Post by Deleted on May 18, 2018 18:50:31 GMT -6
Analysis: Takeaways would elevate the Bears defense from good to great
The Bears’ 2017 highlight reel is disappointingly short and largely uninspiring. Such is the nature of a five-win season that got the coach fired.
There are, though, a few plays justifiably entrenched in Chicago’s collective memory. Ones that would stand out in any year, regardless of record. Invigorating moments of brilliance fueling hope that this rebuilding team is poised to jump into playoff contention.
For example, Eddie Jackson’s fumble and interception returns for touchdowns against the Panthers on Oct. 22. Those decisive scores in the Bears’ 17-3 win at Soldier Field reminded this defense-loving city what’s possible when the Bears take the ball away and, better yet, score with it.
This season, as they aim to improve on last year’s No. 10 overall ranking, players understand that for the defense to ascend from good to championship-caliber, they need to force more turnovers.
“Definitely takeaways,” cornerback Prince Amukamara said Wednesday when asked what the defense must do better.
“On the back end, it’s our job to take the ball away,” he continued. “I think we had our opportunities last year and just needed to capitalize on them. I think we did a great job last year … at forcing fumbles and recovering them. So, I think this year just catching them, intercepting.”
Amukamara hit on both components of the takeaways formula in that assessment, each worth examining as part of a cloudy 2018 forecast.
Start with fumble recoveries. The Bears actually led the NFL last season with 14. Equally noteworthy, though, is that their opponents fumbled only 19 times, tied for 20th in the league.
As it turned out, the Bears recovered loose balls at a prolific rate of 73.8 percent. It was the NFL’s best single-season rate since 2013 and the Bears’ best since 1968.
So the ball wasn’t on the ground a lot, but when it was, the Bears pounced.
The question going forward: Is that sustainable?
Fumble recoveries are considered a random outcome by some normalized metrics that measure defensive efficiency. Last season, teams recovered an average of 42.9 percent of opponents’ fumbles.
The Bears were an outlier, but they would dispute that it was simply the result of friendly bounces or other good luck.
Consider that in 2016, when the Bears tied the NFL record for fewest takeaways (11) in a season, they recovered only three of 13 opponents’ fumbles — a rate of 23.1 percent, the NFL’s worst since 2013.
That sparked a concerted effort that drove last season’s remarkable turnaround.
"We attacked the ball a lot,” safety Adrian Amos said. “We were playing fast, stripping at the ball, trying to punch the ball out. We just had a couple, and it built confidence to keep stripping at the ball. It’s something that just happened over time just working at it."
In 2017, Bears coaches hosted “Turnover Thursday” each week during the regular season. That consisted of video sessions highlighting the how-tos of forcing turnovers and practice drills to supplement them.
“We worked techniques,” linebacker Sam Acho said. “We worked different strategies to take the ball away. And we just kept on believing that it would come.”
“We really emphasized that every day,” added Jackson, whose three fumble recoveries led the team as a rookie. “You come in here and practice, try to get turnovers, a pick or a fumble, and it showed on Sundays.”
That’s expected to continue this season now that coordinator Vic Fangio and his entire staff remained with the team.
From a personnel standpoint, there’s significant continuity, as well. The Bears are projected to have only two new defensive starters: first-round rookie inside linebacker Roquan Smith and the right defensive end replacing Mitch Unrein.
During spring practices, at least, linebacker Danny Trevathan senses important carryover.
“It was just our mindset, man — that’s our ball and we’ve got to get it back to our offense,” he said. “That’s still our approach right now, and even more right now because this is the time you grind it out and build that habit.”
The second takeaways component — interceptions — wasn’t nearly as auspicious last year, as Amukamara noted. For the third straight season, the Bears tied the franchise record low of eight.
It’s common for a team’s interceptions deficiency to be a symptom of an impotent pass rush, but the Bears actually ranked sixth last season in sacks per pass attempt.
They totaled 42, but offseason player movement has subtracted 15 1/2 sacks from the roster, amplifying questions about how disruptive the pass rush can be and whether the secondary will have enough errant passes to track.
“We’ve got to get more pressure on the quarterback,” said Acho, who had three sacks and a forced fumble. “You’ve got to turn sacks into forced fumbles. You’ve got to turn pressures into sacks. Turn OK rushes into pressures to affect the quarterback and force him into a bad throw. So we understand that it’s all connected.”
Amukamara is optimistic that players’ familiarity with Fangio’s scheme will help. He hasn’t had an interception since 2015. On the other side, cornerback Kyle Fuller caught only two of the 22 passes he was credited with breaking up. Both re-signed in free agency.
“When you have that continuity and the language stays the same, meaning the plays, it just becomes second nature,” Amukamara said. “Guys play faster. Guys know what to expect. They know how teams are going to attack them. All that is a recipe for success.”
rcampbell@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @rich_Campbell
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Copyright © 2018, Chicago Tribune
Rich CampbellRich CampbellContact ReporterChicago Tribune
www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/ct-spt-bears-defense-more-turnovers-20180518-story.html
The Bears’ 2017 highlight reel is disappointingly short and largely uninspiring. Such is the nature of a five-win season that got the coach fired.
There are, though, a few plays justifiably entrenched in Chicago’s collective memory. Ones that would stand out in any year, regardless of record. Invigorating moments of brilliance fueling hope that this rebuilding team is poised to jump into playoff contention.
For example, Eddie Jackson’s fumble and interception returns for touchdowns against the Panthers on Oct. 22. Those decisive scores in the Bears’ 17-3 win at Soldier Field reminded this defense-loving city what’s possible when the Bears take the ball away and, better yet, score with it.
This season, as they aim to improve on last year’s No. 10 overall ranking, players understand that for the defense to ascend from good to championship-caliber, they need to force more turnovers.
“Definitely takeaways,” cornerback Prince Amukamara said Wednesday when asked what the defense must do better.
“On the back end, it’s our job to take the ball away,” he continued. “I think we had our opportunities last year and just needed to capitalize on them. I think we did a great job last year … at forcing fumbles and recovering them. So, I think this year just catching them, intercepting.”
Amukamara hit on both components of the takeaways formula in that assessment, each worth examining as part of a cloudy 2018 forecast.
Start with fumble recoveries. The Bears actually led the NFL last season with 14. Equally noteworthy, though, is that their opponents fumbled only 19 times, tied for 20th in the league.
As it turned out, the Bears recovered loose balls at a prolific rate of 73.8 percent. It was the NFL’s best single-season rate since 2013 and the Bears’ best since 1968.
So the ball wasn’t on the ground a lot, but when it was, the Bears pounced.
The question going forward: Is that sustainable?
Fumble recoveries are considered a random outcome by some normalized metrics that measure defensive efficiency. Last season, teams recovered an average of 42.9 percent of opponents’ fumbles.
The Bears were an outlier, but they would dispute that it was simply the result of friendly bounces or other good luck.
Consider that in 2016, when the Bears tied the NFL record for fewest takeaways (11) in a season, they recovered only three of 13 opponents’ fumbles — a rate of 23.1 percent, the NFL’s worst since 2013.
That sparked a concerted effort that drove last season’s remarkable turnaround.
"We attacked the ball a lot,” safety Adrian Amos said. “We were playing fast, stripping at the ball, trying to punch the ball out. We just had a couple, and it built confidence to keep stripping at the ball. It’s something that just happened over time just working at it."
In 2017, Bears coaches hosted “Turnover Thursday” each week during the regular season. That consisted of video sessions highlighting the how-tos of forcing turnovers and practice drills to supplement them.
“We worked techniques,” linebacker Sam Acho said. “We worked different strategies to take the ball away. And we just kept on believing that it would come.”
“We really emphasized that every day,” added Jackson, whose three fumble recoveries led the team as a rookie. “You come in here and practice, try to get turnovers, a pick or a fumble, and it showed on Sundays.”
That’s expected to continue this season now that coordinator Vic Fangio and his entire staff remained with the team.
From a personnel standpoint, there’s significant continuity, as well. The Bears are projected to have only two new defensive starters: first-round rookie inside linebacker Roquan Smith and the right defensive end replacing Mitch Unrein.
During spring practices, at least, linebacker Danny Trevathan senses important carryover.
“It was just our mindset, man — that’s our ball and we’ve got to get it back to our offense,” he said. “That’s still our approach right now, and even more right now because this is the time you grind it out and build that habit.”
The second takeaways component — interceptions — wasn’t nearly as auspicious last year, as Amukamara noted. For the third straight season, the Bears tied the franchise record low of eight.
It’s common for a team’s interceptions deficiency to be a symptom of an impotent pass rush, but the Bears actually ranked sixth last season in sacks per pass attempt.
They totaled 42, but offseason player movement has subtracted 15 1/2 sacks from the roster, amplifying questions about how disruptive the pass rush can be and whether the secondary will have enough errant passes to track.
“We’ve got to get more pressure on the quarterback,” said Acho, who had three sacks and a forced fumble. “You’ve got to turn sacks into forced fumbles. You’ve got to turn pressures into sacks. Turn OK rushes into pressures to affect the quarterback and force him into a bad throw. So we understand that it’s all connected.”
Amukamara is optimistic that players’ familiarity with Fangio’s scheme will help. He hasn’t had an interception since 2015. On the other side, cornerback Kyle Fuller caught only two of the 22 passes he was credited with breaking up. Both re-signed in free agency.
“When you have that continuity and the language stays the same, meaning the plays, it just becomes second nature,” Amukamara said. “Guys play faster. Guys know what to expect. They know how teams are going to attack them. All that is a recipe for success.”
And, perhaps, a more compelling highlight reel with a happier ending.
rcampbell@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @rich_Campbell
Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2018, Chicago Tribune
