Forgive Montez Sweat if his enthusiasm wasn’t precisely flowing late Sunday afternoon. A day after signing a life-changing contract extension with the Chicago Bears — 4 years, $98 million with greater than $72 million assured — Sweat’s first public feedback about that deal and his soccer future got here within the minutes after his new staff suffered its seventh lack of a wayward season.
With a tough-to-swallow 24-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints contained in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, the stumbling Bears had much more on their minds than the continued orientation of their new standout go rusher. And Sweat, who began the week on the apply area in Washington and completed it with a modest two-tackle effort for the Bears in opposition to the Saints, was nonetheless too caught up within the whirlwind to provide a lot of a deep breakdown on all that has occurred to him and for him in current days.
“It’s been a fast week,” he mentioned. “I’ve really just been taking it day by day.”
But that massive contract needed to really feel gratifying when it was finalized Saturday morning, no?
“It’s huge,” Sweat mentioned. “It’s what you’ve been working for since you got in the league. So that was great. But I’m more worried about getting a win.”
As for Sunday’s debut with an bettering Bears protection, Sweat realized it was a small first step on what can be a demanding climb. “I feel like once I get more comfortable and once I start knowing the plays, I can play faster and all those types of things,” he mentioned. “So we’re going to see.”
There wasn’t a right away splash from the 6-foot-6, 262-pound go rusher in Sunday’s loss. His first sort out got here on a 13-yard Taysom Hill run within the fourth quarter and he later stopped Saints working again Jamaal Williams for a 2-yard acquire.
Sweat’s largest contribution was a third-quarter sequence throughout which he beat Saints proper sort out Ryan Ramczyk across the edge after which swatted Derek Carr’s proper shoulder to trigger a third-down incompletion. Initially, it regarded like a doable strip sack with security Eddie Jackson scooping the unfastened soccer and racing to the top zone. But officers dominated it a useless ball.
Admittedly, that was a small and inspiring flash.
“But that wasn’t enough,” Sweat mentioned. “I’ve got to get there more. I have to have more production.”
Bears coach Matt Eberflus mentioned the plan coming into Sunday was to make use of Sweat totally on third downs and in 2-minute conditions whereas mixing him in at different spots that made sense.
Sweat famous the required chemistry that comes when a complete defensive position can rush the passer with a collective fluidity was there “in moments” Sunday.
“But it’s definitely not all the way there yet. I’m still getting to know these guys. I’m still learning how they rush so I can play off them and they can play off me. I’m sure that will come somewhere down the line.”
Overall, Sweat contributed to a defensive effort Sunday by which the Bears held New Orleans to 301 whole yards and by some means restricted the Saints to 7 factors on 5 fourth-quarter possessions which all began inside Bears territory.
But Sunday’s sport abstract centered instantly on the turnover margin, with the Saints scoring a 5-0 knockout, together with three interceptions off Bears rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent.
For the tenth time within the Matt Eberflus period, the Bears protection went with out a takeaway. For the eighth time, the Bears didn’t have a sack. For the fourth time, that they had neither.
Presumably, the addition of Sweat ought to assist change that within the quick time period. In a best-case situation, his presence will assist open a faucet of impression performs over the subsequent four-plus seasons. But it’s additionally price declaring the Bears made a top-dollar funding in a participant with 35 1/2 sacks and 85 quarterback hits over his first 68 profession video games.
Even Sweat appeared to acknowledge the comforts of his new contract would additionally create a brand new set of expectations.
“It’s security,” he mentioned. “But, I mean, it also creates more (demand) for me to get it done.”
On Sunday, Sweat lamented that he didn’t produce extra, even with the circumstances of enjoying on the highway in a brand new protection after a chaotic week.
“Football is football,” he mentioned. “I was getting one-on-ones. I have to win those. Now we have to get back to the drawing board, check the film and see what I can do better going forward.”
As for the way a few of Sweat’s teammates processed his first sport? Jackson senses the Bears protection may have an added edge going ahead.
“It’s always a boost when you have a guy like that, who is that dominant can play the run and the pass and is all over the field,” he mentioned. “Obviously, I’m pretty sure he’ll have things he wants to get cleaned up and work on learning our playbook so he can be out there more with us. But it’s always a boost when you add new talent to the group.”
Cornerback Jaylon Johnson mentioned final week he can be bothered if Sweat landed an extension with the Bears earlier than he did. But Johnson took the excessive highway when requested Sunday how he reacted to Sweat’s new deal.
“I’m happy for him,” Johnson mentioned with a smile. “He’s a high-quality guy. He is a guy who plays this game at a high level. And he definitely deserved to get that.”
Defensive sort out Andrew Billings, who acquired his personal extension final week albeit a way more modest one, expressed appreciation for Sweat’s effort Sunday given the chaos of his week.
“He’s been here for three days,” Billings mentioned. “That’s not easy to do. For anybody. He stepped up and did the best he could. We’ll go back and watch it all on film and see everything. I think he played hard and he didn’t worry about making mistakes.”
The massive subsequent step, after all, would require Sweat to get acclimated as rapidly as doable so he can emerge as an every-week game-changer for a staff that’s low on them.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com