Chicago Bears Winning Behind Defense, Not Jay Cutler
Published by Brandon Alisoglu on November 4, 2012
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears have been looking for a quarterback since Prometheus hooked us up with fire, so their crush on Jay Cutler is understandable. But he isn’t the reason the Bears are a bona fide Super Bowl contender.
Just like every other successful Bears team, it’s the defense.
Not that the notion will surprise anybody. Chicago has been putting on a defensive performance in 2012 that rivals anything from Quentin Tarantino or Mozart.
Let’s take a peak at the different facets of the game that the defense has dominated.
You Can’t Lose if They Don’t Score
Most NFL teams are capable of scoring more than two touchdowns a game. Unless they’re playing the Chicago Bears.
The defense has been incredible at limiting opponents’ points, as the unit allows a paltry 14.9 per contest. That number is good enough for second in league behind the San Francisco 49ers.
After multiple tests and experiments, it’s been confirmed that keeping teams out of the end zone dramatically increases the odds of winning.
The best example of this theory would the Monday night clash with the Detroit Lions. The offense couldn’t get anything going and produced a total of 13 points. However, the defense was fine with putting the team on its back and limited the explosive Lions to just seven points.
Theory proven.
We Got This
Through seven games, Chicago was the third-best team in regards to net turnovers with a plus-12 number.
That isn’t because the offense is extremely cautious with the rock. It isn’t. During that same time frame, the offense gave away 11 possessions, which puts it squarely in the middle tier of the league.
Instead, the defense has made a profession of taking the ball away, with 23 in the team’s first seven contests. Add in the five turnovers forced against the Tennessee Titans, and it won’t be long until the Bears reign supreme in this category.
Cutler has, with the exception of the Green Bay Packers game, been one of the reasons for Chicago’s success. But the foundation has been built upon the defense, and it will continue in that fashion as the season progresses.
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