The good news for Chicago fans is that the Bears lead the league in taking the ball away. The bad news is that the Bears sometimes struggle to stop the run, as the defense looked outmatched against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night. Chicago gave up 42 points and struggled to stop the Niners all night.
To be clear, context is needed. The 49ers have one of the league's best offenses this year, even with injuries to key players like George Kittle, and most defenses have struggled to slow the Niners' attack. But Chicago also allowed division rival Green Bay to move the ball efficiently in both matchups. The Bears are 1-1 against the Packers, with both games coming down to the final play.
Chicago's defense could prevent a lengthy playoff run, and any fixes may have to wait until the offseason, when the team can make changes via free agency, trades, and the draft. Here are the three weaknesses the Bears' defense has — and how they could fix them.
Bears Must Improve These 3 Defensive Areas This Offseason
The Bears' pass rush is the biggest problem. High-priced pass rusher Montez Sweat has been inconsistent, and free-agent addition Grady Jarrett has been quiet. Only Austin Booker seems to show up on broadcasts and the stat sheet. Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen sometimes has to blitz when it's clear he'd prefer not to, just to get some pressure on the quarterback.
The fix would be to add a proven pass rusher like Maxx Crosby — or to find one high in the draft. Regardless of which route the Bears take, to ignore the pass rush in the offseason will be management malpractice.
The secondary is a different bag. On paper, it has talent. But Jaylon Johnson, the team's best cornerback, has been hurt and likely isn't playing at 100%. Kyler Gordon, a defensive back who could also help with rushing the passer and stopping the run, is out. Tyrique Stevenson has been inconsistent. Nahshon Wright is a takeaway machine, but he also gets burned too often.
Getting Johnson and Gordon healthy will help the Bears, no doubt, but a second priority during the offseason will be to find either a lockdown corner who can play opposite Johnson, and/or a hard-hitting safety who can come up to stop the run while also patching any holes in zone coverage. If this player can blitz on occasion, so much the better.
Not for nothing, but the Dallas Cowboys did waive Trevon Diggs this week. Could he help the team as we move into the postseason? C.J. Gardner-Johnson has helped the team as a mid-season addition; perhaps Diggs could, too.
Linebacker is also a slightly different issue for the Bears. Injuries have also depleted the position this season, but starters like Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards haven't been terrible. The issue here is to get more consistent play out of the starters and depth. Adding depth here is probably more important than finding the next Brian Urlacher, though the latter can't hurt. Coaching and scheme adjustments may do more than adding a new player.
Bears' D Must Find Another Gear
The Bears' defense isn't bad. It held its own against the Philadelphia Eagles, and despite struggling against Green Bay in the second matchup, it made plays when needed at the end of the game. It started off the 49ers game with a pick-six on the first play. There is talent there, and the coaching hasn't been bad, either. But the unit is too inconsistent and struggles against the run and mobile QBs too often. If the unit isn't getting takeaways, it can look downright terrible.
If the Bears want to be competitors for the next five years, it needs to be fixed. Three ways to do so: Find a pass rusher, find one more lockdown corner, and add depth at linebacker while adjusting how they're used.
Do that, and if the offense continues to do what it's been doing, the Chicago Bears might be hoisting a Lombardi Trophy relatively soon.