"Someday soon, the No. 54 jersey will be slower, less intimidating.

It will be a step behind running backs out of the backfield, it will miss tackles, it will jump onto the pile of bodies late, rather than start the pile.

It will be just another number on an aging player. A memory of what used to be.

"Not yet,'' Bears defensive end Israel Idonije said with a smirk Sunday. "This guy is phenomenal, and, trust me, we are all going to continue to see him do some bigger things this season.''

If middle linebacker Brian Urlacher actually is due for bigger things than he showed in the Bears' 30-12 victory over the Atlanta Falcons, well, opposing offensive coordinators might want to plop, plop, fizz, fizz and get the Alka-Seltzer going right now.

All Urlacher, 33, did in the season opener was pick off quarterback Matt Ryan in the first quarter, which led to a 56-yard Matt Forte catch-and-run. Then he picked up a fumble at the Falcons' 12-yard line in the third quarter before waltzing it into the end zone to all but put "Matty Ice'' on ice."