The DBB team is evaluating the entire organization at this well-placed, exactly midseason bye week. The catch? Each of us is limited to ONE SENTENCE for each position group. Today we move on to the defense.
Defensive Line
Jeff: Impossible to say a negative word about this group, with Goldman arguably the league’s best run-stuffing interior lineman and Hicks mounting a serious campaign for Defensive Player of the Year.
Andrew: Hicks and Goldman are studs, Unrein is solid and Bullard and Robertson-Harris have both shown flashes.
Data: Akiem Hicks and Eddie Goldman might be the best interior DL combo in the NFL.
DBB Grade: A
Inside Linebackers
Jeff: This was the position of greatest depth on the roster and that depth has been severely tested through eight games. Christian Jones has looked like a new player in the absence of Freeman, Kwik and Timu. (Yea that’s two sentences but it’s my blog so go away.)
Andrew: Danny Trevathan is having a career year and young inside backers also making an impact.
Data: Chicago has gotten a surprisingly high level of play out of this group considering they’ve had to rotate through 5 different bodies here due to injuries and suspensions.
DBB Grade: A-
Outside Linebackers
Jeff: Bears ask their outside backers to do a lot, including extensive coverage duties, but this group will always be judged by their ability to get to the quarterback and they’re getting there to the tune of 11 sacks.
Andrew: After a slow start, Lenny Floyd has become a stud and McPhee has been productive with four sacks.
Data: Leonard Floyd is finally waking up and Pernell McPhee has surprised with his effectiveness in short spurts but will we see more of Isaiah Irving in the 2nd half?
DBB Grade: B
Corners
Jeff: This has been the most pleasantly surprising group on the roster, headlined by a borderline All-Pro campaign from Kyle Fuller and steady work on the other side by Prince Amukamara (when he’s been healthy).
Andrew: Kyle Fuller and Prince Amukamara are showing why they were first round picks, while Marcus Cooper and Bryce Callahan have both given the team solid contributions.
Data: I said throughout the off-season that Kyle Fuller was the best CB on Chicago’s roster, but I never expected this level of play out of him.
DBB Grade: A-
Safeties
Jeff: Eddie Jackson and Adrian Amos may be the second coming of Mike Brown and Tony Parrish as they’ve shown flashes of stabilizing what has been an unstable positions for the Bears in recent memory.
Andrew: Eddie Jackson has a lot of range and ball skills that have, apparently rubbed off on Adrian Amos, who won’t be giving his job back to Quintin Demps.
Data: Eddie Jackson has fixed both safety positions for the Bears by allowing Adrian Amos to play to his strengths next to a true center fielder.
DBB Grade: B+
Coaching
Jeff: John Fox, Vic Fangio and secondary coach Ed Donatell are finally coaching players up, which is something I’ve been desperate to see since they arrived.
Andrew: Vic Fangio is dialing up the right game plans but that isn’t hard to do with the players he has.
Data: The coaches have the defense playing with an attitude and looking to make plays instead of just avoid giving them up.
DBB Grade: A-
