The 1934 Cincinnati Football Reds were a mess. In eight games, which they all lost, they gave up 243 points and scored just 10. They were shut out six times, though they kicked a field goal in a loss to Red Grange, Bronko Nagurski and the Bears. The franchise folded with games still left to play, and St. Louis businessmen fielded the team as the Gunners instead.
Ninety-one years later, the Reds still hold one ignominious title — the worst run defense in NFL history, having allowed 6.4 yards per rush.
This year’s Bears should thank God for the Reds. Were it not for them, they’d be on pace for the worst rushing defense in NFL history. Through four games, the Bears are giving up 6.1 yards per carry, which would be the second-most in the history of the sport were the season to end today.
The Bears are 2-2, rank second in the league in interceptions and third in takeaways. Their run defense, though, is a flashing red light.
“No one likes seeing six yards, seven yards per carry,“ Bears coach Ben Johnson said. “That’s not what we want to be about. We’re working very diligently on getting better in that regard.”
Yes, it’s a small sample size. But it’s not too early for Johnson, or others, to be concerned.
Three of the 12 best games in the NFL this year, in terms of yards per rush by those with 10 carries or more, have come against the Bears — the Lions’ Jahmyr Gibbs ranks seventh with 7.8 in Week 2, the Cowboys’ Javonte Williams ranks eighth with 7.8 in Week 3 and the Raiders’ Ashton Jeanty ranks 12th with 6.6 in Week 4.
The Raiders‘ 220 rushing yards Sunday were the most in the NFL this year.
The Bears aren’t tackling well — Jeanty gained 124 yards after contact Sunday, the most of any running back in any game this year. Other times, they’re simply being pushed around at the line of scrimmage — Gibbs had 80 yards before contact in Week 2 against the Bears, the fourth-most in the league this year.
To paraphrase former Bears coach John Fox: it’s all a problem.
The Bears had a physical training camp — many players said one full-contact session in the doldrums of camp was the most intense practice they’d ever had. Johnson thought the team did enough hitting in August to avoid the tackling struggles usually hamstring teams in September. Something, though, doesn’t isn’t working — fixing it is one of the coaching staff’s main priorities during the bye week. That falls on defensive coordinator Dennis Allen and Johnson, who, despite his offensive pedigree, is ultimately in charge.
“I think the most important thing that we’re looking at is the staff and as players is, ‘How do we get better at some of our fundamentals?’” Johnson said. “We’re not shedding blocks to the degree we’d like to yet, or at least as consistently as we’d like to yet. We’re not making tackles in space as well as we’re capable of.”
The Bears are staying in their lanes on defense or getting deep enough penetration at the line of scrimmage, allowing running backs to spring out. When they do, the defensive backs aren’t tackling well.
“It’s not just the D-line or the linebackers,” said safety Kevin Byard, who is tied for the league lead with three interceptions. “It is all of us included. We all have to be better.”
A return to health would help all three major position groups — the line, linebackers and defensive backs.
Linebacker T.J. Edwards has played in only part of one game because of a hamstring issue, but said he should be ready to return to face the Commanders in Week 6. The same goes for cornerback Kyler Gordon, whose own hamstring injury has kept him from playing a single snap this season.
“I wish we could play this week … I’m already good now,” Gordon said. “I will be a factor, and that’s what I’m going to go do, whether it’s run game, pass game.”
The return of defensive tackle Grady Jarrett from a knee injury, though, might be the most direct way to slow the run. He hurt his knee in the opener and has missed six of the team’s nine practices since. He missed his first game Sunday and was not on the field in the portion of practice open to the media Tuesday.
Ultimately, run defense is a team stat, Edwards said.
“It’s everyone keying in on the little things, fundamentally,” he said. “It’ll get fixed for sure. It’s been an emphasis, no doubt.”
