{"id":121596,"date":"2021-09-16T08:00:49","date_gmt":"2021-09-16T12:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/?p=121596"},"modified":"2021-09-16T01:26:42","modified_gmt":"2021-09-16T05:26:42","slug":"chicago-bears-pass-rush-will-get-chance-to-show-life-in-week-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2021\/09\/16\/chicago-bears-pass-rush-will-get-chance-to-show-life-in-week-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Chicago Bears Pass Rush Will Get Chance to Show Life in Week 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Chicago Bears<\/a> have spent a lot of money on their pass-rush. Not only in the form of draft (and later, financial) capital in trading for Khalil Mack<\/a> in 2018 but also in the massive deal handed to Robert Quinn<\/a> last offseason. The latter certainly didn\u2019t live up to his billing in his first year. It\u2019s also fair to wonder if the juice is worth the squeeze on the former.<\/span><\/p>\n

In Week 2, they will have a chance to get themselves going after being shutout in the opener in L.A.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Mack, Quinn Have to Get Bears Pass Rush Back on Track<\/span><\/h2>\n

Rush Delivery<\/span><\/h3>\n

While Quinn produced just two sacks in 2020, Mack still managed nine; a half-sack increase over the year before. But with only one game with multiple sacks — Week 5 versus Tampa Bay — it felt like a lot less. Mack entered the season as Pro Football Focus\u2019 top-rated EDGE.<\/span><\/p>\n

And many people have often attributed his lack of sacks as a function of not having a bookend on the other side.<\/span><\/p>\n

But before Quinn, Leonard Floyd lined up opposite Mack. Despite having just 8.5 sacks in 2019, Mack had 12.5 sacks the year before opposite Floyd who, by the way, went to the Rams last season and had 10.5 sacks. Sacks aren\u2019t everything. And Mack was a force against the run last season.<\/span><\/p>\n

He isn\u2019t paid as well as he is to stop the run though.<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite getting the win, the\u00a0 Cincinnati Bengals allowed the Minnesota Vikings to get to Joe Burrow for five sacks in Week 1. This offensive line, despite the investments in recent years, offers a much better chance for the Bears pass rush to get going.<\/span><\/p>\n

Looking ahead at their schedule, it might be one of the few \u201csoft\u201d matchups on their otherwise daunting slate.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Triple Threat<\/span><\/h3>\n

Getting the pass rush jumpstarted would go a long way to making things easier for an embattled secondary. Eddie Jackson and Tashaun Gipson won\u2019t likely forget that, unlike college, they have to touch a downed offensive player to end the play. But the blown coverages that allowed Cooper Kupp and Van Jefferson to run free in the first place need to be addressed.<\/span><\/p>\n

There aren\u2019t many options as evidenced by the trio of defensive backs the Bears worked out on Wednesday. That is a problem with the Bengals talented trio of receivers on deck.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Led by fifth-overall pick Ja\u2019Marr Chase\u2019s five grabs and 101 yards, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd round out a very talented young receiving corps in the NFL. Higgins caught four passes for 58 yards and a touchdown in Week 1 while Boyd added three catches for 32 yards.<\/span><\/p>\n

As if that weren\u2019t terrifying enough, Bengals running back Joe Mixon is also a capable pass-catcher, hauling in four passes himself for 23 yards. He might find the sledding tougher this week versus Akiem Hicks and (hopefully) a returning Eddie Goldman after rushing for 123 yards against the Vikings so Cincy could try to get him going through the air.<\/span><\/p>\n

Chicago did hold Darrell Henderson to 87 total yards on 16 carries and one catch. But if they let Burrow go off like they did Stafford, how or even if Mixon gets his numbers won\u2019t matter.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Bears defensive coordinator Sean Desai says he would\u2019ve graded eight plays with missed tackles vs. the Rams; 12 missed tackles overall. The play with multiple misses was the third-and-13 to Kupp. He saw only 2-3 actual coverage mistakes (losing a 1-on-1 battle doesn\u2019t count).<\/p>\n

— Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) September 15, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n