Eddie Jackson is 28 years old. He probably had no idea that by the end of October, he would become the most veteran member of the Chicago Bears defense. It isn’t a feeling he’s used to. The guy remains in his prime, and yet he’s surrounded by loads of youth. Suddenly he’s become the experienced leader everybody looks to for guidance and advice. He has done everything he can, but it’s obvious this group is going through significant growing pains. That and there is a talent deficiency that is hard to overcome.
The defense has allowed at least 31 points for the past three weeks. That in itself is bad enough. What makes it sting even worse is that their collapse coincides with the sudden emergence of the Bears offense under Justin Fields. They’ve topped 29 points or more for the past month. Yet the Bears are 1-3 in that stretch because the defense can’t stop anybody. It would be easy for Jackson to be upset about that. However, he’s decided to take a different perspective, one of seeing the future. He explained to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
“That’s what we’ve been asking for for a while — to have an offense that can come out there and consistently put up 30 points a game,” Jackson said. “You just imagine when we get this thing clicking. Watch when we get rolling, we can go on real-deal streaks.
“We know what’s ahead. We’ll call a spade for a spade. We know we’re a young team. We know we’re looking into the future. … We’ve got five, six rookies that are playing on defense. It’s different and everybody is still learning, but when our defense hits our stride, I feel like it’s going to be very special.”
Eddie Jackson finally sees the big picture.
He lived through one of the best eras of Bears defense in modern history from 2017 through 2021. All the team had to show for it was one division title, two playoff appearances, and no postseason wins. They were constantly held back by the offense’s inability to score enough points. Now it appears this new regime is prioritizing the young quarterback. They’ve installed a new system that fits Fields’ talents and have begun investing more resources into the offense. While this may result in a defensive regression for the time being, it benefits everybody in the long run.
Nothing helps a team compete for a championship more in this league than a successful quarterback. Eddie Jackson has the common sense to know this. The defense will have its time. Matt Eberflus understands that side of the ball. He knows how to build it. Help will come. The offense must take priority for now. Once Fields is situated, Eddie Jackson will see reinforcements come his way. Once everything comes together, this will be a team that nobody wants to play. It’s nice to see him finally embrace the big picture.
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