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An already tough defense figures to get better, but, oh, that offense

By Kostya Kennedy

The dazzling Urlacher made plays all over the field in his rookie season; now he has to learn to play team leader. Jonathan Daniel/Allsport Enemy Lines An opposing team's scout sizes up the Bears "The Bears' quarterback situation has buried them in the past.... Cade McNown failed because [former offensive coordinator Gary ] Crowton 's offense placed too much emphasis on the quarterback's making quick reads and reacting. Shane Matthews is a smart player but not the guy who'll take that team anywhere. He'll just get hurt like he always does.... [New offensive coordinator] John Shoop is bright. His game plans, after taking over from Crowton at the end of last year, were sound. He'll need his receivers to step up, but Marcus Robinson has struggled with his back for a couple of years now, [rookie] David Terrell is still an unknown after injuring his shoulder early in camp, and neither Bobby Engram or Marty Booker is a big-play guy... . Skip Hicks [a free agent from the Redskins] is likely to beat out James Allen at running back. Allen lacks speed and he's hurt.... The defense should be all right. Look for Ted Washington to occupy blockers in the middle. Brian Urlacher is still learning, but with a year under his belt, his instincts will be that much better.... Mike Brown is a big-time talent -- a Pro Bowl player in a year or two. He's smart, he makes all the calls in the secondary, and he's tough.... This team is at least a couple of years away from doing anything decent. Whether it's the coaching or the drafts, it seems the Bears are still trying to find their way. I don't see how they won't finish last in that division." In the Year 2000 Record: 5-11 (fifth in NFC Central) NFL rank (rush/pass/total) Offense: 21/23/23 Defense: 19/17/16 2001 Strength of Schedule NFL Rank: 21 (tie) Opponents' 2000 winning percentage: .488 Games against playoff teams: 5

Right tackle James (Big Cat) Williams has been a Bear for 10 seasons, so much longer than any of his teammates that he's the only current Chicago player who experienced the Bears' last winning season, 1995, when they had a modest 9-7 record. At age 33 and with so much losing under his extra-large belt (Chicago has gone 26-54 over the past five seasons), it stands to reason that Big Cat is eagerly seeking someone to lead the Bears to better things. That someone is a 6'3", 244-pound middle linebacker with a bull's neck and a cheetah's speed who just turned 23 and who plays with a hunger commensurate with his youth. "I don't care one bit how young he is," says Williams. "If Brian Urlacher's making plays like he makes, that guy is our leader."

The kind of plays Urlacher made last year were good enough to earn him the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award and a trip to the Pro Bowl. In his first season out of New Mexico -- as the ninth player taken in the 2000 draft, Urlacher became the first Lobo to be picked in the first round in 23 years -- he led the Bears with 165 tackles, eight sacks and seven tackles for a loss, and made countless swooping sorties across the field to stonewall ballcarriers.

In seeking to redefine Chicago's defensive identity in the off-season, management looked first to Urlacher and then to the East. It saw how the Ravens had been built around middle linebacker Ray Lewis, in part by employing huge defensive tackles Sam Adams and Tony Siragusa to occupy blockers. Thus the Bears signed veteran defensive tackles Keith Traylor (6'2", 304) and Ted Washington (6'5", 330) in hopes that they will allow Urlacher to roam even more freely than he did last year. "Urlacher's our franchise player, no question," says defensive coordinator Greg Blache. "He's a rare talent, and he can already run the huddle for us."

When the Bears opened camp a year ago, Urlacher was a shy newcomer, struggling to learn the defense and interacting hesitantly with his teammates. An onlooker would not have seen then what fans saw at a preseason practice in Platteville, Wis., last month as Chicago worked on its red-zone play. Just before the snap, Urlacher hastily adjusted the positioning of two other members of the Bears' swift linebacking core, Rosey Colvin and Khari Samuel. Then, after quarterback Shane Matthews's pass was batted away by defensive back Mike Green, Urlacher shouted, "There you go, that's professional coverage right there. Now let's stay with it everybody, back to the line, quick."

When Urlacher himself broke up the next play with a tip, he erupted into the goofy guffaws that have become his trademark. "I love that laugh, 'cause it's honest," says safety Mike Brown. "Brian has fun, and that's infectious. He always comes back laughing after he makes a big play, and he makes a lot of those, believe me."

Part of the reason a second-year player has assumed a leadership role with the Bears is that traditional leader types have had their authority undermined. To wit: