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Bears Must Find A Way To Slow Down Roddy White
Written by Brett Solesky   
Monday, 12 October 2009 13:37
WR Roddy WhiteRoddy White isn't a big receiver, he pushes the 6-foot tall mark.  He's not an overly physical receiver in that he's not going to cause physical match up problems with his size like a Larry Fitzgerald, or Randy Moss or Terrell Owens.  White is the type of receiver that has  historically caused the Bears major problems.  That blazing fast threat to make your tacklers miss in the open field type of receiver. 

White burned the Bears last year with nine receptions for 112 yards and a touchdown.  The Bears just don't have the type of CB that matches up well with these types of receivers.  Charles Tillman matches up with bigger and more physical WRs as does as Zack Bowman.  Neither possess their own high level of speed, they're classic Cover-2 CBs that rely on being physical and breaking on the ball well and making tackles on receivers who catch the ball in front of them. 

CBs in the Cover-2 get the obvious help over the top from the safeties.  In space is where White can do his most damage.  Settling into the soft spots of the Bears' zone, making the reception and then making people miss in the open field.  Much the same way Steve Smith of the Panthers has done to the Bears on a consistent basis.  Same from Anquan Boldin in '06 against the Bears. 

Picking the Bears apart on a consistent basis.  So what are the Bears to do?  They need to try and be as physical as possible with White.  They need to bump him, jam him, and hit  him hard when he does make the catch.  Do what ever it takes to slow down his speed and the best way to do that is to punish him. 

Falcons WR Roddy WhiteWhite is a resilient receiver, but no receiver with his size and the speed his game possesses ever reacts well to being  dealt with physically.  The Bears need to double him and be very tough on him not let him get into his routes, not allow him to build up a big head of steam.  The Bears are known for the physical play in the secondary, Tillman is very tough and a great tackler.  He is constantly pounding and ripping at the ball, bumping and grinding out there doing everything he can to make up for his lack of speed.

The biggest challenge facing the Bears is White seems to be hitting his stride.  Against the 49ers yesterday White set Falcons receiving records.  He hauled in eight passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns in the Falcons 45-10 romp over the 49ers.  The 49ers aren't a bad defense either raking 12 currently against the pass prior to the melt down against the Falcons. 

The key for the Bears however may not be finding someone to match up with White, but rather getting pressure on Matt Ryan.  Ryan and the Falcons' passing attack was so great against the Bears last year because the Bears got zero pressure on Ryan.  This year is a different story, and Rod Marinelli was brought in specifically for this reason, to get more rush out of the front four so that QBs like Matt Ryan cannot sit back and attack the Bears' zone coverage.  This will be the true test in slowing down the Falcons' passing attack, getting a better rush on the QB.
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