Q: Will there be any changes to the offensive line late in the season? Teams like the Patriots seems to give quarterbacks such as Tom Brady much more time than Peyton Manning has gotten this season . . .
A: I think you are a victim, as most of us are, of the audio on the broadcast. I sat home Sunday and watched three football games. After a while, you think you’re looking at the 1927 Yankees or the ’63 Monsters of the Midway. On Sunday, Brady had a lot of time because – as someone on a studio show astutely pointed out; I believe it was (former Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Bill Cowher) – you can’t get any footing on a field like that for the defensive linemen. As a result, in a Dungy-defense scheme – which is what Chicago plays – you have a situation where the front four, which has to make him move in the pocket, can’t really get off the ball. Actually, we did a pretty good job of pressuring (Brady) in Foxboro (last month). Dwight got a big sack, which changed the game in the second half. The disparity between what you think you see and what you hear and what actually is happening are two different things. That said, I think we did a pretty credible job protecting Peyton the other night against a really active and aggressive and ferocious front four. They live to knock Peyton down. There’s no two ways about that, and they want to knock him down every single play. Whether he throws the ball or doesn’t throw the ball, they want to get a hit on him. That’s their philosophy. More power to them, and they do it well. I thought we did a really good job. If Charlie Johnson can’t go this week, (rookie tackle) Jeff Linkenbach will step in at left tackle, where he is most comfortable and where he came in and played quite well in the second half last week. He’ll just continue on doing that. I’m sure he’ll do a fine job. Mike Pollak will be in at right guard, and I think we’ll do fine. That group will stay together, barring injury of course, I think for the rest of the season.
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