‘We’ve got work to do’: Bears’ defense getting run over

The Bears traditionally pride themselves on stopping the run, but no more than coach Matt Eberflus does.

Stopping the run was the hallmark of Eberflus’ defenses with the Colts. In his four seasons as defensive coordinator from 2018 to 2021, the Colts ranked eighth, seventh, second and 10th in run defense. In 2020, the 3-0 Bears were averaging 138 rushing yards per game until they ran into Eberflus’ stone wall — only 28 yards on 16 carries (1.8 average) in a 19-11 loss at Soldier Field.

So it’s to Eberflus’ dismay that while the Bears are 11th in the NFL in scoring defense through the first four weeks (19.3 points per game), they’re last in rushing defense (183.3 yards per game). In fact, the 733 rushing yards allowed are the Bears’ most through four games since 1955 (823, 205.8 per game).

“We’re trying to improve every aspect of our football team,” Eberflus said. “Some areas are better than others. The scoring defense is good. And the rushing offense is good. I’ll buy that. But we still have to improve on our entire team.”

Even the best defenses will have uncharacteristic lapses. And in the first year of Eberflus’ system, he expects the Bears to find a groove as the season plays out. But he doesn’t dismiss the notion that it’s an indication this defense isn’t grasping the nuances of his scheme as he would have hoped.

“I think it’s both,” Eberflus said. “Some of the experiences are there that they’re seeing for the first time in a game, so I think you’ll get some of that with a crew that you’re just starting to develop. And then some of them, they are repetitive [mistakes]. We’ve got to do a better job of executing.”

The shoddy run defense was exposed in the Bears’ 20-12 loss to the Giants on Sunday. The Bears gave up 262 rushing yards, the most they’ve allowed since 2013. Saquon Barkley gained 146 on 31 carries (4.7 average) — that’s a great player getting the best of them.

But Giants quarterbacks combined for 98 yards on nine carries, an indication that the Giants outfoxed the Bears in game-planning. Daniel Jones had 68 yards on six carries (11.3 average), including play-action bootleg touchdown runs of 21 and eight yards. And backup Tyrod Taylor added 30 yards on three carries.

The Giants had eight plays of 10 yards or more — many of them that betrayed the notion of the H.I.T.S. principle.

“Obviously, there were a few plays out there that were certainly that — us not executing, guys not playing the way we do business,” Eberflus said. “And we’ll get that cleaned up. Obviously, those boot plays by the quarterback, those are things we have to clean up. And the quarterback keepers, we have to do better at that, as well.”

The Bears don’t figure to have the same issues against Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium. But Eberflus knows his defense has shown enough holes on film that the run-game issue won’t get solved until he fixes it.

“It’s technique,” Eberflus said. “It’s tough. The NFL’s tough now. If you show something [that’s vulnerable], they’re going to keep attacking it. So you gotta make sure that you shore those things up.”

Eberflus almost sounded excited about the chore of doing that. With his record of success, it should get better before it gets worse.

“That’s how the NFL is; that’s what makes it so great,” Eberflus said. “So we’ve got some work to do there.”