LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) -- 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel shouldn’t have had the chance to turn a screen pass on third-and-forever into a game-changing blow to the Bears on Sunday.
Bears pass rusher Robert Quinn could've knocked the pass down on his pursuit off the edge, which would've forced the 49ers into a punt from deep in their own territory. Nickel cornerback Duke Shelley and inside linebacker Alec Ogletree could've taken angles in front of the lead blockers to slow down Samuel's progress. Safety Tashaun Gipson could've run toward the marker instead of trying to cut underneath as Samuel outran him.
Instead, Samuel navigated 83 yards to the Bears' 1-yard line as the 49ers swung the momentum of the game with one play. The 49ers went on to a 33-22 win to steal a victory the Bears (3-5) had in sight.
“I mean, it’s easy to say, but just make the play,” Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson said Wednesday.
Through eight games this season, the Bears’ defense simply hasn’t made enough plays. It’s a unit that has been set back considerably by injuries to key players like star pass rusher Khalil Mack, defensive lineman Akiem Hicks, linebacker Danny Trevathan and most recently safety Eddie Jackson, but they also know health woes aren't an excuse.
“Next man up,” Ogletree said. “Nobody is going to feel sorry for us because we don't have our top guy in there.”
The Bears didn't force a punt or turnover in their loss to the 49ers. Chicago also failed to record a single hurry of San Francisco quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and surrendered 467 total yards, its most in a regulation game since late in the 2016 season.
After Jackson suffered a hamstring injury on the second play from scrimmage Sunday, Garoppolo and the 49ers' offense thrived. They attempted only one pass beyond 20 yards from the line of scrimmage, finding soft spots between the linebackers and replacements at safety who were too often playing too deep in coverage. Garoppolo went 17-of-28 for 322 passing yards in a performance that resembled those from Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers against the Bears in the prior weeks.
By now, it’s clear the Bears defense isn't going to return to the dominant form it hoped to have in 2021. Chicago ranks 20th in scoring defense and 15th in yardage allowed per game. The Bears defense has only forced eight turnovers (tied for 19th) in eight games and ended just 10% of drives with takeaways (18th) this season.
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This could've been predicted for the Bears, who were misguided in believing they could recapture their 2018 glory when their defense was the NFL’s best. Mack is 30 and has played through injuries for the last few seasons. Hicks and Trevathan are each 31 and have battled through their own health issues as well. Jackson has two interceptions over the last three seasons, both coming on desperation heaves late in games. He hasn’t been what the Bears hoped when they made him the then-highest-paid safety in the NFL nearly two years ago.
Bears general manager Ryan Pace banked on his defense having good health and top performance from its key veteran players, and he believed his young draft picks would emerge as solid depth pieces. But since the Bears' rise in the 2018 season, Pace has selected just one defensive player before Day 3 of the draft. That was Johnson, whom the Bears selected in the second round at No. 50 overall in 2020, one pick before cornerback Trevon Diggs went to the Cowboys. Diggs has a NFL-best seven interceptions this season, three more than the Bears have as a team.
The Bears haven’t drafted game-changing players like Diggs in the last three years. They’ve struggled to fill voids with injuries to Mack, Hicks, Trevathan and now Jackson. Now, getting off the field is proving to be a challenge in its own right.
The Bears aren’t making the plays they used to when the defense was at its best, and they're feeling the effects of that regression.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.