Defensive collapse
The Bears’ defense has allowed the eighth-fewest points in the NFL and held the Saints to seven points below their average through regulation. If the offense was average or better, that would be enough. But with an offense this bad, the defense better be perfect.
It hasn’t been. Perfect — or close enough to it — is what it showed in 2018. This isn’t that.
Arguably its most costly lapse was allowing quarterback Drew Brees to lead the Saints on a 68-yard touchdown drive in 1:36 just before halftime to pull them within 13-10.
‘‘Knowing that we’re getting the ball to start the third [quarter], and we gave up that touchdown there ... ,’’ coach Matt Nagy said, leaving the sentence unfinished. ‘‘We were doing a great job on ‘D’ the whole time, and then they just kinda chunked away and got that touchdown at the end. That was big.’’
The Bears had that threat neutralized for a moment after outside linebacker Khalil Mack sacked Brees, and the Saints stumbled into third-and-13 at their own 40. That scenario should be a victory for the Bears every time.
Instead, Brees hit running back Alvin Kamara behind the line of scrimmage, and defensive back Sherrick McManis couldn’t stop him for a loss. Left guard Andrus Peat hustled to the outside to block McManis just enough to spring Kamara free. He ran 12 yards through the middle of the defense.
Then the Saints converted fourth-and-one on a toss left to Kamara.
That was a risky call by coach Sean Payton, but his team blocked it far better than the Bears did on a similar play against the Rams the week before. Linebackers Robert Quinn and Roquan Smith weren’t fast enough to get to Kamara, and tight end Josh Hill took safety Tashaun Gipson — the one with the best shot at making a stop — out of the play with an expert blocking performance.
A few plays later, cornerback Jaylon Johnson was playing behind tight end Jared Cook, who shook him with a quick fake to get open for a 20-yard touchdown pass.