LB BRIAN URLACHER, NOV. 5, 2008
(On the similarities between Matt Forte and Chris Johnson)
Well, I haven't got a chance to play against Matt yet so I can't tell you how he is during games. But Chris [Johnson] is pretty good. We play some pretty good running backs in our division here but he's probably the fastest guy we'll play all season long. I've watched him on film in some of their games this year and he's a good back.
(On what he's seen out of Matt Forte in practice)
Well, from watching him in games and in practice, he's the complete package. He blocks, he runs the ball hard, he's fast, he catches it; he does everything as far as I'm concerned that a running back needs to do.
(On offensive coordinators figuring out creative ways to get the ball in the hands of Devin Hester or Chris Johnson)
Yeah, I think you said it right there. You just want to get the ball in their hands as many times as you can per game. You can't get enough touches as far as I'm concerned. Anytime Devin has the ball in his hands he has a chance to score and I think Johnson is very similar to that.
(On the Bears defense overall)
We haven't played at the level we want to play at, I know that much. We've had a couple of lapses there in some games and luckily our offense has pulled through for us and won the games. Early in the season we blew a couple 10-point leads in the fourth quarter. At times we've been good and at times we've been really bad so we've just got to find a way to get through the times that we're not playing well.
(On what Rex Grossman did for the team's confidence in rallying them to a win last week)
We believe in Rex. He took us to a Super Bowl a couple years ago. We know he can get the job done. He was prepared, he came in Sunday and was prepared, ready to play and he went out there and did a good job for us. We have a veteran offensive line, we have good running backs and we ran the ball pretty well this year so it helps when you can hand the ball off to No. 22 sometimes.
(On what it would be like to knock off the only remaining unbeaten team)
Of course we'd like to be the team that ends their streak but they're a good football team. They're 8-0 for a reason. They play a lot of close games and they find a way to win those games so there's something to that. It's hard to win in the NFL and it's hard to make plays in crunch situations and they've done it all season long.
(On why he took offense to fans booing Rex Grossman)
Yeah, next question please.
(On what he and his teammates know about Rex Grossman that fans don't see)
He's a good teammate.
(On how balanced the NFC North is this year)
Yeah, until last year obviously we had pretty good control of our division and then Green Bay had it last year. It's a game either way right now. We're 5-3 and there are two teams that are 4-4 so, like you said, it's really balanced. We feel like it's a strong division, the top three teams at least.
(On why the team will stay focused with Rex Grossman at the helm)
It's not hard to stay focused in the NFL. Every week you have to go out there and play or you're going to get beat. That's all there is to it. If you're not ready to play, you're not going to win the game. Rex knows that and he'll be ready to play. Our offense knows that, our defense knows that and so do our coaches so we have to get ready to play.
(On what impresses him about the Titans offense)
I know they don't turn the ball over, they don't get sacked, Kerry [Collins] is being smart with the football, they don't fumble and they run the ball. Anytime you can run the ball in the NFL, you're probably going to have a good chance to win the game and they've done that all season long. They've picked up third downs when they need to. I want to say they're balanced but they're more of a run team than a pass team.
(On similar traits between the Titans and Bears defense)
Yeah, takeaways, we pride ourselves on getting takeaways and it looks like they do too. I think we're one and two in the league right now so that's probably the biggest similarity right there.
(On facing two different types of running backs)
We're a gap control defense, we get in our gaps. Whoever has the ball, we have to tackle them. It doesn't really matter who it is or what kind of style he is, we have to get in our gaps and be gap sound and make the play. That's all there is to it.
