Bears Notebook: Bowman the "Megatron" stopper

By John Mullin, CSNChicago.com

He may have been the only one in Soldier Field feeling this way, but defensive tackle Tommie Harris was adamant after the Bears 19-14 win over the Detroit Lions:

I knew we were going to win this game, Harris said. Knew. When you have Briggs and Urlacher and Peppers and these veteran guys who get that look in their eyes, its a look. They wont be denied. We knew.

The Lions were within a dropped ball in the end zone by receiver Calvin Johnson from knowing that they won the game and drove the Bears defense 58 yards backwards on their final possession to be in scoring position. But with the exception of the near-touchdown completion, that drive was in fact exactly what the Bears were willing to allow.

We were giving them the check-downs on that last drive because we wanted them to dink and dunk, Harris said. They needed a touchdown.

Defensive end Julius Peppers saw the same thing in the seeming offensive explosion in Detroits last possession: Thats desperation time. Just throw it up. Everything changes in those final two minutes when you need to score.

New guy inIf there was a surprise in the closing seconds Sunday it was in the Bears personnel package in the deep secondary. With the game on the line, veteran safety Chris Harris was out of the game, replaced by rookie Major Wright.

You want to be in there when the game is on the line but we rotated all game, Harris said. It just wasnt my turn.

Wright did not show up in the preliminary post-game stat report but I felt pretty good and showed that you go out, work hard and do what youve got to do.Head games

Detroit wide receiver Calvin Johnson has been in the heads of more than a few NFL defensive backs. Sunday, it may have been the Bears who were getting in the head of the wideout known throughout the league as Megatron. And it may not just have been Johnsons head.

Cornerback Zackary Bowman turned in a superb job against Johnson, holding him to one catch through nearly three quarters and four for the game. He was getting frustrated at times because he wanted the ball but they werent throwing to him, said Bowman, after Detroit quarterbacks threw 10 passes in Johnsons direction. But we played man-to-man on him and I think we did a phenomenal job.

Odd cases of the dropsThe oddity of the Bears first-half difficulties with turnovers (three, all in Detroit territory) was the who committed the mistakes. Matt Forte, who lost the ball after a successful screen pass, fumbled just three times all last season. Tight end Greg Olsen, who fumbled at the Detroit 8 in the second quarter, did not fumble all last season.

Wide receiver Devin Aromashodu, possessor of arguably the best hands among Bears wide receivers, let a touchdown pass go through his hands on the Bears first possession.

Lining up/sitting down

Mark Anderson got the starting nod at defensive end over Israel Idonije, who had started opposite Julius Peppers the final two games of preseason. Rookie Major Wright replaced Chris Harris at free safety midway through the second quarter. Guard Johan Asiata worked in as an extra tight end in short-yardage goal line situations.

The Bears went with seven defensive linemen active, with tackle Marcus Harrison inactive for the first time in his three-year career and rookie Corey Wootton on the inactive list. Also inactive: defensive backs Joshua Moore and Craig Steltz, running back Kahlil Bell, receiver Earl Bennett and tackle JMarcus Webb.

Linebacker Nick Roach suffered a hamstring strain at the outset of the second half and was done for the game. Linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer had to leave the game because of illness.

The Lions were without starting middle linebacker DeAndre Levy, out with a groin injury.

Article brought to you by Comcast SportsNet