drop into coverage.
''You've got to look out for him because they move around a little bit and you want to know where he is at,'' Tait said.
Taylor, who has one career sack against the Bears, has downplayed the milestone he's close to achieving. He will be the 23rd player to reach triple digits in sacks, which became an official statistic in 1982.
''It's a lot of takedowns,'' he said. ''If I do get to that, it will be great to have that and the individual honor. But this is the consummate team game, and I would trade in 99 of them for a chance to play in the big game.''
Across from Taylor is veteran
Kevin Carter, who has two sacks this season and 95 for his career. Carter and right tackle
Fred Miller were teammates in St. Louis and Tennessee for eight seasons and know everything each other does, making their matchup intriguing.
FAMILIAR FOE: The Bears have seen plenty of Dolphins quarterback
Joey Harrington. The former Detroit Lion has a career 4-3 record against them -- more a statement of how bad the Bears were than anything else. Harrington has more victories over the Bears than any other team. His numbers are not anything special in three starts for the Dolphins -- 912 yards, three touchdowns and seven interceptions. But at least he's getting rid of the ball.
Daunte Culpepper, whom Miami rushed back from a knee injury, was sacked a league-high 21 times in four games.
The Dolphins' system might also be a better fit for Harrington, who never blossomed in the West Coast offense under
Steve Mariucci in Detroit. Harrington loathes taking sacks and will often dump the ball off quickly before letting routes downfield develop.
''I see a guy who feels a little bit more comfortable getting back there in the pocket instead of trying to get the ball out in a progression in three- or five- [step drops] that the West Coast calls for,'' Bears defensive coordinator
Ron Rivera said. ''This suits him because he's a good, strong-armed quarterback. He shows good vision, throws the ball well. He's got a strong-enough arm for the vertical passing game that these guys seem to employ.''
HEALTH BEAT: Punt returner
Devin Hester was held out of practice Friday with a tight hamstring. He is questionable on the injury report, but coach
Lovie Smith and Hester indicated he would be ready to play. Defensive tackle
Tank Johnson (right shoulder, probable) did practice.
bbiggs@suntimes.com
