Bears Blitz

Published by Bear Heiser on September 15, 2014
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears

A good majority of Bears fans cried foul when general manager Phil Emery selected a cornerback over the team’s greater need of a safety in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft.

That cornerback is Kyle Fuller. Yes, the same Kyle Fuller who had two interceptions in Sunday night’s comeback win over the San Francisco 49ers. Fuller’s two picks completely changed the momentum of the game.

The belief back in May that a safety was needed over anything else likely had something to do with how poorly the 2013 season ended, with Chris Conte once again blowing a coverage in a big moment. Then you factor in the team’s decision to re-sign Pro Bowl corner Charles Tillman for another season.

Between Tillman and fellow Pro Bowler Tim Jennings, one could make the argument that the Bears didn’t need another corner.

They clearly did, though, because the NFL now pretty much requires it.

With as much passing that is done in this league, teams now use the nickel sub-package much more often. Fuller worked as the Bears’ nickel corner during training camp and the preseason. He played every snap in nickel situations in the Bears’ Week 1 loss to the Buffalo Bills, playing 62 percent of the snaps, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription needed).

When Tillman exited Sunday’s game after suffering an injury, all Fuller did was move full time to the right side in the base package. Fuller definitely saw an increase in snaps played, but the margin might not be as great as you’d think. Fuller saw 66 percent of the snaps against the 49ers.

“I think we all saw what Kyle did with his opportunity,” defensive end Jared Allen said of the rookie’s performance, via Jeff Dickerson of ESPN Chicago. “We are going to expect him to play at that level going forward, obviously. But you can really say that his first test was a great one. He passed it.”

It’s not like his role is going to change now that he’s thrust himself into the spotlight. He’s been on the field this season. He’s had expectations.

The one thing that will change, though, is his perception around the league. Teams might now be a little bit less likely to throw his way just because he’s a rookie.

His two interceptions tell a story of a guy who can read the quarterbacks eyes, who understands positioning within the Bears’ defensive schemes and who isn’t afraid to jump a route and make a play.

Here’s what linebacker Lance Briggs said after the game, via Dickerson:

Those plays were huge, because those were key drives when we were up by eight points [late in the game]. If they take the ball down and even settle for field goals, that makes it closer points wise. So for us to get the ball back to the offense and let them go to work and get the job done, so that was huge for the entire team.

Before the Marc Trestman era began, the Bears had been known as one of the best defensive teams in the league under then-head coach Lovie Smith.

The Bears defense forced turnovers left and right, often leading the league in turnover differential. And that’s how the Bears were able to go to the Super Bowl in 2006 and the NFC Championship Game in 2010. It was all done behind a defense that created turnovers while bending but not breaking.

Sadly, that all changed when Emery fired Smith and hired Trestman to be his coach and Mel Tucker to be his defensive coordinator.

Fuller is the only defensive draft pick from the Emery era who actually has made a difference on the field.

Emery has proven a knack for finding offensive talent. But defensive end-turned-linebacker Shea McClellin, who was a first-round selection in 2012, looks more and more like a bust with each passing day.

Safety Brandon Hardin, who was a third-round selection in 2012, hasn’t played a regular-season down for the Bears. Linebacker Jonathan Bostic, who was second-round selection in 2013, still looks lost most of the time.

The success of Fuller could be Emery’s saving grace. It could mean that he’s not Bizarro Jerry (Angelo), a guy who can draft defense but can’t for the life of him draft a solid contributor on offense.

Brandon Marshall said of Fuller, via Dickerson:

I remember when I was a rookie with the Broncos; some of the guys told me that [cornerback] Champ Bailey was watching me on film. I had to do the same thing this summer. I had to go in there and study [Fuller’s] moves. I told him that he needs to have Hall of Fame on his mind. There is no fear. He has a great skill set. But his attitude is amazing. You’d think he’s been in the league for five or six years.

Fuller more than likely will stick in the starting lineup now that the Bears placed Tillman on injured reserve, according to ESPNChicago.com. The injury could mark the end of the Tillman era and the start of the Fuller era in the city of Chicago.

No one ever wants to lose a player of Tillman’s caliber. But if there’s a silver lining in all of this, the Bears now can throw Fuller to the fire and see just exactly what the first-round pick out of Virginia Tech is capable of.

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