The Chicago Bears‘ defense has made notable progress in recent weeks. After a rough first two months, they seem to have settled themselves. Their run defense is the second-best in the NFL, which has remained mostly consistent all season. The bigger surprise is how much they’ve improved against the pass. While the rush still isn’t where they’d like it to be yet, one thing that has become apparent is how much better the secondary has played, particularly in the last five games. It isn’t like they made any notable additions, either. These are the same players they started the season with.
One thing did change, though—the arrival of Phil Snow. Back in mid-October, the Bears hired the longtime former defensive coordinator to join their staff as a senior analyst. He has coached in the NFL and college, going all the way back to 1979. His specialty throughout those years? Yep, it was defensive backs. He had a hand in helping many cornerbacks and safeties get drafted, including standouts like Pat Tillman, Adam Archuleta, and Dashon Goldson.
His impact was certainly felt in Carolina when he became their defensive coordinator. After ranking 18th in pass defense in 2020, they jumped to 4th in 2021.
The Chicago Bears have seen results on the stat sheet.
They allowed 286 yards per game through the air through the first five games. Since Snow came on board, that number has dropped to 210. Not all of that is Snow. Getting Kyler Gordon back from injury helped, as did the arrival of Montez Sweat to aid the pass rush. Still, it’s evident the secondary has been playing far more efficiently since Snow arrived. His experience and knowledge of how to scout opponents is paying dividends. There is no telling what other tips he’s offering from his decades of experience have also had an impact.
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It may not be enough to stop what’s coming. The Detroit Lions are up next. Their offense is one of the hottest in the NFL. Then comes Minnesota, with Justin Jefferson likely back from his injury. We’re about to see how much better the Chicago Bears’ secondary is. If they can at least prevent things from getting out of hand, it might give the team a chance to steal a couple of games over a tough stretch. If so, Snow’s hiring will deserve a lot more praise.
