Post by Deleted on Nov 3, 2017 16:15:25 GMT -6
Bears mid-season report card: Defense and Special Teams
By: Lorin Cox | 12 hours ago
The Chicago Bears have the luxury of a bye week right in the middle of their season as the first eight games have left them at 3-5.
It’s been a roller coaster of a year that has already matched their win total from 2016, and it certainly hasn’t gone the way too many people would have predicted back in August.
This time of year is perfect to take a big picture look at the team and evaluate what they’ve been able to do up to this point. The Bears’ defense has been a huge part of their success this season, in large part to some surprising faces making plays.
Let’s go position-by-position and hand out a report card to this play-making defense and special teams.
Defensive line: A-minus
Akiem Hicks is having a Pro Bowl-caliber season on the wings of his contract extension, commanding and sometimes splitting double teams on the interior as a disruptive force.
Hicks has overshadowed a quietly strong season from Mitch Unrein too, who is making an unsung impact in run defense. He hasn’t been the guy getting all of the tackles for losses, but he’s giving opposing offensive linemen trouble and redirecting ball-carriers into the arms of his teammates.
Eddie Goldman has been his usual, consistent self, and this starting lineup has had to shoulder the vast majority of the load because the team has lacked depth up front.
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Jonathan Bullard has started to come on in recent weeks, but Hicks in particular has had to play a lot of snaps, and he hasn’t slowed down or missed a beat.
Outside linebacker: C-plus
The Bears’ pass rush has not performed as consistently as it’s needed to, and a lot of the blame belongs on the outside linebacker position.
The loss of Willie Young magnified the lack of depth at the position, and Leonard Floyd hasn’t been able to pick up the slack.
Pernell McPhee has been reliable when he’s been on the field, but at this point in his career, he can’t play much more than a half of a game’s snaps each week. Sam Acho is consistent, but he just isn’t a difference-maker at the position.
Inside linebacker: B-plus
Injuries and suspensions have hit the inside linebacker position, but the depth of the group really rose to the challenge.
Christian Jones has looked like a serviceable starter filling in for Jerrell Freeman and Nick Kwiatkoski, and even John Timu got the job done when pressed into action.
Of course, Danny Trevathan also picks up a lot of the slack, playing like a Pro Bowl linebacker the last couple of weeks. Adding Kwiatkowski back into the lineup here after the bye week will only raise this group up another level.
Cornerback: B
As much attention as Kyle Fuller has received this year, Prince Amukamara has been the team’s best cornerback.
He’s been a little bit more quiet this year, which is actually a good thing at his position. The ball isn’t coming his way much.
In the slot, Bryce Callahan picked up where he left off last season as a solid young option, before he got hurt this past week against the Saints.
Fuller is still having a solid year that’s gotten his career back on track, and this cornerback group as a whole is exceeding expectations from where they were projected in the preseason.
Safety: A
Eddie Jackson and Adrian Amos have been one of the best young safety duos in the NFL this season.
The rookie fourth-round pick has made his fair share of mistakes, but he’s made up for it with his play-making ability on the back end, scoring twice against the Carolina Panthers in Week 7.
Amos, on the other hand, has been the real surprise of the defense. He came back into the starting lineup after Quintin Demps went down, and he’s been phenomenal, flying around and finally making plays around the ball.
Special Teams
Kicker: F
Connor Barth is only 7-of-11 on field goals this season, including just 3-of-7 on kicks from 40 yards or deeper. That simply isn’t NFL quality field goal kicking, and his kickoffs haven’t been anything to write home about.
Punter: B
Pat O’Donnell is having a solid year of punting, doing a good job of helping the Bears flip the field position when he’s called upon. He isn’t having a dominant season, but this is his most consistent season to date.
Long snapper: A-minus
Bears’ long snapper Andrew DePaola has had one bad long snap this season, according to Pro Football Focus. He’s not perfect, but he’s close to it, and that’s all you can ask for from the position.