The days of the Chicago Bears having a championship defense appear to be over. Whether it’s Khalil Mack failing to make any notable plays or Eddie Jackson’s biggest moment being a blunder usually reserved for junior varsity high schoolers, the Monsters of the Midway are anything but.
Sure, it’s only one week. And yes, the Bears have a new defensive coordinator who’s never called a game before last Sunday. Maybe it will get better. Or, maybe it’s the new normal.
If the Bears’ defensive performance against the Rams — one in which they surrendered 34 points — is, in fact, their new normal, it’s going to be an even longer season than what the harshest of critics predicted.
Here’s how we graded each of the Bears’ defensive position groups in Week 1.