It felt reasonable for the Chicago Bears‘ defense to experience minor improvement this season. After all, they spent a considerable amount of money in free agency to find some help, including safety Coby Bryant and linebacker Devin Bush. Then they used their 1st-round pick on safety Dillon Thieneman. If they got better injury luck this year, ranking in the teens would feel attainable. Nobody could’ve predicted that it would sit at 4th in points allowed and 3rd overall a month into the season. Much of the credit for that must go to defensive coordinator Dennis Allen.
Remember, the Bears didn’t add any true superstar player to their lineup this offseason. Bryant hasn’t even suited up yet because of a knee injury. Bush and Thieneman have been big positives, but no one stands out as dominant. It has felt like a group that is greater than the sum of its parts, and that is because of the excellent ways Allen has deployed them. Nothing illustrates this more than his considerable adjustments to the team’s pass rush. Analytics expert Tej Seth revealed the extent of the changes.
“Dennis Allen has increased the stunt rate, going from 16.3% in week 1 to 37.0% since (6th highest). They are generating pressure on 56%(!) of their stunts weeks 2-4. They are also blitzing at a 41% rate, which is the 3rd highest in the league weeks 2-4. Devin Bush has 6 pressures on 18 pass rush snaps.”
Dennis Allen has shifted from what he did last season.
The Bears’ defensive coordinator does use stunts, as most do these days. It comes down to frequency. While data is difficult to come by, Allen has typically hovered between 15% and 20% for stunt rate. He seems to use it more as a wrinkle to throw off offensive lines from time to time rather than a regular weapon in the arsenal. The same was largely true of his blitz rate. Allen isn’t afraid to send extra rushers, but he doesn’t make it a habit to do so on the regular. Historically, his units sit between 20% and 25% on that front.
So, going from that to 35.3% on blitzes and 37% on stunts represents a massive philosophical shift for Dennis Allen. What compelled it? The most likely explanation is recognizing the NFL’s recent trend. Some of the best defenses in the NFL frequently utilize heavy blitz packages, including those of the Minnesota Vikings (#5), the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (#4), and the New England Patriots (#6). Meanwhile, no team utilizes stunts more than the Los Angeles Rams, who went above 40% last season. They rank 2nd overall in the league.
🔥 Subscribe to the Untold Chicago YouTube channel to hear Chicago legends tell stories you’ve never seen in headlines — real moments, real experiences, straight from the athletes themselves.
The Bears are shifting with the times.
Rather than stubbornly hold onto his usual preferences, Allen has decided to follow what’s been working. It has been pretty evident this season that opposing offenses struggle against teams that blitz or stunt heavily. Perhaps it is due to the new wave of quarterbacks playing the game differently than their predecessors, like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees. Whatever the case, Allen’s adjustments have been working. The Bears have allowed just 28 points in their last three games.
Allen did say that you have to do things differently when you don’t have somebody special up front. When your defense has a Myles Garrett, Maxx Crosby, or Will Anderson, you don’t have to worry about blitzing or stunts. Just line those guys up and send them hunting. Most teams don’t have one, though. That means it is the coaches’ responsibility to do everything possible to help their guys get favorable matchups. Stunts and blitzes are the way to go, and Allen is leaning into that more than ever.
