3 Issues with the Chicago Bears Defense

If you're a fan of the NFL, then you know that this is one of the most competitive seasons. Each devision, at the midway point, could go to a number of teams. One division that is up for grabs, and should provide excitement for weeks to come, is the NFC North division.

Currently the Chicago Bears are tied with the Minnesota Vikings for first place, but with Chicago playing third place Green Bay, anything is liable to happen. But many Chicago fans are wondering what exactly is wrong with the Bears. It seems they are having trouble putting it all together. And it appears the reason is being centered around the teams supposedly strongest part, it's defense.

With that being said, let's take a deep look at the Chicago Bears defense up to this point and try and dissect what is wrong with it.

1 - No Pass Rush

The structure of the Chicago Bears defense is to cause havoc and create turnovers for other teams. But that all starts with the front four defensive lineman. After nine games, I think it's safe to say that they have not been carrying their weight so far.

In times past, it was a given that either a Tommy Harris or an Alex Brown would at least put consistent pressure on a quarterback. But that hasn't happen pretty much at all during the first half of the season. Once your pass rush is negated, it leaves the rest of your defense out to dry.

If the Bears' defense hopes to turn things around, they'll have to get their pass rush going immediately.

2 - Can't Stop The Slant

If you've watched any of the Bears' games this year, you've probably seen each team kill them on slant patterns. Slant patterns are one of the toughest routes to defend. With a good pattern ran by the wide receiver and decent timing by the quarterback it puts a ton of pressure on a defenses pass coverage.

Teams have found that the slant pattern is a consistent gainer against the Bears' secondary. You can blame it on the corners, but to defend it the linebackers have to get into their drops and play the zone between the quarterback and the receiver. This leads me to my third point...

3 - Stacking The Box

How many times have we seen the Bears' linebackers crowding the line of scrimmage, right up close next to the defensive lineman. It worked wonders in the first couple of games, and has even help shut down the run against teams that love running the ball.

The problem is when the linebackers are up that close to the line of scrimmage, and their bluffing (not blitzing but pretending to), it's near impossible for them to get back into their zone drops and teams are literally picking them apart.

Imagine racing a sprinter who is running forward and you're running backwards. Can you say "mismatch". Teams are able to take advantage passing on the Bears' as long as they keep crowding the line.

So what will the Bears' do from here? Your guess is as good as mine. But hopefully their coaches will make the necessary changes and get them back on the winning road.