(Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Remember the good old days when Bears coach Lovie Smith and defensive tackle Tommie Harris were fellow Texans in arms, working for a common cause?
Apparently those days are long gone.
Smith on Monday more or less admitted to benching Harris prior to Sunday’s 45-10 debacle at Cincinnati because he didn’t practice last week.
“There isn’t anything wrong with Tommie,” Smith said Monday after the team sorted through a horror film, aka Cedric Benson‘s Revenge. “Tommie didn’t play this week, it was more a coach’s decision as much as anything.
“He has had some (knee) soreness. He didn’t practice all week. I thought we had better options.”
By better options, Smith meant Marcus Harrison, Anthony Adams and Israel Idonije playing the under tackle position in the Bears front four. He didn’t have Matt Toeiana or rookie Jarron Gilbert active on game day when both could have filled in at tackle.
“I mean all player decisions on who’s going to dress is a game day decision, who gives us the best opportunity to win,” Smith said. “Could Tommie have played if I wanted him to? Yes, but I thought we could get a better Tommie if we let him rest this past week and get ready for this week. We should see, Tommie should be good to go this week.”
So the Bears are definitely planning on Harris playing Sunday at Soldier Field against Cleveland.
“Definitely, those are strong words there,” Smith said. “But he should be in better shape to play this week than he was last.”
The key will be if Harris practices. Last week he didn’t practice at all. It has become a common practice for the Bears to rest Harris at least one day a week, if not two, due to the chronic problem he has had with his right knee since a 2007 injury.
“For a player to really prove he’s ready to go, it would help for him to be able to practice throughout the week, and we think Tommie will be ready to go all week,” Smith said.
Last Friday Smith announced Harris was doubtful after he missed a third straight practice.
Harris did warm up briefly on Sunday prior to the game but never dressed for the contest. After the disastrous game, he blurted a couple phrases in answer to questions while getting dressed for the trip to the airport.
“It wasn’t true,” Harris said when asked if he was too hurt to play. “You talk to them.”
Apparently Harris thinks it’s all right to miss practices but play in games. Smith does not.
It’s not the first time the two have been at odds. Last year Harris got suspended for a game against Detroit because he missed scheduled knee treatments.
Smith claimed Harris is emotionally ready and focused, although the former Pro Bowl defensive tackle was nowhere to be found Monday at Halas Hall to confirm this.
“Tommie’s fine on where he needs to be emotionally, just like the rest of our football team,” Smith said. “Don’t know exactly how to answer that question. He’s just like the rest of the guys, he’s going to show up Wednesday, ready to go (to practice) try to help this team win.”
Harris received a $40 million contract extension after 2007 and has produced five sacks since then. He has nine tackles, no sacks and an interception this year for five games.
The Bears have plenty of problems with their defensive front, one they said would be drastically improved with the addition this year of defensive line coach Rod Marinelli.
They haven’t produced a sack the last two games and they seem to cave in when anyone gets near the goal line. Opposing offenses have scored touchdowns on 11 of their last 13 trips inside the red zone against the Bears.
Still, Smith isn’t down on the front four as a whole. He thinks Sunday was an aberration and the sack-free game with Atlanta the previous week totally unrelated.
“We held Atlanta down pretty good, except for a couple plays, so I feel pretty good with what our defensive line has been doing overall,” Smith said. “Let’s not make this any bigger, like the rest of our team, none of us did what we were supposed to do yesterday, defensive line included, but we have a good group on our defensive line and we all will play better this week.”
Including Harris—if he practices.
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