Bears defense will be looking to continue improving and fulfilling their preseason promise following the bye week
The Chicago Bears are coming out of the bye week with a 4-2 record and the play of the defense is a big reason why.Going into the season, the unit wanted to pick up right where they left off as one of the Top-5 units in the NFL. So far, they've held true to that […]
The Chicago Bears are coming out of the bye week with a 4-2 record and the play of the defense is a big reason why.
Going into the season, the unit wanted to pick up right where they left off as one of the Top-5 units in the NFL.
So far, they've held true to that statement and will be looking to be even better throughout the rest of the season.
"I feel like we've played well," linebacker T.J. Edwards said on Monday. "We've done some really good things in all facets of the game. I think for us, we know that we can be a lot better. It's a group that's not complacent with anything that we do and that starts with coach [Eric] Washington."
Through the first seven weeks of the season, the Bears' defense ranks fourth in the league in points per game allowed (16.8), sixth in total yards per game allowed (292.0), and tied for third in total takeaways (13).
The unit has been flying all over the field through the early part of the season, and it's hard to imagine this group becoming even better going forward. However, Edwards and the rest of the unit knows a few areas where they can start improving.
"Just in general, giving up big plays," Edwards added. "Getting teams behind the sticks is something we are looking at too. I think from top to bottom we know there's a couple of things that each group could do better. We're excited to get things going."
If the unit wants to continue building on this hot start to the season, the depth on the roster will be a big reason why. As the season goes on, more and more players will start going down, it's an inevitable part of the game. However, the Bears have already proved they are equipped to handling being without key starters on defense.
On the defensive line, defensive coordinator Eric Washington has done a really nice job of rotating bodies to help keep everyone fresh. In the secondary, the unit has already dealt with their fair share of injuries but have gotten incredible play out of their backup players.
“Those guys were going to step up and do a really good job, and they did,” head coach Matt Eberflus said on Monday. “It’s because they’ve been in our system. They know the position. They know how we operate. They know the fundamentals of our system. And to plug and play those guys, it wasn’t that big of a step for them.”
This unit in Chicago is built to dominate from every level and with the way the roster is constructed, they're ready for anything thrown their way. The sky is the limit for the Bears defense and the rest of the team will need them to continue shining with tougher competition coming up on the schedule.
Latest NFC standings still looks good for the Bears coming out of the bye heading into big Week 8 matchup
Exactly where they’d like to be.
