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Richard Dent
By CRAIG T. GREENLEE
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If you were selecting music to go with a
video of Richard Dent in action* "Another
One Bites the Dust" would be more than
appropriate.
Dent, of course is a defensive end for the
Chicago Bean. He makes his living by making
life miserable for NFL quarterbacks and
has to rank as one the league's elite pass rushen.
In four seasons, the Tennessee State alumnus
has recorded 49 sacks.
The MVP of Super Bowl XX feels that
being a sackmaster is more a matter of mental
attitude than anything else. "You just don't
decide to become a great pass rusher," Dent
says. It's something that you have to want
deep down inside. You have to eat, sleep and
think these type of things. It's a burning
desire."
At 6-5 and 260 pounds. Dent is not the
hugest of defensive ends in the league. He has
sneaky speed, the kind that befuddles offensive
linemen.
In between plays, the 26-year-old Dent
looks like anything but a feared sacksman. His
movements are almost sloth-like. That
changes when the offense approaches the line
of scrimmage. Dent eyes the QB and his man,
slowly easing into a sprinter's stance; he waits
patiently on the snap before blasting by blockers
on his way to burying another passer.
Despite the fact that they didn't repeat as
Super Bowl champions, it was still a productive
year for the Bears ? especially on
- defense. In fact, Dent and his buddies finished
as the league's top defensive unit (total
yardage allowed, points allowed) for the second
year in a row. They allowed even fewer
points (187) in '86 than they did in the championship
year (198).
The defense held their end of the deal;
the offense, though, was another story. All
year long, the defense kept the Bears alive and
on the road back to the Super Bowl, in spite of
_?aparchfess offense."Everythmg finally caught "
up with the then defending champs in their
playoff loss to the Washington Redskins last
December.
To be a world championship team, a
great team,* Dent says, *you have to have a
great defense. You can be like San Diego and
score on people, but not stop anybody. On the
other hmdyou can have a good defense, but
if you can't put points on the board, sooner or
later, the defense will be worn out*
Those who know pro football were aware
that while the Bears continued to excel defensively,
it was still a period of adjustment and
because of that it appeared that at times dur
mg the season, the vaunted defense wasnt as
invincible as many believed
A lot of that, Dent says, came about
because of a new defensive scheme. During
the championship year, Buddy Ryan, now
head coach with the Philadelphia Eagles, was
the defensive coordinator and architect of the
: Sackmaster
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Making A Dent
Dent makes a quick move to get past
Craig T. Greenlee).
famed 46 defense. Ryan's defense was an
attack-type defense that had offenses adjusting
to it instead of the other way around. The
46 also did away with so-called traditional
positions which often confused offensive
blocking assignments. More stunts, more
blitzes, a high-risk defense.
When Ryan left for Philly, Vince Tobm
took over with a more restrained and conven
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an offensive lineman en route to burying
tional approach. And when you consider that
. players had to adjust to a new system and
become comfortable, the job the Bears did on
defense in '86 is all the more laudable.
Last season. Dent's sack total was down
from 17 to 11 1/2. His responsibilities
changed a bit and he was required to line up
closer to the offensive line where he couldn't
get as much out of his speed and quickness as
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another enemy quarterback (photo by
he did in Ryan's 46. With him linina un in
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closer proximity and with the more liberal
blocking rules. Dent found it more difficult to
get to the quarterback as frequently. He also
missed three games because of injuries,
another factor.
Teams knew where 1 was going to line
up," Dent says, "so they had an easier time of
Please See Page 10
SmSSS August 1987 - Page 7