Notebook: Bernard becoming a force for Seahawks Pete Prisco Nov. 24, 2005By Pete PriscoCBS SportsLine.com Senior WriterTell Pete your opinion! He is lost in the Great Northwest, obscured by an offense that leads the league in scoring as well as higher-profile players next to him in the defensive huddle.But make no mistake about this: The league's scouts and coaches know all about Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Rocky Bernard.Bernard leads all defensive tackles in sacks with 7Ω, two coming Sunday in Seattle's victory over San Francisco. With two more, he will tie his three-year career total coming into the season.Rocky Bernard takes down San Francisco's Ken Dorsey for one of his two sacks Sunday. (AP) Rocky Bernard takes down San Francisco's Ken Dorsey for one of his two sacks Sunday. (AP) Where in the heck did he come from? And who the heck is he?For starters, his real name is Robert, but since he is a junior, his family thought it wise to give him a nickname to avoid confusion. Baby Bob didn't work, so they went with Rocky. Why?"The movies were popular at the time," Bernard said. "I was also somewhat scrappy as a kid. So they called me Rocky."Much like his namesake, he's on his way to one of those great underdog-makes-it-big stories. You see, Bernard is an unrestricted free agent. That means after this season, he's about to become a rich man.At 310 pounds, he plays with tenacity, but it's his quickness that has helped him become a force getting after the quarterback. Those skills will make him a lot of money come February."I can't worry about that stuff," Bernard said. "I just have to keep playing. That stuff will work itself out."Come on, Rocky. You don't think about that potential mega-payday?"I really don't," Bernard said.Timing is everything in the free-agent market. A good season at the right time can turn a rising player into a wanted commodity. A 310-pound tackle who can get double-digit sacks is something special. Bernard has started just the past two games, but he is quickly opening eyes around the league."He's really come on," said one league personnel director who has scouted Bernard. "He plays hard and he seems to be improving. We're always looking for those types of players." Rushing the passer from the tackle position is something former NFL great John Randle did as well as anybody. When he was with the Minnesota Vikings, he was always among the sack leaders for interior linemen. Randle finished his career with Seattle, and it was there that he crossed paths with a rookie named Rocky Bernard.Advertisement The rookie wisely leaned on the veteran."All he ever talked about was the keys to pass rushing," Bernard said. "He said that you can have all the moves in the world, but the biggest thing is believing you can get there and never to give up on a rush. You don't have to have a lot of moves. The O-lineman makes a move, and you make a counter move. Or you make a move, he counters, and then you counter again. It's about effort as much as the moves you make."Rod Coleman has a made a huge impact on the Atlanta defense with his ability to attack the quarterback. He also got paid well for it as a free agent when he left Oakland in 2003.Is Bernard following that same path? The feeling around the league is that he is and that come February his world is about to change. Those days playing in obscurity might soon be about to end.Funny thing is, you get the impression the low-key Bernard cares nothing about it."I just want to win a Super Bowl," he said.With a high-flying offense, Seattle has the tools on that side of the ball. That means their Super fate likely rests in how well the defense plays. It has made strides this season, and Bernard is one reason why."Nobody every talks about the defense," Bernard said. "In the past, we really didn't play as a unit. This year, we're doing that. We're a tight-knit group. That's why we're playing better. Maybe we'll start to get some attention."We know somebody on that unit who already is, a kid named for a boxer who once defied the odds to hit it big.This Rocky story has much the same feel.http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/story/9061050
