Harris NFL's Best Defensive Player?

NORMAN, Okla. -- There he is on the front page of NFL.com.

Wearing No. 91 for the Chicago Bears, defensive tackle and former Sooner Tommie Harris is making a name for himself throughout the league.

Vic Carucci's Tuesday Huddle feature on the NFL's official site leads with a photo of Harris in a familiar pose for Oklahoma fans. Carucci makes the case that many of the league's biggest stars are also some of the newest faces in pro football.

Harris, in his third season as a pro, was a two-time All-American at OU and won the program's third Lombardi Award in 2003.

Carucci writes: ...defensive lineman Tommie Harris is making a strong case for recognition as the league's best defensive player. After four games, he leads the NFL with five sacks and is a key force in the Bears allowing only 29 points, the fewest they have given up in four weeks since 1937.

Harris' tremendous quickness allows him to overcome the fact that, at 6-foot-2 and 289 pounds, he is a relatively small interior defensive lineman. He is an extremely active player who consistently beats blockers to the point of attack.

The Bears enhance Harris' exceptional quickness and ability to penetrate by running plenty of stunts and loops with their defensive front to keep offensive linemen off balance. Despite his relative lack of size, he is deceptively strong, especially in his upper body.

"Tommie was in the Pro Bowl last year for a reason," Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "He's an outstanding football player who's playing dominating football right now, and he's going against some of the better (offensive) linemen in the league."

>>> Read Complete Article on NFL.com

In addition, Harris was the lead story on the Bears' official site:

If the first four games of the season are any indication, Brian Urlacher won't be the only Bears player to receive votes for the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award.

After earning his first Pro Bowl invitation in 2005, defensive tackle Tommie Harris has elevated his game to an even higher level. The third-year pro shares the NFL lead with a career-high five sacks and produced arguably the defense's biggest play of the young season when he forced a late fumble that led to the winning touchdown in a Week 3 victory at Minnesota.

“Tommie Harris is playing at an unbelievable level right now,” said coach Lovie Smith, who understands why several Bears players are touting Harris as the NFL's best defensive lineman.

“Tommie was in the Pro Bowl last year for a reason. He's an outstanding football player who's playing dominating football right now. He's going against some of the better linemen in the league, so I can see why they would say that.”

With Harris wreaking havoc inside, the Bears have allowed just 29 points in their first four games, the fewest since 1937 when they permitted 11 points during another 4-0 start. Interestingly, he credits the Bears' suddenly explosive offense with helping him produce more sacks.

“I've just been doing what I've been doing since I've been here,” Harris said. “The previous years I've been getting pressure, but since the offense has put so many points up, it gives me more chances to rush the passer and it's starting to display itself now.”

While Harris is performing at an elite level, Smith believes that the 2004 first-round pick from Oklahoma has yet to reach his potential.

“He can definitely play better,” said the Bears coach. “He'll be the first guy that will tell you that. It's his third year in the league. He's still learning, he's still growing. But he'll do that. He realizes that, and it will be a lot of fun watching him grow.”

>>> Read Complete Article at ChicagoBears.com

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