The Chicago Bears started their first four games 0-4. It looked like they were destined for another brutal finish like last season at 3-14. However, they’ve now won two of their last three games, and the one they lost was a fumble return touchdown away from being a win as well. A big part of the turnaround is thanks to a resurgence from the Bears defense. While they haven’t magically transformed into an elite unit, they are playing far better football than they were a month ago. Much of that comes from several key players getting healthy and others playing better.
The biggest names getting love include Jaylon Johnson, Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Edwards, and Andrew Billings. The latter three have been instrumental in Chicago posting a top-10 run defense this season, while Johnson’s coverage is a big part of their sudden improvement against the pass. However, four-time Super Bowl champion defensive back Devin McCourty sees another name not getting nearly enough love. He told Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic that it’s time for people to recognize how good Jaquan Brisker has been.
Don’t let the limited ball production fool you.
“You’ve just got to go play what the defense predicates,” McCourty said. “Far too often we fall in love with, especially I think in the safety department, guys who make these splash plays. And for me, when I turn on film, sometimes I watch you guys and I’m like, these guys aren’t that good, they’re not better than other players who might only have two interceptions.’
When he watched the Raiders game, McCourty noticed how Brisker was helping with coverage on receiver Davante Adams, or dropping down on tight end Michael Mayer. The help he provided to Adams might not have gotten Brisker chances to make a play on the ball, “but it allows your defense to be great,” McCourty said.
Brisker’s versatility has allowed other Chicago Bears to shine.
Las Vegas targeted Davante Adams 12 times in that game on Sunday. He only made seven catches for 57 yards. A big part of the limited production was Brisker’s ability to provide help in coverage. At the same time, you often found him down in the box, helping to stymie Josh Jacobs for only 35 yards on the ground. The Raiders had only 235 yards of total offense, and Brisker was a big reason why. His production also isn’t that terrible. He’s third on the team with 45 tackles, tied for second with three pass defenses, and has a forced fumble. Quarterbacks are only completing 60% of their passes against him in coverage.
McCourty understands what Brisker is going through. He shifted from corner to safety in 2013. In five of his next six seasons, he had one interception each year and only a few pass defenses. However, he was still a two-time second-team All-Pro and made a Pro Bowl in 2016. Why? It was obvious how crucial his presence was to making the Patriots’ defense one of the toughest in the NFL. They ranked top-10 in points allowed every year and won three Super Bowls.
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Stats are great, but wins are better. What Brisker does helps the Chicago Bears win.
