The defense Matt Eberflus will bring to the Chicago Bears should look familiar to Charles Tillman. He played a similar variation for nearly a decade under Lovie Smith from 2004 to 2012. Many things were instilled in him during that time. Playing with maximum effort on every snap. No loafing is allowed. Also, all thoughts must be geared towards one goal: take the ball away. That was the identity of the Bears in that era.
However, one other aspect was often overlooked in those days. Something that could prove an issue for some of the cornerbacks on the Bears’ current roster. He explained in an interview with Larry Mayer of Chicagobears.com. People always talk about interceptions, passes defended, and overall coverage when it comes to corners. Too often, they forget there are other jobs to do.
“You’ve got to tackle,” Tillman said. “You’ve got to be physical. I almost had 1,000 tackles in my career at corner, which is probably unheard of. And it’s not that I’m letting people catch passes on me. It was just the style of defense. You’re involved in run support. It was like a prerequisite to being a cornerback for the Chicago Bears, you had to tackle. You were involved in the run game.”
10. Kyle Fuller is just so damn good.
His tackle of Bridgewater at the goal line was masterclass stuff.
How many "elite" corners in the game today make that play?
Aside from being a great player, he's also incredibly clutch. #Bears pic.twitter.com/7BWlQWRYwL
— Erik Lambert (@ErikLambert1) October 19, 2020
An underrated part of Kenny Moore's game is his ability to tackle in the open field. Gets a 3rd down stop in the flat here.
Also, watch how he sifts through the traffic to stay with his man #Colts pic.twitter.com/qCae5zjbNs
— Kevin Hickey (@KevinHickey11) November 19, 2019
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This is something worth noting.
Eberflus demanded efficient tackling from his cornerbacks in Indianapolis. Pro Bowler Kenny Moore missed just 11.3% of his tackle attempts last season. Xavier Rhodes was at 11.4%, and Rock Ya-Sin was the best of the bunch at just 8.8%. By contrast, Jaylon Johnson finished at 13.2%. That isn’t good enough by the standards of this defense. He and whoever lines up next to him this coming season must learn to embrace that.
Tackling is a lost art in many ways during this era of football. Teams that do it well tend to be teams that win football games. Tackling well can often prove crucial in limiting big plays. A way to prevent six-yard plays from becoming 60-yard plays. By forcing offenses to work their way down the field, it increases the likelihood of mistakes. Mistakes lead to turnovers. It’s all connected. This is what Charles Tillman is saying.
