The Chicago Bears defense might be rounding into something respectable. They appear to have one of the best run defenses in the league, ranking 2nd after ten games. Now, after some rough moments over the first two months, their pass defense is coming along. Much of this credit goes to cornerback Jaylon Johnson and newly arrived pass rusher Montez Sweat. Johnson is having the best season of his career. Most credit him for carrying the Bears secondary. However, that isn’t entirely fair. Others are doing their part.
None more so than Kyler Gordon. People have overlooked how important the presence of #6 has been up until now. He went down with an injury in the season opener against Green Bay. In the four games he missed, opponents averaged 298.25 yards passing. Since his return against Minnesota a few weeks ago, that number has dropped to 210.4 across the last five games. He probably had his best performance of the season on Thursday night against Carolina, collecting seven tackles, six stops, a pass 3rd down pass breakup, and a 60.9 passer rating when targeted.
The Chicago Bears are getting serious results from the young guys.
Gordon is playing his best football this season. Jaquan Brisker has quietly been an effective presence all over the field. Gervon Dexter is already a menacing run defender who is showing flashes of pass rush evolution. The only thing missing is impact plays. Chicago had a shot at three interceptions against Carolina but dropped them. Gordon was responsible for one. Until those start getting converted, Gordon and others won’t be getting the respect they deserve from outside analysts. It would also help if the Bears start winning more games.
All of that aside, the organization should be thrilled about Gordon’s progress. He’s shown the signs of why they made him their top draft pick in 2022. He’s explosive, violent, and all over the field. There is no escaping him, and all the free yards he used to offer in coverage aren’t as easy to find anymore. The Chicago Bears no doubt hope the same can happen for rookie Tyrique Stevenson. Everything hasn’t come together yet, but Gordon looks like another piece of the puzzle.
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