After a terrible start to the season, Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Sean Desai has the unit performing at the high level we’re used to seeing from them.
There were many questions about the Chicago Bears‘ defense at the start of the season. There were holes in the secondary and whispers about Khalil Mack‘s age getting the best of him. Also, Robert Quinn‘s horrible 2020 season lingered.
The thinking didn’t get any better once the season started. The defense suffered an embarrassment at the hands of the Los Angeles Rams. It seemed that every time Rams quarterback dropped back for a pass he connected deep.
The Bears hired safeties coach Sean Desai as the new defensive coordinator. After last season, the previous coordinator, Chuck Pagano, decided to retire.
Desai was former defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s right-hand man. Fangio ran the defense that, in 2018, became one of the best units of the entire decade of the 2010s. Fangio left to become the head coach of the Denver Broncos.
Now, with Desai, the thought was that Fangio’s system would return. When the Week 1 debacle happened, however, some questioned Desai. The players looked confused and out of position all game. Would this continue all season long?
The answer to that question is a resounding no. Desai worked hard to make up for that and we saw the results from Week 2 on. The strong defense is back and wreaking havoc again. Instead of complaining about the offense AND the defense, we’re once again complaining about how the offense is wasting the defense’s effort.
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The Monsters of the Midway making a return
After seeing the Bears’ defense drop to the middle of the road last season, the unit is back in the top ten. In addition, the aggressiveness we’re used to seeing returned. Last season, the Bears ranked 17th in the league in sacks with 35. This season, they already have 21 and rank at the top.
Those questions about Mack and Quinn? Mack is tied for fifth in sacks with 6. Quinn, who had just two sacks last season, ranks eighth this season with 5.5. The Bears are the only team with two players in the top ten in sacks.
Linebacker Roquan Smith, who is on a mission to show the NFL world that he is one of the NFL’s elite defensive players, ranks fourth in the league in tackles with 62. He is on pace to have a career-high 176 this season.
What’s amazing about the team’s sack total is that they are getting to the quarterback without having to blitz much. They rank 30th in blitz percentage. That means the pass rush is doing a good job of getting to the quarterback without having to use other players. That, in turn, helps protect the secondary.
Desai does a great job of masking his schemes. He uses a hybrid 3-4 scheme, also uses a 4-3 at times. He likes moving the players around. At times, he even used Mack and Quinn on the same side.
The hire of Desai appears to be a very good one. He’s bringing the Monsters back and it’s great to see it.