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Emma: Bears' Training Camp Has Been Physical

By Chris Emma--

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. (CBS) -- The Bears were still in their underwear on Friday -- or so coach John Fox has termed it. But just because the pads weren't on doesn't mean practices can't get physical.

That's how Fox prefers it.

"This is a combative game played by combative people," Fox said.

Foxy has gotten his wish thus far in training camp.

These Bears have been getting after it in Bourbonnais. Even without the pads on, they were flying to the ball and not afraid of some pushing and shoving. That's how football should be, after all. Why not make practices more of a game simulation?

"We need to be the attackers, not the ones being attacked," new Bears linebacker Pernell McPhee said.

Under former ocach Marc Trestman, the Bears were constantly attacked. Quarterback Jay Cutler was often under siege --sometimes because of injuries on the offensive line -- and the defense was an abomination to franchise historic levels.

This all has to change for Fox to bring the Bears a winner. It has started in Fox's first training camp with the team.

During practice on Friday, guard Kyle Long had to be held back from Jarvis Jenkins after a blocking drill got feisty. Others got involved, too, and Fox vowed there would be more of that throughout camp. That's OK.

On Saturday, the Bears strapped on the pads and went to work. That cracking of helmets and shoulder pads seemed to echo throughout the field at Olivet Nazarene.

"When we put the pads on, it obviously gets more physical," Bears rookie defensive tackle Eddie Goldman said. "It's football."

With a new regime in place, bringing new schemes and concepts, the players must adjust. More so, they must earn their places on the team. There should be nerves for some veterans who are fighting for a roster spot. With that, every Bear must bring that intensity to each practice.

Pushing, shoving and even punching won't make the Bears better come the regular season. But better preparation for physical play sure will. The players often seemed softer than their opponents during Trestman's tenure. "The Monsters of the Midway" were docile.

New Chicago defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has a reputation for forming a violent, tenacious 3-4 defense. He must get that out of these Bears.

"That's what we're going to do this year -- put fear in other team's offense," McPhee said.

During the Trestman era, perceived deeper thinking was misconceived as a confused coach making mistake after mistake. One of those was how practices were operated, straying from the fast-paced, game-like action. When Sundays arrived, the Bears weren't prepared to attack, because they hadn't practiced it.

Fox has the Bears pushing the tempo in practice, hoping it all adds up to peak performance on game days.

With the pads popping, the Bears can lay the foundation for becoming what opposing teams fear.

"That's what it boils down to at the end of the day," McPhee said. "Who's got that dog in them, who can be physical and violent."

Follow Chris on Twitter @CEmma670.

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