The streak continues.
In every game this season, the Chicago Bears have held their opponent to 21 points or fewer. They did so in the final six games of last season, too, and own the longest active streak in the NFL at 12 games.
The last team to score more than 21 on Matt Eberflus’ defense? That would be the Detroit Lions, who rallied with 17 points in the final three minutes to stun the Bears 31-26 in Week 11 of 2023.
Next up: a big-stage game against impressive rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders in Week 8.
With playoff aspirations alive and well in Chicago, this defense knows its responsibilities over the final 11 games. To this point it has held up its end of the bargain, playing with a collective tenacity while giving a growing offense time to breathe.
With a chance to step back during the bye week, here’s a look at the defense’s performance through six games.
What’s working
On the first play of the second half Sunday, linebacker T.J. Edwards erased a big gain by Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram with a good old-fashioned “Peanut Punch.”
Right jab. Football loose.
Safety Elijah Hicks was there to scoop it — and return it 19 yards.
Just like that, before many of the 61,182 fans at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium had returned from their halftime restroom break, the Bears had the ball back.
Yep, the takeaway faucet remains on for a defense that has forced 13 turnovers. In addition to that fumble, backup cornerback Josh Blackwell contributed a second-half interception of Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The offense turned both opportunities into touchdown drives, and the trouncing continued.
Those big plays in London were representative of two significant developments that should keep the Bears defense humming into the final 2½ months of the season. For starters, Eberflus’ nonstop emphasis on taking the ball away — the “T” in the Bears coach’s HITS principle — is paying obvious dividends.
Furthermore, that Hicks and Blackwell — a pair of “next men up” lifted into heightened roles because of injuries — became involved in the takeaway party was a testament to how deep and well-rounded this defense has become.
A dozen players have had a hand in either forcing a fumble, recovering one or recording an interception. The Bears have turned their 13 takeaways into 54 points plus two “victory formation” kneel-downs.
It’s also worth noting the defense has allowed only 7.5 second-half points per game, showing an ability to slam the door on staggering opponents. During the current three-game winning streak, the Bears haven’t trailed after halftime.
The defense’s mindset has played a big role.
“When you believe you’re an elite defense, you always want to stand up when your moment comes,” safeties coach Andre Curtis said earlier this month. “That’s just how our guys do it. We have a bunch of guys who understand they don’t have to press for their moment, but if they do right long enough, the moment will come to them.”
What’s not working
Truthfully, there’s not much to gripe about with a defense that ranks in the top 10 in the league in points allowed (16.8 per game, fifth), yards allowed (292 per game, seventh), takeaways (13, second), third down (32.1%, sixth) and red zone (43.8%, eighth).
Not too shabby, right?
But if there’s one area Eberflus and coordinator Eric Washington will try to bolster heading into this next chunk of games, it’s the reliability of the run defense.
A unit that led the NFL in 2023 by allowing 86.4 rushing yards per game — a franchise record — now ranks 10th in yards per game (112) and 18th in yards per rush (4.8).
The Bears have surrendered seven runs of at least 15 yards, with three of those breaking for long touchdowns. The Tennessee Titans’ Tony Pollard (83 yards), the Indianapolis Colts’ Jonathan Taylor (110), the Los Angeles Rams’ Kyren Williams (94) and the Carolina Panthers’ Chuba Hubbard (97) have enjoyed productive afternoons against the Bears.
To the Bears’ credit, they held the Jaguars to 68 rushing yards and remain aware of the improvements needed if this season is to last past Week 18.
Most reliable player
By almost every metric, Jaylon Johnson is playing like an elite cornerback. According to Pro Football Reference, Johnson has been targeted only 16 times in 188 opponent passes. He has allowed seven catches for 111 yards with quarterbacks posting a 27.9 passer rating when throwing his way.
By his admission, Johnson erred with his anticipation on one play early in Week 3 in Indianapolis, allowing a 44-yard reception to Colts wideout Alec Pierce. But Johnson responded quickly, recording his second interception of the season three drives later. Week after week, he continues to bring it.
If there was even an ounce of worry that Johnson would grow complacent after earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2023 and then signing a four-year, $76 million extension in March, that was quickly put to rest. The 25-year-old cornerback turned those achievements into greater motivation and continues to come to work with high-level competitive drive.
“Jaylon is very, very competitive in that way,” defensive backs coach Jon Hoke said. “He wants to be considered as one of the best in the league. And so he works hard with the way he practices and how he studies. He just keeps pushing to achieve more. And that’s his mentality all the time.”
Johnson was named one of four defensive captains and continues to use his voice and edge as fuel for the entire defense.
Second-half question
Can the Bears stay healthy enough to continue their surge?
The defense was without safety Jaquan Brisker (concussion) and cornerback Tyrique Stevenson (calf) for the game in London and then lost slot cornerback Kyler Gordon to a hamstring injury in the second half. The status of all three players will be worth keeping tabs on when the Bears return to practice next week at Halas Hall.
Brisker, it’s worth noting, has missed at least one game because of a concussion in all three of his seasons with the Bears. Stevenson left the United Kingdom with a walking boot on his left leg. And Gordon missed more than three weeks of training camp with an undisclosed injury that Eberflus initially described only as “tightness.”
Hicks, Blackwell and Jaylon Jones all played well in relief against the Jaguars, a testament to the depth general manager Ryan Poles has built on defense, particularly on the back end. Yet while some additional injury attrition is to be expected, for a team like the Bears with a thin margin for error in an incredibly tough division, health will remain a major X-factor in how much of a run this team can make.
