Bears prepare for Steelers after moving atop NFC North

Ariana Pensy · Correspondent · 2 hours ago

CHICAGO - This past Sunday, Chicago finally got their first division win of the season after kicker Cairo Santos kicked the game-winning 48-yard field goal. That field goal was set up by a 56-yard kick return from Devin Duvernay.

Having that kind of field position prompted head coach Ben Johnson to decide to run the ball on all three plays of the drive to get closer for Santos.

Third down proved to be particularly crucial as running back D’Andre Swift was able to get seven yards on that play and a total of nine yards on the drive.

“It changes pretty quickly there the dynamics of the game when you’re going to have about 50 seconds and three timeouts and you get a kick return like that and so, we were right on the fringe of where we felt comfortable with Cairo and we know every five yards from there on out is a huge deal in terms of the make percentage,” Johnson said. “But, our guys up front, they did a nice job getting us nine yards. We needed all nine of those yards to feel really good about the spot that we were in. Had we been able to get the first down there, maybe we can run it a couple more times and get even a little bit closer. But, I think we handled the situation really well. I have a lot of confidence in those guys. I thought in the second half, we did create some running lanes and our backs took advantage of that. So, we felt comfortable running it in that situation.”

When Chicago played the Minnesota Vikings earlier in the season and lost, Minnesota’s defensive coordinator Brian Flores did not blitz the Bears’ offense as much as expected. Flores made up for that in this game with constant blitzes.

However, Johnson felt Chicago recognized it and responded to it well during the game.

“That was the interesting thing was not just the percentage because it was completely different than week one, (but) also the type of pressures that he was bringing was a lot of corner cat, which he hadn’t shown a ton of,” Johnson said. “So, I thought we recognized it fairly early and we did the best we could as a staff and as players to make our adjustments to it.”

Defensively, the Bears won the turnover battle, generating two turnovers while Chicago’s offense never turned it over. Chicago would end up only getting three points off of two interceptions, but in a 19-17 game, that field goal resulting from safety Kevin Byard’s interception proved crucial.

Between Byard, linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, and cornerback Nahshon Wright, they have 13 interceptions as Byard has five, the most in the league, while Edmunds and Wright have four, tied for second-most in the league.

While this is obviously attributable to how talented these players are, Johnson said it is also reflective of the pass rushers who have helped to create some of these interceptions.

“I think it’s a credit to those guys that when they do get the ball in their hands, they are bringing it in and that’s not a given in this league. You would think it is, but defensive players in general, I’ve been around a number of them that they do a good job with the pass breakups, but not being able to haul it in and so, they do a great job with their ball skills, being able to make those into interceptions. I think the length of those guys certainly helps between (Wright) and Tremaine in particular. They’re really long limbed and that gives them a natural advantage there and then I think KB’s got some of the best instincts I’ve been around at that safety position. He’s just got a really good feel for where he can almost bait the quarterbacks into putting the ball in jeopardy and that comes with experience, but he’s also just a darn good football player and he has been his entire career. So, that has a lot to do with it,” Johnson said. “Things that you overlook are the fact that some of those, you’re getting good pass rush as well. I don’t know that we get that ball or KB gets that interception if Grady Jarrett’s not really on the lap of the quarterback there for that one and so, you always got to take that into context. Also, I know those guys don’t get those stats necessarily in terms of the sacks when those things occur. Yet, they’re a big part of why that ball’s being put in place like that.”

With Chicago’s win and the Detroit Lions losing to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football, the Bears are now alone in first in the NFC North. They will look to keep things that way when they face the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sun. Nov. 23 (Noon / CBS).

Chicago might be facing a familiar foe in that game if Pittsburgh’s quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, who played for the Green Bay Packers and has played 29 games against the Bears, is able to play. If Rodgers cannot play, the Bears will face Mason Rudolph. Rudolph has never played against Chicago.