When the Packers effectively took away Brandon Marshall last week, Plan B was big rookie Alshon Jeffery.
Jay Cutler threw to Jeffery nine times, including in the end zone from the 1-yard line on fourth down. The Bears didn't have a single completion to show for it. Jeffery drew two defensive penalties on the throws but committed three of his own.
And if Marshall is taken away again Sunday by the best cornerback the Bears have seen this year in the Cardinals' Patrick Peterson, Jeffery will be Plan B again.
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Plan C?
There might not be one. At least not a viable one.
So wide receivers coach Darryl Drake spent a little extra time with Jeffery last week going over how he can clean up the rough spots in his play.
"You just keep working at it," Drake said. "Hopefully that doesn't happen to him again. There are certain things he can do to prevent that from happening again."
For instance, if Jeffery is going to extend an arm to create separation, the arm has to be low, near the waist. Not in a defender's chest or on his shoulder.
"There is an art to it," Drake said. "He's learning. Sometimes you learn from your mistakes."
Jeffery has to figure out what he can get away with. One reality of being a 6-foot-3 wide receiver is defensive backs are going to crowd you. Jeffery's best bet to separate as he matures will be the subtle push-off.
Jeffery can learn plenty by watching the master. Marshall, who has been called for pass interference only once all season, is outstanding at legally using his arms and hands to get defenders away. He does not extend his arms. And he does not have to because he is so strong.
"A lot of it is strength, a lot of it is savvy and a lot of it is understanding," Drake said.
Jeffery still is developing in all three areas. He came out of South Carolina after his junior season, and physically he is a young player.
He needs to spend a lot of time in the weight room this offseason. Training for explosiveness also should be high on his list of priorities.
One knock on Jeffery before the draft was he struggled to create separation with his feet. Receivers who struggle to create separation sometimes have problems with interference penalties.
"He has a long way to go, but you like his upside and you like what you see," Drake said. "We just have to continue to get him growing. There is no doubt he has an awful lot of ability. The thing he can't do is get frustrated, get down. He has to understand every opportunity on the field is a learning experience."
Out of necessity, the Bears are trying to accelerate Jeffery's growth. He's being used in more routes and in more ways than he was early in the season.
Taking it slowly with Jeffery might be the ideal scenario, but it's not an option at this point. He needs to deliver, and he needs to deliver now.
"He knows it," Drake said. "We've talked about it. We'll see how he responds."
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