October 8, 2007
Tight ends Clark, Olsen give Bears offense a boost
By Larry Mayer
LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Bears tight ends Desmond Clark and Greg Olsen both played a huge role in Sunday night’s thrilling 27-20 comeback victory over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.
The veteran and rookie combined to catch seven passes for 119 yards and 2 touchdowns, helping the Bears turn a 20-10 deficit into a stirring 27-20 win over their arch rivals. The two accounted for nearly half of Brian Griese’s 15 completions and more than half of his 214 yards passing.
Greg Olsen and Desmond Clark celebrate after Clark's 34-yard TD catch gave the Bears a 27-20 lead with 2:05 left in Sunday night's game.
“We really got our tight ends involved,” said coach Lovie Smith. “Dez Clark and Greg Olsen both had an outstanding game.”
Olsen led the Bears with four receptions for 57 yards and 1 touchdown, while Clark topped Chicago with 62 yards receiving on three catches and 1 TD.
It marked the first time that two Bears tight ends compiled more than 50 yards receiving in the same game since Oct. 16, 1983 when Pat Dunsmore (5 receptions for 73 yards) and Emery Moorehead (4-53) accomplished the feat against the Lions.
“They wanted to play a lot of man coverage and we thought that we could create some mismatches in our favor," Olsen said. "We had hoped that the tight ends would get a lot of action, and for the whole unit it worked out really good.”
"It's always good when you're involved in the offense," Clark said. "Greg made some good plays. We wanted to get him out there and get him on the field a little more to make those plays."
Clark scored the game-winning TD on a 34-yard reception from Griese with 2:05 remaining. The nine-year veteran slipped past a safety and was wide open after Griese faked a handoff to running back Cedric Benson on third-and-two.
Griese’s first option on the play was fullback Jason McKie in the flat, but he was well covered by a linebacker.
“It was a simple call that we call all the time, but everybody bit on the flat route,” Clark said. “I saw three people run past me and Griese found me down the field.”
After playing only 10 snaps and not having a pass thrown his way a week earlier in a loss to Detroit, Olsen enjoyed a breakout game.
The first-round draft pick showed his great hands and athletic ability in making an acrobatic 19-yard TD catch with safety Atari Bigby draped all over him in the left corner of the end zone. It was the type of play that Olsen made with regularity throughout training camp.
“We wanted to get that match-up,” Smith said. “Tight ends are covered by linebackers a lot of the time, or at least a safety. With Olsen, that’s a pretty good match-up for us.”
“It’s both me and Dez on the same side and it just depends on who they cover,” Olsen said. “Griese threw it up and gave me a great chance and I was able to just go up and get it.”
Olsen made another huge reception on the Bears’ game-winning drive, hauling in a perfectly thrown 27-yard pass down the left sideline while being covered by safety Nick Collins.
“This is the first week that we’ve really featured [Olsen],” Griese said. “He’s been banged up a little bit. But he ran well tonight. He made some great plays. He is a talent that we’re going to continue to use.”
Entering Sunday night’s contest with two receptions for 28 yards after sitting out the first two games with a sprained knee, Olsen more than doubled his output for the season.
“It was exciting to finally get in there,” he said. “I was fortunate they called my number and we were able to make the play for a touchdown.
“The offense as a whole just really stepped up when we needed to, converting for a couple touchdowns to come back from a 10-point deficit against a good defense. You can’t say enough about what our offense did and what our defense did in the second half was unbelievable.”
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Tight ends Clark, Olsen give Bears offense a boost - Chicago Bears
Tight ends Clark, Olsen give Bears offense a boost
Tight ends Clark, Olsen give Bears offense a boost
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