If you watched the game, and of course you did, then you saw how superb the Chicago Bears defense was most of the night. Sure their 4th quarter could’ve been better but the team won the game due in large part to their efforts. Once the dust had settled and the team was 7-3, it was time to go back and look at the numbers.
Sure one would expect them to be good, but when adding some context to the season at large? They started to become absurd. This defense isn’t even playing their best football and they’re already at a historic pace in terms of numbers. Don’t believe it? Here are just a few of the ridiculous stats that became true after the big win.
Bears defense = good
Khalil Mack now has a sack and a forced fumble in five of eight games
Sacking the quarterback is second nature to Mack. Everybody knows that. He has one in six of eight games this year and he has two in two games. What’s even more impressive though is he’s delivered a forced fumble in five of those games where he had a sack. It happened again Sunday night. He tore the ball away from Dalvin Cook for the forced fumble and recovery. Then he sacked Kirk Cousins in the second half to force a field goal.
Khalil just tossed a 320-pound man with one arm. 😳😳😳 @52Mack_ pic.twitter.com/tIpnktpQ7Y
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) November 19, 2018
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Akiem Hicks had 4 tackles for loss this year…then had 5 vs. the Vikings
Bears fans have been trying for over a year to let the nation know that Hicks is an absolute monster. He should’ve gone to the Pro Bowl last year but didn’t. So what did he do? He used the Vikings offensive line to prove a point. Hicks came into the game with four tackles for a loss on the season, which is pretty good. Then he dropped Minnesota ball carriers in the backfield five times in 60 minutes. Are you convinced now?
Eddie Jackson now has 4 defensive touchdowns in 26 games
Think about this. Eddie Jackson has played 26 games in his career. That’s less than two full seasons. Yet in that span, he’s already delivered four defensive touchdowns, two via fumble recovery and two via interception. His pick-six of Kirk Cousins was easily the best of his career. Just a reminder. He now has the same number of defensive scores as Champ Bailey, Mel Blount, Willie Wood, and Earl Thomas have had in their respective careers.
We nominate EDDIE JACKSON for Celebration of the Year. 🙌 @EJackson_4 pic.twitter.com/1NskObtISc
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) November 19, 2018
Minnesota ran the ball for 22 yards
The pass rush was great against the Vikings most of the night, but what truly shined was the Bears run defense. It’s been excellent all year, but they took it to another level on this night. Minnesota could do nothing against them, managing just 22 yards. Keep in mind they’d averaged 124 yards per game over the past month going into this game. It’s not like they couldn’t run. Chicago just didn’t let them.
