Are the Bears about to get Cooked? Defense must step up against Vikings

It’s been an interesting start to the Matt Eberflus era in Chicago.

Thus far we’ve seen:

• An impressive comeback victory over San Francisco, one of the better teams in the NFC.

• A predictably tough loss to rival Green Bay.

• A gritty last-second win over the terrible Texans.

• A rough setback to another rebuilding team in the Giants.

In the big picture, this is about where we figured the Bears would be: 2-2 and trying to make strides in all three phases.

Now comes a huge test: Sunday’s tilt against the talented Minnesota Vikings. So, Robert Quinn, is the defense feeling any extra pressure with your team averaging a mere 16.0 points per game?

“Pressure does two things: bust pipes or make diamonds,” Quinn said. “We’re just trying to make diamonds of the situation (and) not trying to point fingers. We’ve got a job to do and we’ve just got to make sure we live up to it.”

That job is twofold against Minnesota: Figure out how to contain running back Dalvin Cook, as well as a receiving corps led by Justin Jefferson.

“Not to diminish the other guys on the team, but those are two dynamic players,” said Bears defensive coordinator Alan Williams. “You have to pick and choose how you call it, what you do and where you put guys and what you focus on. This week the focus is on both, not just one.”

First things first: Somehow the Bears must reverse an ugly trend of allowing running backs, wide receivers and (gulp) quarterbacks to run roughshod all over the field. Williams’ unit ranks dead last in rushing yards allowed per game at 183.3.

Just how bad is that? Well, for perspective the 28th-ranked team (the Giants) have allowed 141 per game. Kansas City (65.8) and San Francisco (73.3) are at the top.

“The No. 1 thing I would say for any defense is, you can’t let people run the ball down your throat,” Williams said. “You just can’t.”

Last week, Saquon Barkley (31 carries, 146 yards) and QB Daniel Jones (6-68) befuddled the Bears with timely fakes and bootleg action en route to a 20-12 victory. That won’t be an issue with Vikings QB Kirk Cousins, but the difference is Cousins makes opponents pay with his arm if they focus too much on Cook.

Linebackers Roquan Smith, Nicholas Morrow and Matthew Adams need to be on top of their games at all times in order for the Bears to have a chance.

“Our thing is, and I’ll keep hammering this, is being disciplined with where our eyes are,” Williams said. “Some people would say, ‘Hey, you’re going to get trick plays, you’re going to get boots, you’re going to get some play action.’

“Trick plays or play-action plays are for guys who don’t read their keys.”

Well, there’s been a bit too much of that at times for the Bears -- and it needs to stop.

Cook has had a decent season, racking up 279 yards on 63 carries for a 4.4-yard average.

Jefferson is a game breaker who caught a combined 196 passes for 3,016 yards and 17 TDs in 2020 and ‘21. The third-year WR was contained by the Eagles and Lions in Weeks 2 and 3, but busted loose for 10 receptions for 147 yards during a come-from-behind win vs. New Orleans last Sunday.

Morrow noted that the Vikings put Jefferson in motion more against the Saints, which forces a defense to decide if they want to roll coverage to the other side. If a team stays put, it means Jefferson will be in man-to-man on the back side.

That’s something to keep an eye on for sure, especially if Minnesota tries to get Jefferson matched up with rookie CB Kyler Gordon. Gordon’s man has been targeted 29 times, with 20 completions for 305 yards. He also committed a 40-yard pass interference penalty against the Giants.

It’s a lot to process and a lot to handle. So much so that Williams -- in the middle of an answer -- even noticed a reporter shaking his head at the Bears’ dilemma.

“I see you shake your head there and I’m shaking my head, too,” Williams said. “We are gonna have our plate full. "

https://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20221007/are-the-bears-about-to-get-cookeddefense-must-step-up-against-vikings-or-this-one-could-get-ugly