The Chicago Bears defense played one of its best games seen in years on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals. Right up until the final five minutes when they went soft and let Joe Burrow deliver two late TD passes to make it way closer than it should’ve been. Even so, this shouldn’t overshadow how well the unit played. While Roquan Smith, Bilal Nichols, and Khalil Mack had great moments? There was nobody better on the field than Jaylon Johnson.
Coming into 2021, there was a lot of pressure on the second-year cornerback. After the Bears let Kyle Fuller walk, it became obvious they were putting it on him to be their new #1 cornerback. Johnson didn’t mind that. It was a responsibility he craved. He put in a ton of work during the offseason, got in excellent shape, and had a solid training camp from all accounts. His first game of the year in Los Angeles, while not anything special was decent.
That changed on Sunday.
Johnson had by far the best game of his NFL career against the Bengals. Burrow went at him several times. Something he probably regrets. The Bears cornerback was suffocating all day long, collecting four pass breakups and his first career interception. In other words, he got his hands on the football a lot. It isn’t like Burrow’s throws were bad either. Johnson’s coverage was just that good.
Jaylon Johnson having a good game. pic.twitter.com/xxMQf1Kfkl
— Barroom Network – Aldo Gandia (@BarroomNetwork) September 19, 2021
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This is such a huge development for the Bears. If Johnson is ascending to become a top tier cornerback? Then the future of this team is in great shape. One of the fears for the defense was whether they might be getting too old. After Sunday, it might be time to calm down. Not only did Johnson (22-years old) play well. So did Smith (24) and Bilal Nichols (25). Nichols had a sack and Smith had a sack and a pick-six. These three young men could form the foundation of the Bears’ future.
Jaylon Johnson can’t do it all himself though
The problem with the cornerback position is it takes more than one to have a good defense. Right now? Johnson looks like the only capable one they have. Kindle Vildor was having a good game against Cincinnati right until he got scorched by Ja’Marr Chase for a long touchdown. His inconsistency remains a concern. The nickel cornerback spot is even worse. Last week Marqui Christian was torched multiple times. Then this week Duke Shelley fared little better.
Unless they get that spot settled down, it is going to become the Achilles heel of this defense. Especially with the array of good quarterbacks they have coming up in the next two months. One thing is for sure. Teams may start wising up to the fact that targeting Jaylon Johnson might not be the best idea.
Props to GM Ryan Pace.
For all the flak he gets, much of it deserved, he knows how to draft defense. Smith, Nichols, and now Johnson look like absolute keepers long-term. The big question will be whether he can build around Justin Fields.