Tommie Harris watches Sunday's loss from the bench. (Phil Velasquez/Tribune)
Bears coach Lovie Smith said defensive tackle Tommie Harris is fine, physically, and that the decision to sit him against the Bengals had to do with rest.
Smith expects Harris to be ready to go against the Browns this week.
"No, there isn't anything wrong with Tommie,'' Smith said. "Tommie didn't play this week. It was more of 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. All player decisions on who's going to dress is a game-day decision: who gives us the best opportunity to win. 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.''
Harris, who has been battling left knee issues since 2007, approached the Bears last Friday and said he was ready to play.
Marcus Harrison started in Harris' place against the Bengals.
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Somethink stinks WAY big at Halas Hall. Will this be the last we hear of this situation? I think not. Harris has been considering himself as the bull on the cellblock known as McCaskey Penitentiary. His attitude has changed a lot in the past couple of years.
Tommie Harris was a great young DT until he got hurt...and he started reading articles about himself.
Man up, #91.
Next to Jim Zorn and Jeff Fischer, Lovie's job security went off on red alert.
What a sad, sad, SAD state of affairs
KO is a joke! Please stop talking about him
Am I the only one to notice our pathetic defensive players conitinuously smiling and laughing while helping Benson up after all his many 10 yard runs? I am all for sportmanship but this team, both sides of the ball have no fire or pride and I lay that on the marshmallow of coach. Our defense has continuously deteriated since Lovie has been in charge and our consistency has followed. Players are not held accountable, there is little tackling in preseason and we get to pay and watch this? We need to can Pace and O-my he blew by me. Even Kreutz is getting manhandled more and more and now he suddenly has learned how to snap the ball to the QB's ankles. 1/2 the interceptions were deflections off the wide receivers yesterday. I do not blame Cutler for that. Did our safeties get into any plays yesterday and or how many times were their names called? I am embarrassed to be a fan at moment. Read my lips when they somehow scratch a win against the equally pathetic Browns, we will be hearing how great this team is just like after beating the mighty Lions. Bottom Line we need new coaches and quit playing players that are not producing or at least hold them accountable. I am sick of hearing it is only one game when they continually suck and lose games because of themselves and not the oponent. OK, maybe I might be able to some day watch these losers again after getting that off my chest. ;)
REMEMBER what This LONG time Lions fan said when Lovie brouth the "MORONelli" to Chicago??? Rod Moron is the MOST pathetic defensive coach EVER to TRY to coach up players. Listen too his chats. Same ole same ole BS. So glad you got him, even though the Bears DO have a better team than many in the NFL and certainly my Lions. Keep Moron there and Da Bears will disentigrate ala the Lions during the Morons tenure. Good Luck!!!
The Bears scare no one. Every team smells weakness and goes into the game knowing they can beat the Bears. They are quickly becoming the team everyone wants to play... because they are easy to prepare against, and they bring the same old strategy to every game. This year is being defined by the haves and have nots. Lovie should know he is in the NOT category.
Recently read a wonderful article in the ESPN News magazine about Mike Singletary - and how he was influenced by Ditka. Mike's relationship with the Bears organization became strained when Mike intervened in the Alonzo Spellman situation - when the Bears organization separated themselves from Alonzo like the plague.
Singletary and Lovie smith are totally different personalities and completely diffeent coaches. One demands respect by giving it, by his knowledge, and by the way he, himself, approached the game.
The other was a hire on the $cheap$.
No one is accountable and the Bears are stinking up the place. Smith and staff made a fool out of Angelo - recalling that Benson was his personal pick - now...who will pay?
Lovie Smith is signed through 2011. I do not feel Angelo did that - it must have come from upstairs.
Sunday's performance was sad. Back in the 70's, when the Bears were bad, the other team was, atleast, in a dog fight and new they had played men.
Angelos biggest mistake was giving this guy a contract extension..Tommie is washed up!! Hasn't done anything in years..what a bum..that interception he got this year was luck and thats all he has done!
So the non-chalant attitude started with the Coach and made its way down? "It's only the Bengals; so I'll 'rest' my starter." LOVE IT! If I was Angelo (and thank God I'm not) and read that quote, I would fire Lovie on the spot or would expect to be shown the door by the ownership. "Rest"? There are only 16 freaking games!
remember the way the old, true bears d used to maul and devour the other team? teams used to fear our defensive line. its all attitude. the bears' nonchalant play reflects its coaching staff's nonchalant leadership.
we deserve better
It's time for the Jerry and Luvie show to end and end NOW.
What Smith don't have the stones to tell the fans he benched Harris. What a load of crap.
The cover 2 does not work but the genius that is the head coach keeps with it.
The come back "he got us to a super bowel" is a moot point.
The reason the Bears got to the Super Bowel is now in San Diego with the Chargers.
Thinks he will by a Colts jersey.
well !! hello bears fans and friends. together let's sing,"hey hey hey goodbye !! lovie and his coaches,this year and the great mcCaskey family and all their glory !!!let's face it, they laid another big egg !!!!something missing in how the bear organization likes at the sport of football !!
so load up the truck,bye mr smith and let's start from the beginning.
p.s.
defense wins games !! cover 2 has not worked at all !!!
bring a man who knows defense !!!
save whats left of this season !!!
Jerry Angelo and the whole coaching staff must go and start over. I never thought I would say as a lifelong bear fan. But I am done until Lovie is gone.
This is one of the many problems with Lovie. Even his explanations, when he deigns to give them, don't make sense. If you have "better options," what's Tommie doing on the team? If he's healthy, he should be in there and dominating the middle. So he's clearly not healthy. If this guy is so wounded (but not injured) that he can only play every other week, what's he doing here?
the bears objective is not to get to or win superbowls. they were looking for and got their "franchaise" quarterback that they can market and make $$ off of. looking back they won with Kyle Orton. they could have used the draft picks to pick up a play maker or 2, a lineman or defensive back that can cover someone. Quarterack was not the issue! With KO they scored. The defense did not hold leads in 3 of the losses last yr where KO came back to take the lead
Another great decision by our vulnerable head coach. Lovie's coaching style is no longer effective and him and Angelo's personnel decisions are catching up to them. Why not play Gilbert, a guy who they were so high on drafting? I don't recall any pro bowlers on that D-line that he can't replace? Probably not playing cause again, they miscalculated or bluntly messed up in their talent evaluation of this guy. Its plainly obvious there is no leadership on this team, and no direction. Off the bus running philosophy yet they don't have players to execute/or coaches that can execute them. Hester our no.1 receiver? We need a power running back. Forte is not him. Heck, I would rather have AD(our AD)than either Forte or Wolfe. Watch Derek Andersen and Cleveland have a career day next Sunday. The scary part: we have no high draft picks next year. This is you Chicago Bears for the next 2-3yrs....
Until Lovie Smith decides to change and stop being arrogant, the Bears won't be returning to a Super Bowl let alone the playoffs. Carson Palmer picked apart the Cover Two Defense. How about throwing the 46 in or shake it up like Bill Belicheck does, throw in a 3-4...It'll confuse the other team. And what can you say about the offensive line? It just plain SUCKS. When Forte can't get out of the back field, well that SUCKS.
Until Lovie Smith decides to change and stop being arrogant, the Bears won't be returning to a Super Bowl let alone the playoffs. Carson Palmer picked apart the Cover Two Defense. How about throwing the 46 in or shake it up like Bill Belicheck does, throw in a 3-4...It'll confuse the other team. And what can you say about the offensive line? It just plain SUCKS. When Forte can't get out of the back field, well that SUCKS.
Why not just say from the beginning that you benched him? This team needs a message like that! Bench the left side of the OL while you're at it, play Idonije at DE, give Gilbert a try on the D Line, what ever happened to Josh Bullucks? . I don't know, but these guys need messages in a bad way!
Hey haugh, did anyone miss him? Made no difference if he was playing or not. He is not a very good player anymore. Last 2 games kinda shows how much the Bears miss Urlacher doesn't it?