Peanut and Melton

With this being Chicago Bears week for the Minnesota Vikings I figured that it would be a fantastic time to mention two often overshadowed players on that Bears defense. Despite what Colin Kaepernick and the San Francisco 49ers did to them this past Monday night the Bears still field one of the best defenses in the league. Linebackers Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs and end Julius Peppers usually get most of the attention. Most of it is deserved but it often overshadows the outstanding play of cornerback Charles "Peanut" Tillman and tackle Henry Melton. It takes all of my great love of football to stomach appreciating anyone that plays for the Chicago Bears but I do appreciate the way that Peanut and Melton play football. Personally, I think that both are playing football at a level, right now, that is higher than their more publicized teammates.

The first time that I can recall seeing Peanut was at the end of his rookie season of 2003. The Bears had enough faith in their young corner to have him cover Vikings receiver Randy Moss all by himself late in the game. Protecting a 3-point lead Tillman knocked the potential game winning touchdown pass away from Moss. Nearly every person that saw it was shocked. None were more shocked than Moss. He didn't think that any corner in the game could cover him. Let alone a rookie. I've been very much aware of Tillman ever since. Corners come in all shapes and sizes and styles of play. The shutdown corners like the Jets Darrelle Revis and the Broncos Champ Bailey usually get all of the attention. Corners that are solid in all phases of the game like Tillman and the Vikings Antoine Winfield should get more of that attention. Not to anything away from Revis and Bailey, they are fantastic football players, but I love watching Tillman coming up and being a factor in the run game, forcing fumbles, blitzing and blocking kicks. He does all of that and blanket receivers in the passing game. There often seems to be dozens of Tillmans playing at one time. Peanut is all over the field simply making game changing plays. Great football player.

I was very intrigued by Henry Melton when he was entering the 2009 NFL Draft. He played half of his college career at Texas at running back. For a football player that is now a shade under 300lbs, that is a big man carrying the football. He was actually effective as a back, gaining 625 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2007. I'm not sure what he would have been as a running back in the NFL. He certainly would have been a load for a defense to handle. I know what he is as a defensive tackle. He's awesome. He disrupts an offense like few interior defensive linemen in the league. Maybe like no other interior lineman. He's still very young at 26. It's scary that he's still learning the nuances of playing the position. He'll get better. I don't like it but I can appreciate it. The Vikings interior offensive line have a tough task in front of them on Sunday.