Urlacher needs 4 tackles to break Record

[madlithuanian]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/footb...0,3462831.story

 

Brian Urlacher wouldn't bite when asked about a personal milestone he'll likely reach Thursday night.

 

But as someone with a sense of history of the Bears, and specifically their middle linebackers, he knows what it will mean when he passes Hall of Famer Mike Singletary to become the franchise's all-time leading tackler. Urlacher has 1,484 and needs only four to overtake Singletary, a 10-time Pro Bowl selection.

 

So what does it mean for the 32-year-old Urlacher, who's in his 11th season?

 

"It probably means Lance (Briggs) is going to pass me in a couple years," he said.

 

Briggs is fourth on the list with 1,081 and trails former safety Gary Fencik by 21. But the gap between Urlacher and Briggs would require at least three full seasons to close.

 

Briggs, 30, is signed through 2013, one year longer than Urlacher. Urlacher leads Briggs in tackles 71-60 this season, but Briggs missed nearly two entire games with an ankle injury.

 

"(Urlacher) is out there every day," defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli said. "He's consistent. The guy is a great pro.

 

"It's not just numbers. I don't think numbers define him as much as what he brings to the defense: leadership, toughness and consistency. He plays at such a high level."

 

The Bears did not begin keeping tackle statistics until 1971

[BearsFan1974]

AWESOMENESS ALERT!!!: It would be great if Urlacher records tackle #4 of the game on a 3rd down, forcing the Fish to punt and Hester takes it to the house his record.

[madlithuanian]

Like a Hollywood screenplay!

 

AWESOMENESS ALERT!!!: It would be great if Urlacher records tackle #4 of the game on a 3rd down, forcing the Fish to punt and Hester takes it to the house his record.

 

[BearsFan1974]

Like a Hollywood screenplay!

 

I'd reply but Tarantino is calling...LMAO

[Controlled Chaos]

Not to take anything away from Samurai, but Singletary did it in 179 games in a system that was geared for him to make the tackles. Urlacher will do it in his 148th game and he's been in a system the last 6 years that is geared towards the WLB making the plays.

[madlithuanian]

...and not to discount Urlacher, but Samurai had a hell of a lot more help from his front 4 making a boat-load of tackles themselves!

 

I'm just happy to see Url do it! Yet one more legendary LB to add to the Bears defensive legacy!

 

Not to take anything away from Samurai, but Singletary did it in 179 games in a system that was geared for him to make the tackles. Urlacher will do it in his 148th game and he's been in a system the last 6 years that is geared towards the WLB making the plays.

 

[BearsFan1974]

...and not to discount Urlacher, but Samurai had a hell of a lot more help from his front 4 making a boat-load of tackles themselves!

 

I'm just happy to see Url do it! Yet one more legendary LB to add to the Bears defensive legacy!

 

True. 54 never had a front 4 of that caliber. Ogunleye and Brown are no Dent and Danimal and Tommie and Tank were no Mongo and Fridge. Congrats Urlacher.

[defiantgiant]

Not to take anything away from Samurai, but Singletary did it in 179 games in a system that was geared for him to make the tackles. Urlacher will do it in his 148th game and he's been in a system the last 6 years that is geared towards the WLB making the plays.

 

Yeah, with the way the Tampa 2 funnels everything to the Will linebacker, I wouldn't be surprised to see Briggs break Urlacher's record when all's said and done.

[BearFan2000]

Yeah, with the way the Tampa 2 funnels everything to the Will linebacker, I wouldn't be surprised to see Briggs break Urlacher's record when all's said and done.

 

I wouldn't be either usually Briggs is right up there with Urlacher for tackle totals. there is a gap but I could see Briggs doing it should Url retire before Briggs does. Hopefully neither retire soon. Talk about a void without them on the field. Hard to replace what they individually bring to the table let alone in tandem. This is probably one of the best tandems at LB we've had in a long time with them and Pisa. Better than Urlacher, Colvin, and Holdman/Hilly.

[defiantgiant]

I wouldn't be either usually Briggs is right up there with Urlacher for tackle totals. there is a gap but I could see Briggs doing it should Url retire before Briggs does. Hopefully neither retire soon. Talk about a void without them on the field. Hard to replace what they individually bring to the table let alone in tandem. This is probably one of the best tandems at LB we've had in a long time with them and Pisa. Better than Urlacher, Colvin, and Holdman/Hilly.

 

Yeah, you couldn't ask for a better Tampa-2 linebacking group than Briggs-Urlacher-Tinoisamoa. I'm not looking forward to having to replace any of them, but if there's a silver lining, it's this: there's very little demand for Tampa-2 linebackers these days. The 3-4 teams used to have a big advantage in personnel because it was easy to find 3-4 OLBs and nobody else really wanted them. I think the Tampa 2 teams have that advantage now: there are only, what, 3 or 4 teams left that run it as their base defense? Off the top of my head, there's the Colts, Bears, Vikings, and Giants.

 

And the Tampa-2 is like the 3-4, in that it has a use for guys who are tweeners in any other system. It used to be that the 3-4 teams got great value by finding undersized DEs that none of the 4-3 teams could use and making them outside linebackers. But now the pendulum's swung the other way, everybody's looking for 3-4 OLBs, and the Tampa-2 teams are going to get great value picking coverage LBs who are too small to play in the 3-4. The best pure Tampa-2 LB in the draft is only going to have like 3 or 4 teams really interested in him, and who knows if the Colts/Vikings/Giants will need a linebacker. The Bears could really have their pick of those guys when it comes time to replace our current LBs.