Nov 28th 2008 3:30PM by Matt Snyder (author feed)
Filed under: Bears, NFC North, NFL InjuriesFor the second straight season, it appears Nathan Vasher is not going to play in the majority his team’s games. The pro bowl corner for the Chicago Bears missed almost all of the ‘07 season, and now he’s expected to miss this season’s final five games with a broken wrist and reaggravated thumb injury — which was operated on earlier in the year.

The play-making corner has been under intense scrutiny this season from fans and media alike, who believe he’s not getting the job done in coverage. That would be a serious problem, considering he’s not much of a run-stuffer. My contention has been that he mostly gets beat due to the scheme. When you are being gashed on a quick slant in cover-two, that’s hardly the corner’s fault. If he tries to jump the route and the receiver is able to outside release, there is no help on the deep outside.

I will grant that he’s struggled a lot more than Charles Tillman, and that Corey Graham has been a decent fill-in, so this injury likely doesn’t hurt the Bears near as much as outsider fans might think.