Nov. 26--Bears defensive end Willie Young laughed, looking for the right way to explain it.
Young has watched all season as defensive tackle Stephen Paea has emerged out of nowhere, often at just the right moment to give the defense a jolt with a big play.
It happened again Sunday during the Bears' 21-13 defeat of the Buccaneers at Soldier Field with Paea contributing two sacks and three other quarterback hits, one of which caused a Josh McCown interception.
After each of Paea's big plays, a similar reaction often occurs. Eyes dart toward the video board for a replay.
Who was that? And where did he come from?
Suddenly, there's Paea, number 92, flattening the quarterback.
"He seems to wiggle his way around on that interior," Young said, scratching his own head. "I don't know how he gets it done. He's only about 4-foot-3. So I don't know if guys just lose sight of him or what. But he somehow finds a way to make it happen."
Officially, Paea is listed at 6-1 with 300 pounds compacted into his stout wrecking-ball frame. Statistically, with his rare combination of strength, agility and elusiveness, he has six sacks this season, second on the team behind Young and third among defensive tackles in the entire league.
In a nutshell, Paea is headed for Thursday's Thanksgiving showdown in Detroit coming off a career game during a career season in a contract year.
Perfect timing for sure. But this may also be the perfect storm for Paea in his fourth season, too.
After a nagging toe injury slowed his 2013 season significantly, Paea has his burst back. Behind the scenes at Halas Hall he also is growing from the tutelage of defensive line coaches Paul Pasqualoni and Clint Hurtt and martial arts consultant Joe Kim.
Perhaps of most importance, on game days, it's comforting to Paea to dip down into his three-point stance on most plays sandwiched between three-technique tackle Jeremiah Ratliff and either Young or Jared Allen.
"Those O-lines, sometimes they don't even look at me," Paea said. "I'll take it."
On his first quarter hit of McCown on Sunday, Paea began the play lined up over Bucs left guard Logan Mankins but nimbly looped to his left around center Evan Dietrich-Smith to pummel McCown as he threw. Safety Chris Conte was in position on the back end to capitalize, turning McCown's throw into an interception.
On Paea's third-quarter sack, he squeezed between guard Patrick Omameh and Dietrich-Smith, drilling McCown again and forcing a fumble. In that instance, a Young stunt helped free him up.
And on the Bears' final sack Sunday, Paea kept pushing long enough to overpower Dietrich-Smith one last time.
"When you have one on one," Paea said, "that's a dream right there, especially (in) the pass rush."
The Bears coaching staff has been measured in its praise of Paea. Following Sunday's victory, coach Marc Trestman lauded Paea's effort but also made sure to acknowledge the defensive line as a whole.
On Tuesday, coordinator Mel Tucker noted the value for Paea of being able to work off the players around him.
"He doesn't have to do more than his job," Tucker said. "But that's what we want our guys to do. Go out there and do your job."
It's too early yet to know what Paea's future will hold after this season. With his expiring contract, he will have a chance to test free agency and see how this season's productivity has helped his market value. With the Bears in the process of grooming second-round pick Ego Ferguson at nose tackle, it remains to be seen just what kind of role or compensation will be available to Paea in Chicago.
What's certain right now, though, is that Paea has found ways to elevate his game, earning the trust of his coaches and teammates and taking advantage of the opportunities he has.
dwiederer@tribpub.com
Twitter @danwiederer
