Charles "Peanut" Tillman: Preaux Career

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Growing up in a hurry
--Rookie cornerback Charles "Peanut" Tillman is playing like a veteran, but he hasn't ceased his quest for knowledge.

"I ask questions all the time," the second-round pick from Louisiana-Lafayette said. "I learn something new everyday. The only dumb question is the one you don't ask." Tillman has 3 interceptions and a sack in the past five games. After eight starts in the secondary, he's staring to get recognized around town.

"A little bit," he said. "Slowly but surely. But I'm just Peanut; I don't like all the special attention, special treatment. I'm just a rookie out here trying to fit in."

QUOTE TO NOTE: "They aren't rookies anymore as far as I'm concerned. They make big plays every week. They're stepping up there just like everyone else does. They're both playing their tails off and making big plays like I said. I thought Briggs would be rookie of the year. I think it's Tillman now. Tillman, every week he makes big plays, pass break-ups." -- Bears MLB Brian Urlacher on rookie CB Charles Tillman and rookie LB Lance Briggs, both starters.

BY THE NUMBERS: The Bears have been outscored 56-12 in the first quarter this season.

--In total yards allowed, the Bears have improved from 28th to 16th. They've jumped from 32nd to 16th in first downs allowed and 32nd to 19th in points allowed.

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NFL.com voters select Bears CB Charles Tillman as Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week
NEW YORK (Nov. 26, 2003) -- Voters on NFL.com have made their choice. Cornerback CHARLES TILLMAN of the Chicago Bears is the PEPSI NFL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK for games played on November 23-24.

Tillman recorded six tackles and a sack in the Bears' 19-10 win over Denver. Tillman has three interceptions and a sack in the last five games.

More than 28,000 fans voted this week on NFL.com. Tillman was selected from among five finalists. The other finalists were Arizona Cardinals wide receiver ANQUAN BOLDIN, New England Patriots wide receiver BETHEL JOHNSON, Baltimore Ravens linebacker TERRELL SUGGS and Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver KELLEY WASHINGTON. After the regular season, five players will be nominated for Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year honors. Fans can vote for the winner on NFL.com throughout the month of January. The winner will be announced at a press conference at Super Bowl XXXVIII in Houston.

This is Pepsi’s second year as the official soft drink sponsor of the NFL.

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Charles was also a finalist in WEEK 8

In week 8 Peanut "Recorded a team-high eight solo tackles, his first career interception and defensed a pass in Chicago’s 24-16 win over Detroit. Tillman’s interception and 32-yard return helped set up Chicago’s first touchdown, giving the Bears a 7-0 lead in the second quarter."

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Charles was also a finalist in WEEK 11

In week 11 he "recorded 11 tackles, an interception and defensed two passes in the Bears’ 23-21 loss to St. Louis. Tillman has three interceptions in the last four games."

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Charles Tillman is not easily impressed by enemy wide receivers.

Line up Jerry Rice, Torry Holt or Randy Moss across from him and the Bears' cornerback just goes about his business.

"I don't get star-struck or anything like that," Tillman said. "When I line up against a receiver, I'm like, 'OK, he's just like everybody else. He makes mistakes. He catches balls, he misses balls. He's human.'æ"

So when rookie-of-the-year candidate Anquan Boldin charged into town with the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, it's no wonder Tillman barely knew his name.

Even after the game.

"Is it 'twan or 'tan?" Tillman said, completely serious.

Bears fans might have been asking themselves the same question after seeing Boldin manage just 4 catches - 3 of them coming in the closing minutes of a 28-3 Cardinals loss. Boldin's only reception before that went for a meaningless 7 yards on a third-and-9 late in the first half.

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By John Dietz Daily Herald Sports Writer
Posted 12/1/03

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Why is he called P-Nut

Vote Tillman to the Pro Bowl

Tillman is the best rookie corner

ps Going to these links directly creates a minor runtime error just click NO and the page will open fine.

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as of 12-14-03 they believe they have the rookie of the year. I tend to agree

this was posted on a Bears forum, by Larry Horse

"Ladies, gentlemen and otherwise fellow Grabowski's, IMO Mr. Peanut Tillman with the great play he made at the end of the game vs. Moss just won himself the Defensive Rookie honor. I know Trufant and Newman made more noise early and in the draft but his play since he begun starting has been nothing short of tremendous. This, coming from a man who was very disappointed that we didn't take Mike Doss with that pick. Mr. Tillman( heavy on the Mister)welcome to Chicago and likely next year the Pro Bowl. You sir are the best corner we've had for a long time. This rookie crop just might be the starting foundation for a major run of winning teams of the future. "

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Bears CB Charles Tillman intercepts a pass in the end zone intended for Vikings WR Randy Moss, in the final minutes of the game. (AP)

CHICAGO -- D'Wayne Bates saw it from across the end zone but couldn't believe it.

Second and goal from the Chicago 10-yard line. Bears in single coverage. Randy Moss one on one with Charles Tillman, a rookie second-round draft pick from Gophers punching bag Louisiana Lafayette.

"You get a jump ball in the end zone with No. 84 [Moss] and nine times out of 10, it's a touchdown," Bates said. "We knew they would be coming with the blitz. But we knew that would leave us in single coverage. That's the play you want if you have Randy Moss on your team."

The Vikings trailed 13-10 with 1 minute, 11 seconds left when Daunte Culpepper lined up in the shotgun with the 6-4 Moss isolated to the right on the 6-1 Tillman. The drive began nine plays earlier when Onterrio Smith was dropped for a 3-yard loss to the Vikings' 8. Smith left the game with a strained hamstring and a career-high 148 yards on 27 carries.

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Mark Craig, Star Tribune

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CHICAGO — Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Randy Moss has admitted to lacking desire at times on a football field. After all, it was Moss who once said he decides when he wants to play.

There was little doubt Sunday at the end of the Bears’ 13-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings who had more desire when Moss went up against Bears cornerback Charles Tillman in a duel to decide the game. Tillman came down with the interception and won the game, dealing a severe jolt to the Vikings’ division title chances.

“Randy is 6-4, somewhere around there, and I just kind of knew what was going to be the play and I think I wanted it more than him on that particular play,” Tillman said after wrestling the ball away from Moss in the end zone with 1:02 left to play to preserve a victory.

The Bears drafted the 6-foot-1 cornerback with the idea of letting him duel in the end zone with taller wide receivers in the NFC North like Moss.

Now that he’s done it, they think the sky is the limit for the second-round pick out of Louisiana.

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By Gene Chamberlain

Daily Southtown staff writer

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Second-round pick Charles Tillman moved into the starting lineup after just three games, and he has more than held his own against the NFL's best receivers.

But even after the Bears cornerback saved Sunday's game by taking the ball away from Randy Moss in the end zone with 62 seconds left, coach ~~~~ Jauron said the rookie hasn't exceeded his expectations.

"I believe he's going to get better," Jauron said. "He's got to get better to get where he wants to be. But this guy has the physical talent to play; he has the mental ability to play. And, on top of all that, he likes it. He likes to play football. He likes to be around the ball, run or pass."

Tillman leads the Bears with 4 interceptions, 14 pass breakups and is second with 78 tackles.

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By Bob LeGere Daily Herald Sports Writer

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Help him make NFL rooie of the week.

Follow this link toNFL.com

When you get therelook for this picture and click on "Rookie of the Week"



But first follow this link toNFL.com

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Charles Tillman makes a game-saving interception in the end zone.

NEW YORK (Dec. 18, 2003) -– Chicago Bears rookie cornerback Charles Tillman’s game-saving one-handed interception in the end zone against the Minnesota Vikings has been voted the NFL PLAY OF THE WEEK - PRESENTED BY LEVITRA® (vardenafil HCl) for games played December 14-15.

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