Advertisement

D-e-f-e-n-s-e : 46 Joins Steel Curtain, Fearsome Foursome, Purple People Eaters

Share
United Press International

There have been some colorful names for some of the top defenses in the National Football League in past years.

Take, for example, The “Steel Curtain” at Pittsburgh, the “Fearsome Foursome” at Los Angeles or the “Purple People Eaters” at Minnesota.

But when people think of the latest defensive unit to be the rage of the NFL in 1985, a short description labels the outfit--46.

Advertisement

No names, just a number, to describe the Chicago Bears’ ferocious defense that has been at the peak of the NFL for the past two years and threatens to carry Chicago to the Super Bowl in New Orleans.

Forty-six is the reference to former defensive player Doug Plank. In its simple description, the 46 gives the Bears six defensive linemen with speed, size and agility to cause opposing quarterbacks nightmares.

“It may look easy the way we have done it,” said linebacker Otis Wilson, “but it’s easy because we work so hard at it.”

The main architect of the 46 is defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan, the guru who designed a defense that has been adopted at times by other NFL teams this season.

“But in order to do it properly,” Ryan said, “you have to have the personnel to carry it out.”

Ryan, Bears coach Mike Ditka and general manager Jerry Vainisi drafted players in the past five years with the 46 in mind. They wanted strong linemen, naturally, but ones with speed. They wanted linebackers who have the qualities of a defensive tackle but who could also keep up with opposing receivers like a defensive back.

Advertisement

The beginning of the process began with the first-round selections of Dan Hampton and Al Harris five years ago. Hampton was shifted between defensive end and tackle and earned all-pro honors before the entire defensive unit jelled.

Linebackers were the next priority and the Bears drafted some of the best. Mike Singletary, Otis Wilson and Wilber Marshall were all tabbed in the past three years with high draft choices.

“I remember when I got here. The defensive scheme was so difficult that I took the playbook home every night and studied it,” Wilson said. “It was so complex. But you can see the results from it.”

Singletary is the main cog in the defensive scheme. Although he is only 5-10, he can hit with the authority of a 280-pounder. Even though he is a linebacker, he has the speed to cover fleet receivers.

“He’s amazing. I’ve seen him downfield on plays one on one with the other guys’ receiver,” Ditka said. “the next play he is blitzing the quarterback and putting a hit on the guy.”

Singletary, last year’s NFC defensive player of the year, is also the primary cheerleader and leader of the 46.

Advertisement

“You can see the formation of this unit, the togetherness and the improvement over the past three years,” Singletary said. “It is a unit. There are no superstars, no big egos. We work together.”

The rest of the line has a lower profile. Steve McMichael, known to his teammates as “Mongo,” plays ahead of the No. 1 draft choice, 320-pounder William Perry. Mike Hartenstine plays at left end and Richard Dent, who led the NFC in sacks last year, starts at right end.

If there is any area of susceptibility of the 46, it may be in the backfield. Mike Richardson and Leslie Frazier man the corners, Dave Duerson and veteran Gary Fencik are the safeties.

Duerson is replacing all-pro Todd Bell, who joined Harris in holding out this season. Richardson took a verbal beating from Ryan after last year’s 23-0 NFC championship loss to San Francisco.

But at the halfway point of the 1985 season, the Bears had 21 interceptions, the same as the club had for the entire 1984 season.

And, when the opposition doesn’t have enough time to throw the ball due to the six-man rush, the pressure comes off the young secondary.

Advertisement

The 46 is hardly revolutionary and Ditka concedes that other teams’ decision to play the defense against Chicago presents special problems.

“We’re coming up against it and we’ve got ways to beat it,” Ditka said. “You have to be able to dump the ball off quickly and get your backs into the offense.”

San Francisco did it last year with short passes. The strong rush leaves a zone empty for the 10-yard pass.

A scrambling quarterback who can move quickly out of the pocket and throw on the run can hurt Chicago deep. Additionally, a power running game with a quick, bullish back that can get past the pass rush has a chance.

So confident a defense does Chicago have that it believes it can beat any offense, including its own.

“We played our offense in the intrasquad game, and I don’t remember them scoring a point on us,” Wilson said.

Advertisement
Advertisement