Of all the players for the Bears to get back from an extended absence, inside linebacker Jerrell Freeman stands right now as perhaps the single individual the Chicago defense most look forward to being on the field.
Sunday’s loss to the Green Bay Packers was deficient by virtue of the number of missed tackles that unofficially may rank among franchise records. “’Deficient’ is being nice,” said defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. “We had a bad tackling day. We’ve been a good tackling team most of the two years we’ve been here. That was our worst tackling game. It really hurt us.”
Freeman has missed the last four games due to a suspension for violating the NFL policy on performance-enhancing drugs, but still has nearly half-again the number of tackles (91) as the top tackler currently active, Harold Jones-Quartey (61).
The expectation is that, even rusty, Freeman will inject something at inside linebacker that has been absent with him out.
“Tackling is all about the attitude and want-to,” said Freeman, who had played 99.1 percent of the Bears’ defensive snaps over his 10 games active. “Sure, you’re not going to be perfect. You’re not going to get that perfect tackle every time. just wrap up and try to get them down, man. If you don’t know how to tackle by now… .
“We’ve been doing this all our lives. We just gotta get out there, wrap up and finish, bring them to the ground.”
Freeman has not been permitted around the team and had to watch from a sofa. The losing was painful but not the character that more than a few observers have noted going back multiple weeks.
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“I loved the way they played,” Freeman said. “They battled. The guys’ backs against the wall, nobody is ‘woe is me.’ Nobody’s going to feel sorry for us. Backs against the wall, they went out there and fought, fought, fought. It’s what they do.
“It’s what coach Fox preaches. Guys being hurt, third string, fourth string, it doesn’t matter who’s in there. They’re going out there and fighting and doing what they have to do to win the game.”