The primary story of the big win in Detroit on Sunday was Mitch Trubisky. He went from the goat of the game after three ugly quarters to a certified hero, throwing three touchdowns in the final 15 minutes to complete a crazy comeback. Yet a lot of people can’t ignore one of the bigger surprises. That being just how off the Chicago Bears defense looked for most of the game.
This wasn’t the unit anybody expected to see. It seemed slow at times, couldn’t consistently stop the run, and failed to apply a consistent pass rush. This despite having Akiem Hicks back on the field. It has fans nervous. Is this group, largely made up of veterans close to or in their 30s, starting to break down?
One thing is for sure. They were not happy with what happened in that game. That became clear immediately after it ended when all of them refused to be interviewed despite the big win.
After one of the biggest wins in recent memory, the Bears couldn't convince a single defensive player to speak with the media postgame. That's almost as incredible as the comeback itself.
— Dan Wiederer (@danwiederer) September 13, 2020
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Smart money says the group had a lot to say to each other after the game. Lots of accountability. Defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano indicated that everybody has seemed angry by what happened over the course of this week. That is why he expects the defense to look considerably better on Sunday against the Giants.
Chuck Pagano isn’t making any excuses. Says there’s not a player or coach pleased with how the #Bears defense played on Sunday.
"I expect a huge leap from Week 1 to Week 2."
— Adam Hoge (@AdamHoge) September 17, 2020
Chuck Pagano said of the Bears' defense: "We're going to play better come Sunday."
— Chris Emma (@CEmma670) September 17, 2020
The always verbose Kyle Fuller asked where the #Bears defense can get better this week.
"Everywhere."
— Mike Berman (@MikeBermanNBC) September 17, 2020
Chicago Bears defense has a lot of pride to protect
This is what happens when you have a lot of star power in a group and it doesn’t play well. These guys have high expectations of themselves. They know they should be good. So when they put something like last Sunday on the field? It’s beyond disappointing. There is a silver lining to it though. The Bears were still able to win the game despite the defense not being at its best.
Not only that, but it looks like some reinforcements are on the way. Robert Quinn, their prized free agent addition this spring, returned to practice on Wednesday. He is on a limited basis. After being doubtful last week, it stands to reason his are much better to make his Bears debut on Sunday at Soldier Field.
If so, the pass rush should get an enormous boost. If they can also stiffen up their run defense, this group will start to look more like the unit everybody expects.