Warren Sapp talks about his former D-line coach Rod Marinelli and Bears DT Tommie Harris

Warren Sapp, the future Hall of Fame defensive tackle, has long credited Rod Marinelli with his success in the league. He joined Mully & Hanley the other day on the Score, 670-AM to talk about Marinelli and the Bears' prized defensive tackle Tommie Harris.

Here's the interview with Warren:

WHAT ARE THE BEARS GETTING IN ROD MARINELLI?

Warren Sapp: The architect of the one of the greatest pass rushes the NFL has ever known. We went on a string of 70 straight games with a sack. It was all of us. That was our little string. Him, it was all of us. We attacked quarterbacks like it was nobody's business. I just spoke to him the other day. He said, `Yeah, it's going to be fun again. Here we go.' He has a good group and he's excited. I spoke to him [Tuesday] night and said he was packing up and going to Chicago today. Look out Windy City, here comes the man.

IS IT THE X'S AND O'S OF ROD MARINELLI OR IS IT SOMETHING ELSE?

Warren Sapp: No, it's the passion. It's his conviction. You don't see many men stand and do what he did up in Detroit, going 0-16 and people attacking him and talking about his daughter and different stuff. He's a man of dignity who served his country in the Vietnam War. I love the man. I absolutely adore him because he took me on a path to greatness and wouldn't let me deter off it even a little bit. After I won my defensive player of the year award, he looked at me said, `Let's see if your play can catch up with your athletic ability.'

I said, `What do you mean my athletic ability?'

He said, `What can you do?'

I said, `I can do anything.'

He said, `Well, let's see.'

I came back and up put 16 1/2 [sacks] so he'll challenge you in a way that just is going to push your boundaries. If [Adewale] Ogunleye and Alex Brown and Tommie Harris and the rest of them, [Israel Idonije] and [Marcus Harrison] and the rest of those guys up there buy into a system that lives off the front four, that's what the defense does, it lives off the front four. If they want that, greatness is right in front of them. Just go get it.

HOW DID ROD MARINELLI MAKE YOU A BETTER PLAYER?

Warren Sapp: I tell you, it's boots on the ground. I went in there and we worked everyday. I was in there with Eric Curry and some of those old-school Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Santana Dotson, and Mark Wheeler, big grunt guys that held up the place, did a great job. It is what it is. We were going a different direction. We started doing those pass-rushing drills where we were hanging and on our toes and we came out like the third day in a row and we were all looking at each other, me, Regan [Upshaw] and all those young guys like, `Yeah, let's go!' They looked at us, and turned to Rod and said, `Are we going to do this every day?' That let's you know who wants it and who doesn't, trust me, my friend. We used to call it 30 minutes of hell. It will be an absolute grind the first 30 minutes of practice because you have to put the work in on the practice field to be able to go out on Sunday and have the type of fun that defense will allow you to have as a group.

TOMMIE HARRIS HAS THE KNEE ISSUE AND WE KNOW HIS PRACTICE WAS LIMITED DURING THE WEEK. HOW DOES HE GO THROUGH THE 30 MINUTES OF HELL THAT MAKES YOU THAT PLAYER ON SUNDAY AND YOU HAVE THE KNEE AND YOU CAN'T GET THAT THING RIGHT?

Warren Sapp: I guarantee you he is going to be healthy this year and if he's not, it will be obvious. You have to put him together before he gets there. Rod will do a great job with that. He's always done a great job with me because I had a little trick knee sometimes and I didn't practice at times but you know when you need to grind and the grind happens. I talked to Tommie the other day and I told him, `Me and you are going to start this offseason as soon as I get out of Tampa [after Super Bowl XLIII] buddy because the under tackle position is something that not many people even want to be talked about because it's not a defensive tackle and it's not something else, it's an under tackle, a unique guy that goes both ways, that does special things. I only know two other ones other than myself and that's John Randle and Keith Millard that even consider themselves as under tackles. If you want to be in that class with me and those other two dudes, we're going to have to look each other in the eye and we're going to have to talk about this the right way and see what he's thinking. Because if he's not thinking about it the right way, with me and Rod, we're going to get some work out of Tommie, I guarantee you this because he's too good of a player to be sitting in that system looking like he's not a player.

SO YOU ARE GOING TO WORK WITH TOMMIE?

Warren Sapp: I am going to work with him, yes.

Quotes of the Week

Brian Urlacher on Sunday's win:

"As long as we win and they win, they're going to get in, that's the picture. We've got to get some help.

"I wanted Detroit to help us out today, but they didn't. But the Vikings have three tough games: Arizona, Atlanta and the Giants. It's not easy for them or us."

Adewale Ogunleye on Sunday's win:

"We're still in a tough situation, it's not even just about this game. The whole season right now is kind of like a big drag. … I'm not even going to look at the [playoff] scenarios, because if we don't handle our business, what does it matter?"

Mike Brown on Sunday's game:

"We peeked up every now and then at the scoreboard, but we had to make sure we took care of our job. That's first and foremost. We've got to win. If we lose, then it really doesn't matter what Minnesota does."

Lovie Smith on win:

“We can finish up 10-6,” most teams that finish up 10-6 end up going to the playoffs. We’re just looking straight ahead.”

Alex Brown on win:

“You look at it, but you’ve got to take care of your part,” he said. “That’s it. Whatever happens in the Minnesota game is going to happen whether you look at it or not. It’s still going to happen. We’ve got to do our part and that’s winning.”

All quotes came from chicagotribune.com

Injury Report for Sunday's Game

Defensive end Adewale Ogunleye's sprained right shoulder and nose tackle Anthony Adams' sore right toe didn't keep them from practicing Friday, and both are expected to play.

Hopefully Adams will play like he did last season, where he was pretty solid at nose tackle.

Also, Linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer (Achilles') is probable.

Once again, Jason Davis will fill in for the injured Jason McKie, who will likely miss Thursday's game against the Saints too.

Davis on the FB dive on Sunday night against the Vikings:

"Last Sunday's not the first time we've run a dive and gotten stopped," Davis said. "You're talking about running against arguably the two best defensive tackles in our conference [in Pat and Kevin Williams].

"Yes, too much was made about that play. It didn't come down to one play."

Wednesday's injury update

Fullback Jason McKie (quad), nose tackle Anthony Adams (foot), linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer (Achilles') and defensive end Adewale Ogunleye (shoulder) were held out of Wednesday's practice.

Defensive tackle Tommie Harris, safety Mike Brown, and center Olin Kreutz rested.

Bears plans for the rest of the season and next year is??

1. Win the next four games and you might have a real shot of making the playoffs.

You play Jacksonville this week, New Orleans, Green Bay and @ Houston in the four game stretch.

Don't worry about the other teams in your division, worry about yourself and winning the next four games.

2. Minnesota obviously beat you on Sunday, but they have a tough four game stretch to finish out the season. They play the win less Lions on the road, then Arizona on the road and Atlanta and NY "football" Giants in Minnesota.

The Vikings have lost both Pat Williams and Kevin Williams for the rest of the regular season, so that is huge for the Bears.

The Packers still have a real chance of winning the division, they play vs Houston, at Jacksonville, @ the Bears, and vs the Lions. They can easily finish 9-7.

3. Start thinking about what you need for this team to win in the future. They need a big time receiver, maybe T.J. Houshmandzadeh or Chad Johnson would come to Chicago. They could always draft someone in the first round.

Other areas of need:

backup RB, Forte needs a helper.

DE, a big time pass rusher, Adewale Ogunleye, Alex Brown, Mark Anderson and Israel Idonije are just not getting it done anymore.

S, Mike Brown is getting old and Kevin Payne just isn't very good.

Coach, I think it's time for Lovie to go, the guy doesn't show any character after a win, loss or a big play.

Offensive Coordinator Ron Turner is consistent with his horrible play calling, especially in the red zone. He consists on giving it the FB at the one yard line or just running the same play three times in a row.

4. For now, the Bears need Orton to get healthy, cause he hasn't looked himself since his injury and fans are starting to call for Rex to come in, but Orton will be just fine. Hopefully Hester, Davis and Lloyd are enough to help Orton and Forte just be yourself.

5. The tight ends have been almost invisible the last couple of games, Olsen looks like a bust and Dez Clark looks really old all of a sudden.

6. This team better get their act together if they want to win the NFC North, they have been so inconsistent this season. One week they barely beat the Lions, then they almost beat the Titans and they get crushed by the Packers and Vikings.

Coaches, players, if you want to be here next year, i'd tell you this, "step it up a notch.(Mark Rogers, friend)"

Bears Defense Sounds off on loss to Green Bay

Lance Briggs:

"Nothing was effective, we didn't do what we wanted to do, and they did. And that's why they beat our heads in the way they did."

"We didn't do anything right, it doesn't matter what adjustments you make because we didn't get it done in every facet of the game. It was a poor display of football. That's not the way we prepared. That's not Bear football. We have to get ourselves to who we are."

Corey Graham on giving up a TD to Greg Jennings:

"I was actually anticipating it to come inside a little bit," Graham said. "Maybe next time I'll be a little more inside."


Adewale Ogunleye:

"The thing I can't wait to do is watch the film and see, even after the game was a little bit out of hand, who gave up, we've got to get that straightened out. We've got to have guys on the field that are going to fight all the way to the end. And hopefully we'll see that we had all 22 guys fighting."


Brian Urlacher:

"I'm frustrated, but I don't think anyone gave up, if we gave up, I think I would be embarrassed, but I don't think anyone quit or didn't play hard. We just got beat, that's what it comes down to."


Alex Brown:

"I think we have a good defense, I think we have a good scheme and I believe Alex needs to put in some more work to get better, "That's what I believe." ...


Nathan Vasher:

"Our scheme is good, we just have to execute and make plays. Everybody in this locker room is staying tight. We just have to circle the wagons and believe in each other."


Mike Brown:

‘‘All I can tell you is obviously, our defense isn’t what it used to be, once everyone accepts that, and understands it, he said, everyone will be better off.

Bears Win a Wild One Over The Vikings 48-41

Your probably asking yourself how did the 2008 Chicago Bears score 48 points and how did they give up 41 points.

The Bears looked great offensively today.

Kyle Orton had this to say after completing 21 of 32 passes for two touchdowns and a quarterback rating of 114.5:

We’ve got a group of guys who are together, it doesn’t matter what happens outside that huddle. It’s everybody inside the huddle working for a common goal and we work together very well.”

When was the last time the Bears scored this many points?

The last time the Chicago Bears scored this many points was 1986 and the last time the Bears and Vikings combined for that many points was in 1961.

The Bears have never won, while giving up 41 points.

Matt Forte ran the ball 20 times for only 56 yards, but did get a 2nd quarter touchdown.

Even though the Bears gave up 41 points, they forced 4 turnovers, had two huge late game sacks and two special team touchdowns.

The interceptions were made by young corner-backs, who were filling in for Vasher, Tillman and Manning.

Trumaine McBride, Corey Graham, Zack Bowman and Kevin Payne all had an interception.

Bowman played in his first game ever today and he also scored on a muffed punt by the Vikings.

I thought at the end of the game the Bears were going to blow it but Tommie Harris came up with his biggest play all year, by sacking Gus Frerotte on a 3rd down.

Injury News:

Devin Hester injured a quadriceps muscle in the third quarter on a kickoff return.

Thank Goodness for the Bye Week:

Bears fans and Bears players should be thankful for the bye week because they need there secondary to get healthy and hopefully Devin Hester and Brandon Lloyd won't be out for much longer.

Top Performers:

1) Greg Olsen- he came up huge today.

2) Kyle Orton- he looked great in the no-huddle and if Marty caught two perfectly thrown balls, Marty would have had three touchdown receptions.

3) Corey Graham- another big game for the young corner-back.

4) Zack Bowman- he looked great in his debut.

Non-Performers:

1) Adewale Ogunleye- he was pretty invisible today.

2) John St. Clair- he messed up on a Jared Allen sack, forcing Orton to fumble.

When the offense plays like that they are tough to stop.

They know they should be 7-0, but the Packers crushed the Colts today and are tied with the Bears for first place in the NFC North.

The Bears come back after the bye November 2 to take on the Lions in Chicago.

Then they take on the undefeated Titans at home the week after that.

Look for the Bears to take control of the NFC North after they get rest after their bye.

Ogunleye named defensive player of week

Adewale Ogunleye was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his dominant performance in Sunday night’s 29-13 win over the Indianapolis Colts.

The veteran defensive end, who registered three tackles and three tackles-for-loss, produced two of the game’s biggest plays.

Ogunleye tackled Joseph Addai in the end zone for a safety and dropped Dominic Rhodes for a two-yard loss on fourth-and-1 from the 50 with the Bears protecting a 22-13 lead early in the fourth quarter.

“Well-deserved,” coach Lovie Smith said of the award. “He played hard. He was physical. As far as what he means to our defense, he’s one of our veterans. He sets the pace, not just what he says but what he does on the football field, practice and all.

"He’s just one of those model veterans that you want on your football team having an influence on the rest of your team.

“I thought he rushed the passer well, but most linemen want to rush the passer. He played the run exceptionally well, and we’ll need that type of effort this week [against the Panthers].”

Ogunleye is the first Bears player to be honored as NFC Defensive Player of the Week since tackle Tommie Harris in Week 4 of the 2006 season. The Indiana product won the award twice, in 2002 and 2003, when he played for the Miami Dolphins.

“Every season I want to start off quick,” said Ogunleye, who led the Bears with nine sacks and six forced fumbles in 2007. “Actually, what I want to do is continue what I did last year. Every game I want to try to make a big play. Hopefully next game I’ll do the same thing. It’s the same recipe I had last year and I’m going to try to continue that again this year.”