It's why the Bears were so disappointed in their play in a 24-21 loss to the Raiders in London on Oct. 6, a performance in which Oakland averaged 5.6 yards per play and totaled 398 yards of offense. Both were season-highs for a Bears opponent.
"That loss we had to Oakland was not us," safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix said. "We've had a chip on our shoulder this entire bye week just thinking about it."
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The Bears still rank third in the NFL in scoring defense at 13.8 points per game. They're also sixth in total defense, allowing 312.2 yards per game.
The Bears now face a challenge in hosting the Saints (5-1) at Soldier Field on Sunday. It's an innovative New Orleans offense that has continued to get the job done with backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater standing in for future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees, who has missed the last four games -- all Saints wins -- with a thumb injury.
"He's back in form, he's back to himself," safety Eddie Jackson said of Bridgewater. "He's athletic, he's able to extend plays with his feet and things like that.
"They're on a four-game winning streak so for us coming in, we know it's going to be a challenge and we've just got to play our keys."
The Bears are moving forward without 2018 Pro Bowl defensive lineman Akiem Hicks, who was placed on injured reserve this week due to an elbow injury. He will be out at least eight games, but the team is hopeful that he can return before the end of the regular season. The first potential game back for Hicks would be against the Packers on Dec. 15.
Hicks was present at Halas Hall on Thursday and is already working through his rehabilitation. As for the Bears, they must utilize the next-man-up approach on the defensive line.
Through the injuries and inconsistencies, the Bears still believe in their defense.
"Our mindset is still the same," Clinton-Dix said. "That's to be dominant on defense. That's to create turnovers and capitalize and get off the field on third down. That's the emphasis this week."