How good is the Bears Defense

[JETS SB]

Nice grab by everyone precient enought to draft them. Sadly, I'm a Bears fan who thought that age and a weak secondary would make them a very pedestrian DEF this year, combined with the fact that Urlacher's knees were a top secret mystery heading into the season. Add to the mix the fact that they had a very underperforming DL, there really wasn't alot to like from this crew just a couple short months ago.

It certainly has been great to see them playing the way they have, and the trademark Lovie-turnovers continue to be a big part of their success. I think the biggest improvement has been Conte and Major Wright's development at Safety, and Tillman has been outstanding. Keeping opponents under 80 pts, while the rest of NFL at triple digits, pretty impressive.

Tillman can now be given his own island.... Unfortunately Revis Island is a vacation spot now for cornerbacks on IR

[TR]

It's amazing to watch how NFL teams try to attack this Bears' defense and how stupid they can be at times. Urlacher and Briggs are as good a LB tandem as you'll find and if you think you can just play smash mouth football against the Bears you are crazy. The Lions came out early and ran on their first two plays of several series in a row and got nowhere. All that did was put Stafford in 3rd and long situations and allow Julius Peppers & Co to pin back their ears and get after the QB. It was play calling done by someone who thought he could outmuscle the Bears, which isn't going to happen.

Why have the Green Bay Packers had some success against this defense in recent meetings? Because they spread out this defense with 4 and 5 wideouts. They make Briggs cover a tight end and Urlacher drop back more often into the zone defense. The Bears play the Tampa 2 defense with their safeties way back, leaving the middle of the field open. You need wideouts who can take the safeties deep (like Jennings when he's healthy) and find receivers who can work the middle and beat these linebackers. Then you need a QB who can read the blitzes and fake blitzes by Urlacher and Briggs and get rid of the ball quickly. Good, quick decisions by the QB.

This is a good defense, no doubt. But there are holes in a Tampa 2 defense. This isn't rocket science and while Tillman is playing well their safeties aren't the best in the league. You have to attack this defense by spreading out the linebackers and not just letting them dominate the middle the whole game. I'm with you that this is a fantastic fantasy defense and among the best defenses in the NFL and their schedule looks good going forward with bad weather coming. If they stay healthy, they will be a force down the stretch. But offensive coordinators have to attack this defense differently than Detroit did last night and if they do they can have success against them. This isn't the '85 Bears we're talking about.

I totally agree Greg...Lions running into teeth of bears defense which they did against san fran was dumb...the hell with keeping defense honest by trying to balance run...why not spread them out like packers and pats do with the spread..go hyper speed even and tire em out. Lions have the personnel to do it, complete with tight ends..just dumb coaching. Lions wrs were open, just had a few bad drops...combined with the RBs squandering chances with costly fumbles when Lions were about to score...good defense that can be exploited, far from 85 bears.

[JETS SB]

1st Quarter for the Bears Defense / Special teams - Int for TD, Blocked punt for TD, 2 fumble recoveries, INT - Not a bad start