PAIN& GAIN
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The progress made by the Bears’ defense — nine sacks in the last three games, cornerback Kyle Fuller’s improved play for the league’s No. 3 pass defense, setting up two dramatic rallies— over the first five weeks is obvious.
Now it’s time to take the ball away.
Picking off passes and forcing fumbles would be the next step for coordinator Vic Fangio’s defense, which has kept the Bears in every game and gotten visibly and statistically better every week.
This is the perfect matchup to get some takeaways. The 0-5 Lions lead the NFL with 15 turnovers.
Entering Week 6, Detroit’s minus-6 turnover ratio ranked 30th. Opponents have scored 41 points off the Lions’ turnovers.
Detroit’s woes all start with quarterback Matthew Stafford, who has thrown a league-worst eight interceptions. The Lions also have lost six fumbles. Running back Ameer Abdullah, Detroit’s second-round pick out of Nebraska, has fumbled three times, losing one.
Forcing turnovers used to be a way of life at Halas Hall. Former coach Lovie Smith’s bendbut-don’t-break scheme required them. The emphasis on getting them was paramount, and the results were wildly entertaining some years.
But while those go-get-thedarn-ball messages still exist in Lake Forest, this defense doesn’t require them to be successful— at least not yet. The Bears have only three takeaways and rank fourth in total defense. Takeaways aren’t a prerequisite for success; they’re a sought-after bonus.
Last season, the Bears had 11 takeaways after five games, according to Pro Football Reference. In 2013, the Bears were even better with 14. Just in case you forgot, the Bears had the two worst defenses in franchise history those seasons.
That’s not to say that Fangio’s defense doesn’t want or need a takeaway or two. His 49ers defenses were pretty good at getting them, including 29 last season.
Questions remain about the playmaking ability of some players. The Bears have broken up only 14 passes, according to league statistics. Only the Lions have fewer.
Outside linebackers Jared Al- len and Pernell McPhee have the only two interceptions, and Allen was traded to the Panthers. Outside linebacker Sam Acho’s fumble recovery against the Raiders was a gift from running back Latavius Murray. The same is true with McPhee’s interception, which bounced off Murray’s hands.
Sometimes takeaways are the result of favorable matchups and offensive blunders. The trip to Detroit can provide those.
“I don’t want to confuse anybody; talent is important,” coach John Fox said when asked about takeaways. “Matchups are important. That’s why it’s a lot of fun to prepare for and a lot of fun to play in these games because every week’s different. You’ve got different matchups, different problems.”
What did the Lions’ opponents do that led to the takeaways?
“The main thing is they’re just getting off the ball, they’re putting pressure on them and stopping the run,” Bears defensive end Jarvis Jenkins said. “That was the main thing, getting them one-dimensional.”
The Bears should be able to do the same this week. The Lions have the worst running game in the NFL, averaging 49 yards, and the Bears’ defense has become a confident group the last few weeks.
“You just have to play good,” Fangio said. “There’s no magic potion, there’s no sports psychology b.s. that you can go to and get it done. You have to play good.”
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