The Chicago Bears defense is the heart and soul of football in the Windy City. It’s always been that way. The team almost never wins anything in the NFL unless the defense is leading the way. It’s no different in 2018. After years of being mired in mediocrity, it finally began to awaken from a long slumber last season. Yet it wasn’t until this year that the beast truly reached its full blood frenzy.
Led by a star-studded core of Khalil Mack, Akiem Hicks, Kyle Fuller, and Eddie Jackson the defense has run roughshod over most of its competition this season. They are 3rd in points allowed and 4th overall, leading the league in takeaways. They held the mighty Los Angeles Rams to six points and prevented Aaron Rodgers from throwing a touchdown in a game he started and finished for the first time since December of 2016.
Yet perhaps no stat better illustrates how utterly superb they’ve been than through a wild comparison to two of the greatest defenses in Bears history.
The #Bears are the first team since the 2006 Ravens to record 45+ sacks and 25+ INTs in a season. They’re the third Bears defense to achieve these numbers since sacks became an official stat in 1982, joining the '85 (64 sacks, 34 INTs) & '86 (62 sacks, 31 INTs) teams.
— Chicago Bears (@BearsPR) December 28, 2018
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Chicago Bears defense has a chance to create their own legacy
Don’t be mistaken. There have been plenty of great Bears defenses since that iconic stretch from 1985 to 1986. The 2001 unit guided the team to a 13-3 record, often suffocating opponents particularly on the ground. Four years later in 2005, they had the #1 defense in football, led by Brian Urlacher who was at the peak of his powers. A year later in 2006, the defense led the way to a surprise Super Bowl berth.
Yet as good as those were, there was always something about them that offered concern. The 2001 unit had a limited pass rush. The 2005 unit wasn’t overly stiff against the run. In 2006 they suffered several key losses to injury that sapped their overall effectiveness. None of these issues have bothered the 2018 incarnation.
It’s already at 46 sacks for the season, ranks a healthy 2nd in the league against the run and hasn’t suffered any significant long-term losses due to injury. This is a unit that will have a glorious opportunity to carve their own niche in Bears history when the playoffs begin in January.
