Power Rankings: Top Post-Draft Defenses (27-32)

Oct 6, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears cornerback Charles Tillman (33) and outside linebacker James Anderson (50) and defensive end David Bass (91) and middle linebacker D.J. Williams (58) tackle New Orleans Saints running back Pierre Thomas (23) during the second half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

Chicago Bears 8-8
Last Season’s Rankings: #30 Overall Defense (394.6 total yards per game allowed) #15 Passing Defense (233.1 passing yards per game allowed) #32 Rushing Defense (161.4 rushing yards per game allowed)

In a season marred by injuries to Jay Cutler and the Bears defense, the Bears fared pretty well considering, almost making it to the playoffs hadn’t it been for Aaron Rodgers and his late-minute heroics. This season the once ferocious Monsters of the Midway looked practically de-clawed. Psht, more like the Mittens of the Midway. Still, bad joke aside, the Bears defense in 2013 was horrendous to say the least, ranking 15th in passing yards (233.1 yards per game) and an awful 32nd in rushing yards allowed per game this season (161.4). 2013 was historically bad for the Bears. The last time they played so poorly on defense, George Halas was still a young man! Now when you think about how poorly the Bears played this season on defense, they did well with an 8-8 record. This season it was not because the Bears didn’t have the talent, it was because they had all of that talent either on the sidelines or not performing to their potential. As well because of the trade of Nick Roach and retirement of long time Bear Brian Urlacher, the Bears this season were left prostrate and without a solid line backing corps or defensive line. Their front 7 this year really struggled to play up to their potential as LB Lance Briggs was only able to play in 9 of the Bears 16 games this season due to injury, leaving LB James Anderson and Julius Peppers to carry the workload. Despite being picked in the 2nd round, rookie Jon Bostic didn’t live up to his 50th overall pick status, only recording 56 combined tackles and 4 tackles for loss while Anderson was able to record 102 combined tackles, 4 sacks and 9 tackles for loss (2nd on the team next to Briggs who had 10 tackles for loss despite playing only 9 games). Where the Bears really struggled was in their defensive line’s ability to stop the run. This season the Bears ranked dead last in the league for run defense, giving up an abhorrent 161.4 rushing yards per game. In every single game except for 4 this season, the Bears allowed 105 yards or more. That means in 12 games this season the Bears allowed over 100 yards to opposing backs on the ground. What’s even worse is that in 5 of the Bears regular season games, they allowed opposing backs to rush for over 190 yards on the ground. Of those 5 games, 2 of them include absolute implosions at the hands of the Vikings (37 rushes for 219 yards yards) and the Eagles (260 yards and 4 rushing touchdowns). In 8 of the Bear’s 16 games this season (50%), the Bears rush defense allowed opposing backs to rush for over 150 yards. Even more worse, in the Bear’s final 6 games, they managed to give up an unfathomable 179.1 yards per game to go along with 1.5 rushing touchdowns per game. You get my point though, this season the Bears were absolutely horrible against the run.

As well, after letting DE Julius Peppers sign with the cheese heads to the North, Chicago needed to fill the void left at the defensive end position. Sure, Peppers was all around a great player, however the Bears signing of Jared Allen is perhaps one of the best moves they have made this off-season. With Jared “Sack Man” Allen on their side, the Bears get a pass rusher who can take down QBs better than anybody in the NFC. Throughout his 10 year career as a defensive end, Allen has proven to be one of the league’s best, sacking opposing QBs a total of 128.5 times in his career. His best season came as a Viking in 2011 when he recorded 22 sacks, 66 total tackles four forced fumbles and one interception. Last year Allen was able to sack opposing QBs 11.5 times, tackle ball carriers 52 times and defend 6 passes. This year at the DE position, Allen will give the Bears a sack-happy presence on the outside who can get pressure on the QB and even record some big sacks/forced fumbles. Everyone knows the Bears have been known for their turnovers. I think with the addition of Allen, QBs will be forced to watch their backs, causing them to be anxious and maybe throw and interception or two as a result.

Allen is not the only new addition to the defensive line. This 2014 Bears’ line features former Oakland LB-DE Lamarr Houston (69 tackles, six sacks and six tackles for loss with Oakland in 2013), DT Jeremiah Ratliff (nine tackles and 1.5 sacks in 2013), DT Stephen Paea (23 tackles, 1.5 sacks and three tackles for loss) and second and third-round selections in DTs Ego Ferguson out of LSU and Will Sutton out of Arizona State. They will be joining OLB Lance Briggs (71 tackles, three sacks, 10 tackles for loss and six passes defended), ILB D.J. Williams (27 tackles, two sacks and three tackles for loss) and OLB Shea McClellin (30 tackles, four sacks and four tackles for loss). Although Houston and Briggs are seasoned and explosive veterans, I don’t believe that this Bears’ front seven will be that great next season. I know for certain they will be better than the 2013 Chicago Bears, but not better than the majority of teams in the NFL.

Now while the majority of the Bears problems last season can be blamed on the Bears porous run defense, their passing defense isn’t totally out of the woods quite yet, after all it was Aaron Rodgers 48-yard, last-minute touchdown pass that downed the Bears in the final moments of the 2013 season. Last season the Bears pass defense ranked 15th in the NFL with 233.1 yards per game allowed. Although the Bear’s pass defense wasn’t as bad as their run defense, there were still some concerns on the passing side of this defense. This year, the Bear’s secondary did allow 233.1 yards per game, at the same time they allowed a passing touchdown in every single one of their games except for week 9 against Green Bay after Aaron Rodgers went down with an injury. In 2013 they allowed 25 passing touchdowns to opposing QBs, most notably 3 passing touchdowns to Matthew Stafford in a heartbreaking 21-19 loss to the Lions in week 10. Contrary to the Bear’s run defense, the Bears pass defense actually started to play well down the stretch. After their BYE week the Bears passing defense looked great, allowing 186 passing yards per game from weeks 9 to 14, managing a 3-3 record in that same span. One of the main reasons that the Bears really struggled this season was because of their inability to get past the offensive line to their QB or RB of the opponent. For many years the Bears thrived on sacks, however this season the bears were ranked last in the NFL in sacks with only 31.0 sacks (tied for worst in the league with Jacksonville). As well, the Bear’s corners and safeties were only able to defended 63 passes thrown by opposing QBs which ranked 27th in the NFL last season. In short, injuries plagued the Bears all season, but as well did poor play. In 2013 what the overall play of the Bears basically showed us was that they couldn’t be counted on when needed. They weren’t that prepared despite having the personnel. This season will be a little bit better from a secondary standpoint though, given the addition of a first-round selection in CB Kyle Fuller. Out of Virginia Tech, Fuller was able to average two interceptions, 47 tackles and 7.3 passes defended over his final three seasons, including 14.5 tackles for loss during his sophomore season. With Fuller, the Bears have added a great corner with huge potential. Along with Fuller will be CB Tim Jennings (57 tackles, 13 passes defended, four interceptions and three forced fumbles), former Giants’ SS Ryan Mundy (77 tackles, one interception and two passes defended with New York in 2013), rookie FS Brock Vereen (averaged 1.3 interceptions, 63.3 tackles and 7.3 passes defended per season while at Minnesota) and all-pro Charles “Peanut” Tillman (41 tackles, six passes defended and three interceptions in eight games) who unfortunately missed half the 2013 season due to injury. Considering that a rookie will be the starting FS, the Bears season doesn’t look at that bright. I’ll admit, having Tillman back healthy is going to help the Bears, however the safety situation concerns me. I think that 2014 sees them improve slightly, but overall not that much.