Joniak's Journal: Bears LB Willie Young '100 Percent, Ready To Go' Against Raiders
By Jeff Joniak--
(CBS) The Bears (0-3) host the Raiders (2-1) on Sunday at noon at Soldier Field. Here are my thoughts heading into the game.
First impression
A 10-sack pass rusher a year ago, Bears linebacker Willie Young was a healthy scratch in Seattle last week. I'm sure nothing about that feels right for a former seventh-round draft pick in Detroit who has worked hard to get where he is. Despite being part of a five-win campaign in 2014, Young was upbeat and having fun in his breakout season.
Now, he carefully answers questions about his ability to play outside linebacker. He answered all the questions fired at him Thursday, but cautiously.
"Every day is a productive day for me," Young said. "There is always something to learn in the new scheme, but for the most part I am 100 percent and I am ready to go."
However, when asked if he feels like a linebacker now, he initially said yes, then drew big laughs when he added: "No I don't, I'm lying."
Like with Jared Allen, the mindset of a pass rusher is to get in a three-point stance, dig up some turf, bend the edge on a tackle or beat him across his face or convert speed to power and get right down the middle of his chest and walk him back to the quarterback. It's Young's mindset as well, but his checklist at outside linebacker includes many other responsibilities and assignments.
Hopefully with Allen now in Carolina, Young can find a role and a rhythm that makes him a disruptive presence once again.
Second thought
Rookie safety Adrian Amos is physical and has coverage skills. Both facts were panned by some draft analysts in projecting him to safety.
As a boundary corner at Penn State, he played immediately as a freshman and was impressive in his first three seasons. As a senior in 2014, he was moved to safety on first down and to nickel-and-dime packages in coverage. It moved him out of the box for most downs, and therefore created questions about his physicality.
However, in coverage last season, Amos permitted only 3.9 yards per reception when he was targeted. That speaks to being a good tackler as well. Amos is just now learning the safety position and all of its detail. He's the seventh rookie safety to start for the Bears since 2005, and none of the other six are on the team, including Brock Vereen, who lacked the physicality and frame the Bears want at safety in this defense. Amos has it.
Third degree
Running back Matt Forte is louder than he's ever been in his eight seasons as a Bear.
"I need to be," Forte said of being a vocal leader. "It's something that I've had to grow into. When I was a young player, I would just lead by example. At this point, I've earned the respect to be able to be vocal, especially with the guys in the locker room and my teammates, especially on offense, who I've been around a long time. We need that, and I've been able to step into that role."
More from Forte and his great career is coming up in the second hour of Sunday's WBBM "Countdown to Kickoff" pregame show and the audio version of "Joniak's Journal."
Fourth-and-short
Aside from Oakland quarterback Derek Carr, there are two players being asked about and discussed in advance of Sunday's game: second-year defensive end Khalil Mack, the fifth overall pick a year ago, and receiver Amari Cooper, the fourth overall pick this year.
They're both impact weapons with sky-is-the-limit ability, and more importantly they're budding difference-makers. Their presence makes other players better on the Raiders and creates more realistic roles for other players.
The Bears feel they have one of those types of players in rookie receiver Kevin White, who's out with an injury. They'll need to draft a defensive version of Mack next year. You can look at every roster and see holes, but two players with presence that need to be accounted for on every snap begins to dress up the roster quite significantly.
Jeff Joniak is the play-by-play announcer for the Bears broadcasts on WBBM Newsradio 780. Follow him on Twitter @JeffJoniak.