The most remarkable thing about the Bears\u2019 defense this season is not only that it has forced an astounding, NFL-best 31 turnovers, but the unit has done it amid nonstop turbulence in the lineup. Head into the Bears\u2019 final two games, however, they\u2019re about as healthy as they\u2019re going to get with 9 of 11 original starters playing Sunday at the 49ers. The only absences will be defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo, who tore his Achilles and is out for the season, and nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon.<\/p>\n
Gordon accounts for 12 of the staggering 43 games missed due to injury by the Bears\u2019 intended starting lineup and will miss Sunday and the Week 18 game against the Lions while on injured reserve recovering from a groin injury. Coach Ben Johnson mentioned Monday, though, that Gordon \u201cpotentially\u201d could return for the playoffs. The Bears have gotten takeaways regardless of the instability. Safety Kevin Byard leads the league with six interceptions, and cornerback Nahshon Wright has five. Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, who just returned from IR Saturday against the Packers and recovered a fumble in that game, has four.<\/p>\n
Defensive end Montez Sweat, who has surged to 12th in sacks at 9 1\/2, has forced three fumbles, and cornerbacks Tyrique Stevenson and Wright have two apiece. Imagine what they could do with continuity on their side heading toward the playoffs. \u201cChemistry goes a long way,\u201d Edmunds said. \u201cHow one person sees something may be different than how the other person may see something, [so] it\u2019s about just getting back on the same page. You see those things coming to fruition. It\u2019s about just keeping our head down, continue to gel, continue to mesh, and we\u2019ll definitely get the ball rolling for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n
Other than quarterback Caleb Williams\u2019 knack for jaw-dropping passes and late-game heroics, the idea of the Bears\u2019 defense ramping up is the scariest thing about this team in the playoffs. A nearly intact lineup is a luxury for coordinator Dennis Allen. Most playoff games are tight and tend to be low-scoring, especially if in cold weather. Even one or two takeaways can make all the difference. The question is whether the Bears can thrive defensively without forcing turnovers. Can they be a steady defense that succeeds by doing the basics, like stuffing the run, pressuring quarterbacks, getting third-down stops and holding firm in the red zone?<\/p>\n
Mostly, they\u2019ve offset their defensive inconsistency with takeaways. They\u2019re 25th in total defense, 18th against the pass and 27th against the run. They\u2019re 21st in sacks, and the defensive ends other than Sweat have combined for just seven. The Bears are 14th in third-down defense, allowing conversions 37.8% of the time, and 10th in red-zone defense, allowing touchdowns on 54.2% of opponent opportunities. In the 22-16 overtime win over the Packers on Sunday, the Bears held them to three field goals in five red-zone trips. The Packers also ran 10 plays inside the Bears\u2019 10-yard line and didn\u2019t score on any of them.<\/p>\n
The key to everything defensively for the Bears is Sweat. He\u2019s their highest-paid player for a reason, and it helps that, at 29, he has played a career-high 73% of the defensive snaps. It\u2019s promising that he\u2019s on a hot streak with 8 1\/2 sacks in his last 10 games \u2014 after 6 1\/2 in 24 before that, dating back to 2023 \u2014 and the Bears need that to continue. \u201cHe\u2019s playing some of the best ball of his career,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cHe\u2019s one of our most consistent run defenders. He\u2019s been racking up [about] a sack a game since the bye. We can consistently count on [him] to win one-on-one matchups and pressure the quarterback. I feel really strongly about the way he\u2019s playing right now.\u201d If a defense that has been disruptive to opponents virtually all season is only now finding its groove, the rest of the league better watch out.<\/p>\n
The Bears’ defense has been the key to their success this season, and with a nearly intact lineup heading into the playoffs, they have the potential to make a deep run. With players like Montez Sweat, Kevin Byard, and Tremaine Edmunds leading the way, the Bears’ defense is poised to make a significant impact in the playoffs. As they continue to gel and mesh, they will be a force to be reckoned with, and the rest of the league should take notice.<\/p>\n
Q: How many turnovers has the Bears’ defense forced this season?
\nA: The Bears’ defense has forced an NFL-best 31 turnovers this season.
\nQ: Who is the key player for the Bears’ defense?
\nA: Montez Sweat is the key player for the Bears’ defense, with 9 1\/2 sacks and three forced fumbles.
\nQ: Can the Bears thrive defensively without forcing turnovers?
\nA: The Bears have been inconsistent defensively, but with a nearly intact lineup, they have the potential to thrive without forcing turnovers by doing the basics like stuffing the run, pressuring quarterbacks, getting third-down stops, and holding firm in the red zone.
\nQ: What is the Bears’ ranking in total defense?
\nA: The Bears are ranked 25th in total defense.
\nQ: How many games has Kyler Gordon missed due to injury?
\nA: Kyler Gordon has missed 12 games due to injury and will miss the next two games while on injured reserve.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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