Chicago Bears Were Surprisingly Optimistic After Playoff Loss — And The Reason Makes Sense

Chicago Bears reports went into the locker room after the team’s overtime defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Rams, expecting utter devastation. Sure, players were disappointed and depressed that the season was over. However, there also seemed to be a surprising air of optimism permeating the room. One would expect it came from the realization that this team finally has a quarterback. Despite his three turnovers, Caleb Williams once again had them in position to win.

That was part of it. Confidence in Williams has never been higher. Guys believe he has all the makings of a superstar. However, another part of the positive vibe had to do with Dennis Allen. Players were ecstatic at the game the defensive coordinator called, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. He had Sean McVay in purgatory all night, holding the #1 offense in the NFL to just 17 points in regulation. It was a masterclass by the Bears’ defensive coordinator, and in the biggest game of the season.

What’s more, it was the first look in weeks at the defense mostly healthy.

“Lot of different disguises and perfect play calling,” said Brisker, who had a game-high 14 tackles. “Guys were executing and trusting each other. We did a wonderful job of executing it. He called the game so well. We were attacking Stafford, showing him different looks and really getting him frustrated. I appreciate DA for that.”

Probably more importantly, the Bears used that edge pressure to cut off the outside zone running game to prevent Kyren Williams and Blake Corum from getting to the corner. Most of the Bears defensive backs at one point or another did a great job in those situations. The Rams ran the ball 31 times for 111 yards (3.6 average) and had only one explosive run — a 10-yard gain by Williams. That’s a big reason they were 5 of 16 (31.3%) on third down.

The Chicago Bears saw what Allen’s defense could be near full strength.

Aside from T.J. Edwards and Dayo Odeyingbo, the Bears had all of their starters on the field, including Kyler Gordon, Jaylon Johnson, Tremaine Edmunds, and Grady Jarrett. All missed significant time throughout the season with various injuries. All were terrific most of the night at slowing down the Los Angeles attack. Now able to deploy his full arsenal, Allen matched wits with the best in the NFL and fought him to a standstill. This was exactly the coach the Bears thought they were getting when hiring him.

Now there is a knowledge inside Halas Hall that if the Chicago Bears can fortify the defensive personnel a little more this spring, they have the makings of an elite unit on their hands. Pair that with Ben Johnson’s blossoming offense, and that sounds like the makings of a Super Bowl contender. Looking at it that way, you start to understand why guys weren’t down too much. This coaching staff is loaded with talent. Just get them some players and watch the fun unfold.