Rex Ryan has plenty of detractors. His bombastic style no doubt rubs a lot of people the wrong way. Yet there is no denying one simple truth. The man knows defense in the NFL. He’s coached some really good ones in his NFL career. So did his father. The iconic architect of the famed 1985 Chicago Bears defense Buddy Ryan. One can imagine Ryan holds that group on the highest pedestal.
It’s fair to wonder what his thoughts were when members of the current Bears defense declared their belief they could be as good or even better than that history unit. This was coming off the excellent 2018 run where they finished #1 in the NFL. They had 50 sacks and led the league in takeaways. What could the future hold for them?
Turns out? Not nearly as much as hoped.
After finishing a solid 8th in total defense in 2019, the unit has officially fallen off a cliff down the stretch in 2020. With four games to play, they now rank 15th in the NFL while allowing 68 points in the previous two games to the Packers and Lions. The latter was easily the more humiliating of the two has Matthew Stafford racked up over 400 passing yards and three touchdowns.
It seems Ryan was just waiting for such a thing to happen because he didn’t hold back on ESPN Get Up. Essentially he called the defense out for being frauds and nowhere in the same solar system as the ’85 Bears were.
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“Regardless of the stupid play by Trubisky, and the questionable play call in that situation, if you’re that team… game’s over, dude. It’s flat out over. ‘We’re going to show you how good we are, how great we are.’ Instead, that team gave up over 450 yards to the Detroit Lions. Yeah, you’re really that good…
…You wanted your own identity, you never liked the ‘85 Bears. Well guess what: You can’t hold their jockstrap. I’m sick and tired of saying that you’re a good defense, the most talented defense. You dang sure don’t play that way.”
Rex Ryan may be a loudmouth but he’s not wrong
The Bears defense gets paid a lot of money to be great. Two of their number are among the highest-paid at their respective positions in the NFL. Not to mention plenty of high draft choices like Roquan Smith and Jaylon Johnson. The investments in that unit are extensive. Enough to where the team expects them to be the driving force of this team. Yet that hasn’t been the case most of this season.
Just 23 sacks in 12 games. Just seven interceptions. Where are the big plays? Yes, the offense is bad and hasn’t provided a lot of help. Yes, they’ve been on the field a lot. Yet that isn’t a good enough excuse. They’ve had several opportunities to slam the door shut in games this season only to allow opponents to stay alive. Great defenses never allow that.
This leaves an obvious conclusion.
This is no longer a great defense. They are looking more and more like a one-year wonder. A flash in the pan. Now with a rebuild seemingly on the horizon, there’s a good chance a few of their mainstays could be removed from the payroll and sent elsewhere. That will leave people wondering what could have been. Maybe if Vic Fangio hadn’t left they would’ve fulfilled their potential.
There is no sense delving into what-ifs. These guys are paid to be great. They haven’t been. End of story. Love him or hate him, Rex Ryan is correct.