Not much was going right for the Chicago Bears in their 27-9 preseason loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. However, one thing they were able to do well was contain the Bengals’ rushing attack.
In fact, Cincinnati was held to just 64 yards on 20 attempts, an average of just 3.2 yards per attempt. Head coach Ben Johnson said the success in run defense was a combination of multiple things including the linebackers, players in the secondary being active in stopping the run and gap integrity.
"We’re just trying to get out of our stance and strike blocks," Johnson said. "Our linebackers are doing a good job communicating and filling gaps, and we have our little guys that are willing tacklers. I think they’re doing a good job tackling in space for the most part through two games so far."
Seeing Chicago find success defending the run was promising, especially for a game where the Bears struggled so much in every other area. Last season, the Bears were one of the worst run defenses in the league, allowing an average of five yards per carry, which was the fourth-worst in the NFL.
If there is one positive takeaway from the Bears’ preseason game against the Bengals, it is that Chicago has depth pieces on the defense that can help stop the run which will be important for them this season as they have to face elite running backs such as Saquon Barkley with the Philadelphia Eagles, Bijan Robinson with the Atlanta Falcons, Jahmyr Gibbs twice with the Detroit Lions and James Cook with the Buffalo Bills.
Follow Bears Wire on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Ben Johnson praised Bears run defense vs. Bengals
Leave a Comment