The barrage of Chicago Bears’ takeaways began with 11 minutes, 43 seconds to play within the second quarter Monday evening at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Vikings quarterback Josh Dobbs lofted a move to huge receiver Jordan Addison on the left sideline, and Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson leaped into the air to drag it down.
Bears security Jaquan Brisker was subsequent. A Dobbs move within the second quarter bounced off Addison’s fingers, and Brisker dived ahead.
Then it was linebacker T.J. Edwards’ flip. Johnson broke up a third-quarter Dobbs move to Ok.J. Osbourn, and Edwards hopped as he caught it.
Finally, nickel Kyler Gordon jumped in on the motion within the fourth quarter, diving to drag in a soccer that defensive deal with Justin Jones practically secured himself earlier than he bobbled it.
When the Bears have been finished in Minneapolis, they’d intercepted Dobbs 4 occasions to assist drive a 12-10 Bears victory, the workforce’s first within the NFC North underneath coach Matt Eberflus. In the final two video games in opposition to the Detroit Lions and Vikings, the Bears have eight takeaways, together with seven interceptions.
“We’re playing good coverage on the back end,” Johnson mentioned. “The rush is getting there, causing the quarterback to make some bad decisions. Rush and coverage, coverage and rush, it all goes together.”
The Bears had 9 quarterback hits and two sacks on Dobbs, who threw for 185 yards, with new Bears defensive finish Montez Sweat accountable for 1 1/2 of these sacks.
The evening, after all, wasn’t excellent. The Bears allowed the Vikings to march 77 yards for his or her solely landing of the sport when Dobbs hit tight finish T.J. Hockenson within the center for a 17-yard landing move with 5:58 to play within the fourth quarter. The play put the Vikings forward 10-9.
But when Bears quarterback Justin Fields fumbled on the following drive, giving the ball again to the Vikings, the Bears compelled a three-and-out to offer Fields an opportunity to steer the profitable drive. Kicker Cairo Santos made a 30-yard subject aim with 10 seconds left to win it.
That cease was massive for a Bears protection that allowed the Lions to return again from 12 factors all the way down to win the sport in Week 11.
Eberflus, whose workforce additionally blew a 21-point lead in opposition to the Denver Broncos earlier this season, hopes that lastly with the ability to end may have lasting results on the workforce transferring ahead.
“We came out after last week, we wanted to do the same thing but just stick a knife in it,” Bears security Eddie Jackson mentioned. “We wanted to go four quarters. It wasn’t pretty. We have some things to clean up on that touchdown drive, but overall defense, I feel like we played lights out.”
For the second time in opposition to the Vikings this season — the Vikings received 19-13 within the groups’ first assembly — factors have been at a premium. The Bears scored simply three factors off the 4 takeaways.
The Bears punted after the Johnson and Brisker interceptions within the first half. Bears kicker Cairo Santos made a 55-yard subject aim following Edwards’ decide. And Bears quarterback Justin Fields misplaced a fumble after Gordon’s interception.
But Johnson mentioned the protection didn’t let that have an effect on their mindset as they constructed momentum in opposition to Dobbs, who entered the evening with six interceptions in 11 video games.
“They don’t score, they don’t win,” Johnson mentioned. “We never flinched. Just put it on us. At the end of the day, you can’t win a game if you don’t score. So that’s our mentality every time we step on the field.”
Beyond the takeaways there have been different massive performs, together with when Gordon pushed Hockenson out of bounds 1 yard wanting the primary down on fourth-and-7 on the primary drive of the third quarter. Johnson, who lamented missed interceptions in opposition to the Lions, practically had a second decide Monday.
The Vikings totaled 242 yards of offense, their second-lowest output of the season behind solely the 220 yards within the first assembly with the Bears.
“Defense creates momentum in a lot of different ways,” Eberflus mentioned. “They do it through third-down stops, they do it through big hits, and they do it through taking the ball away. That’s what we always preach to the guys, and they did all three things today.”
Monday’s efficiency got here in opposition to a Vikings protection lacking beginning quarterback Kirk Cousins and star huge receiver Justin Jefferson, who’re out with Achilles and hamstring accidents, respectively.
But that doesn’t damper the Bears’ hope that the final two video games have began a turnaround for his or her protection.
During coaching camp in August, the Bears spoke extremely of what the unit may do. But coping with accidents to a number of key gamers, they entered Monday evening’s sport with simply 13 takeaways, tied for twenty fourth within the NFL.
Now, they really feel like they’re constructing themselves again into what they are often.
“We’re getting into our groove, into what each of our players do (best),” Gordon mentioned. “We’re playmakers, so once we get in our groove, the chemistry keeps building, it’s special.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com