Bear Digest

Bears Counting on Returning Players to Offset Loss of Andrew Billings in Run Defense

With Montez Sweat and Kyler Gordon back the Bears anticipate figuring out how to plug the gaping hole in their run defense even after losing their starting nose tackle for the year.

Gene Chamberlain

Kyler Gordon celebrates after a big stop with Montez Sweat and Tremaine Edmunds in the last Bears win over Jacksonville.
Kyler Gordon celebrates after a big stop with Montez Sweat and Tremaine Edmunds in the last Bears win over Jacksonville. / Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images
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It seems unlikely, almost impossible.

The Bears defense needs to go back to basics for stopping the run to wipe out the memory of a 213-yard rushing embarrassment from last week in the loss to Arizona. They need to do it now, especially because they’ll be without defensive tackle Andrew Billings going forward.

Even when Billings was playing they experienced problems stopping the run just one season after they finished dominant as the No. 1 team in the league stopping the run. Now they need to stop New England's one-two rushing punch of Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson with backups at one defensive tackle spot, and Billings' loss will be felt.

“I mean really just going over it again, I think, kind of just seeing where we’ve been hit at of course is really in the run,” cornerback Jaylon Johnson said. “Really just a lot of uncharacteristic things, kind of, just really trying to clean up some assignments. Really just figuring out ways to stop that.

“I think that’s really where it starts at for us. I think, really, just first and foremost we’ve got to get back to the basics, getting back to our assignments and really just executing.”

It’s not going to be simple replacing Billings, who has a torn pectoral muscle and will go on season-ending IR.

“Very big. I mean, just of course, I’m saying big, he takes up a lot of space up there,” Johnson said. “But I mean just an impact guy really taking away those A-gaps, knocking the center back off the ball. I mean people take stuff like that for granted.

“When he was out there he really impacted that up front for us. We’ve been struggling with him and now kind of without him so it’s kind of like we now have got to find a new identity.”

The identity looks to be Zacch Pickens lining up alongside Gervon Dexter. They might alternate the nose and the 3-technique roles, and might rotate in Byron Cowart and Chris Williams more.

Pickens has been injured, as well, but has been healthy for two weeks. The 2023 third-round draft pick will need to prove himself.


“I just want to see just that energy, decisiveness, the physicality from Zacch,” Washington said. “Not getting in his own way. Not overthinking things, overanalyzing things. Just attacking, and he's prepared himself to do that and when we've seen that it's made a huge difference in our bottom line.

“And, you know, coming off an extended absence the way that he did–I'm not making any excuses for him–but just trying to find that rhythm and NFL football on Sunday is different than practicing it. It's different than walk-throughs. We'll be a lot better this week. I am looking forward to that and he'll help us win.”

Getting back Montez Sweat can impact this, as well. Sweat continues to practice and trying to overcome an injury of his own, a painful cleating to his shin.

"The stopping the run has really kinda been a thing this year that we've really gotta get on top of," Sweat said. "It's not something that I can save the day on. It's something that everybody has to play a part and do well in."

When they added Sweat last year, they did improve slightly against the run, from third to first in the league.

“He's excellent at the point of attack,” Washington said. “The value he adds to our defense, we're all well-aware of that.

“We'll be excited to have him back out there. His influence, his leadership his talent will make a difference for us.”

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Having slot cornerback Kyler Gordon back could also help. Gordon and safety Jaquan Brisker have contributed greatly in run support. Brisker remains out but Gordon appears through his hamstring injury.

“He’s a different guy just as far as the way he plays the game,” Johnson said of Gordon. “I mean he’s sneaky kind of just seeing him back out there so you can kind of tell he plays that position differently.

“Just, like his blitzes and things that he does. I would say like some of his run fits.  He just plays the game, I feel like, a different way than just guys in his position. And especially me being able to play with him for three years, having that experience. I mean there’s times that we can communicate and not really have to talk or really even have to look at each other. We just see things pretty much the same ways. So I mean for me just getting him back I think it’s going to be a great thing. But overall for the team he makes plays–pass, run, all areas.”

Washington is willing to give his guys the benefit of the doubt now. He thought he saw them simply going through a rough day. That’s one way of saying it, at least.  It was a rough week, after their Hail Mary loss.

“Sunday was a day that, it happens to the best of us,” Washington said. “The resolve, the toughness, the mental toughness and the eagerness to get back out on the football field and to right our ship, I have all the confidence in the world in our group.”

Twitter: BearsOnSI

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

BearDigest.com publisher Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.