Chicago Bears lose to Buccaneers: Defensive grades

The Chicago Bears defense couldn’t catch a break – literally and figuratively – in yesterday’s loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and it cost them.

As a disclaimer, while I realize that we are talking about the defense in this portion, it’s going to be impossible to get through grading the defensive side of the football without lamenting how bad the offense was.

Personally, it was a bit sad watching a unit playing as well as it has gasping for breath on the field because their offense simply could not give them a break.

That said let’s not act like the defense didn’t earn some of those extra minutes themselves. Seriously, Danny Trevathan looked like the defensive version of J’Marcus Webb yesterday.

Plus, at the rate defensive starters are dropping out of the lineup with injuries, we could see the depletion from 2016 show up pretty early in 2017.

Right now, this Bears defense is under siege.

It’s hard enough to play against offenses like those of the Atlanta Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Pittsburg Steelers coming to town Sunday.

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Then you have to play against your own offense and the injury bug? Now that just seems unfair.

Fortunately, the Bears can control two of those things in some part. Aside from holding everyone, the defense can largely continue to play as it has and help keep the Bears competitive.

Offensively, well…you know what change the Chicago Bears have to make. And if they’re not going to do it purely for the sake of getting the decision right, maybe they’ll consider doing it for the defense of unit breaking it’s back on the field just to try and keep the Bears relevant every game.

Anyway, let’s sift through some of the rubble on the defensive side of the football.