Chicago Bears: Good, bad and ugly from Week 3 victory

The Bad: The defense was very undisciplined

An aspect of this game that was bad was the defense’s discipline. The pass rush was there and did a good job of getting to Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan. There were just two sacks, but he was constantly hitting the ground.

The problem was the penalties. They had a few penalties that continued drives or erased great plays. Khalil Mack had a sack and a forced fumble recovered by the defense that was wiped out on a roughing the passer penalty. The Falcons went on to score a touchdown on that drive.

Later in the game, the Bears put pressure on Ryan and thought they were coming off the field. However, Akiem Hicks was called for a roughing the passer as well, and the defense had to stay on the field.

The defense did come up with big plays in the fourth quarter, including the interception that sealed the game. Akiem Hicks had himself a big game. He finished with 1.5 sacks and now has 3.5 sacks for the season. It’s great to see him healthy and creating havoc.

These penalties cannot keep happening, though. This win could’ve been a little easier if the great defensive plays weren’t wiped away. Mack and the pass rush was effective but had big plays erased. As good as this Atlanta Falcons offense is, you cannot give them extra chances. Perhaps this was just a thing for this game. Hopefully, the defense plays with more discipline going forward.