Bear Digest

Bears Defense Makes a Stand Against Caleb Williams and Offense

Tracking the Bears at Camp: A two-minute drill late in practice died inside the 10-yard line as the defense stiffened, although QB Caleb Williams had some moments earlier.

Gene Chamberlain

Caleb Williams and the Bears quarterbacks go through stretching prior to Tuesday's fourth practice.
Caleb Williams and the Bears quarterbacks go through stretching prior to Tuesday's fourth practice. / Gene Chamberlain Photo | Chicago Bears On SI
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The Bears defensive scheme never was a place for a hunker down nose tackle.

Now, however, it's even less the case.

The idea is to attack offenses up the field in a one-gap approach and nose tackle Andrew Billings sees them doing even more of this while becoming better at it this year.

"The biggest difference is we're really focused on being vertical, especially in run defense," Billings said. "Crossing the line of scrimmage and changing it even moreso than we did last year. We just want more penetration."

It should become even more apparent Friday when the pads come on but the defense did its job at key moments in Tuesday's practice.

"We're not going to put our helmets in nobody's chest right now but when we get the pads on we've got to give them game-like reps," Billings said. "We've got to do that throughout the whole preseason then we'll tone it done during the regular season."

Considering the Bears were No. 1 against the run last year, it seems like something they really don't need to change. There are more changes than simply being more aggressive into gaps and up the field.

One of these is what they're doing with Billings. He's no longer only a nose tackle.

"I'm playing 3-technique a little bit this year, too, so I'm learning as I'm going," Billings said. "You've got new rookies, new guys that are hungry. We've gotta keep up with them."

The new guys aren't all that new. They were there last year, Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens.

"Dex and Zacch, they're a little bit more on their own this year, but I think they have it where they can improve themselves," Billings said. "They don't need me in their ear all the time.

It's Practice, Man

On Day 4, Caleb Williams and the Bears offense came away frustrated again, although they're getting closer.

A two-minute drill with the defense leading by four points ended just outside the 5-yard line on a fourth-down pass to Cole Kmet that was broken up by Tremaine Edmunds.

Defensive coordinator Eric Washington was pleased with what basically became a goal-line stand and sees it as possible because it's a well-conditioned team.

"It's a gut check," he said of the stand. "And listen, you can be in great shape in terms of preparing for training camp, but once you get out on the football field and you're going through individual periods, you're going through special teams for those who are involved in that and you're actually practicing scrimmage plays, that's a different level of conditioning.

"You're going to see guys in great shape get tired competing and playing pro football. They have to dig down deep. They've done that."

The defense didn't completely rule the day, however.

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Williams connected on one deep ball to Tyler Scott for about 40 yards as Scott got behind Stevenson, who stumbled. However Scott fell, himself, as the pass led him a bit too far. So he couldn't take it all the way.

The offense had one other full-squad disappointment when a third-and-3 pass off a short drop thrown to tight end Gerald Everett was broken up by Jack Sanborn.

The offense worked more running plays into the attack than in previous practices and Williams was generally sharp on the short passes, throwing one quick screen to running back D'Andre Swift that was broken off for a big gain. In a game, it might have even have gone for a touchdown but there is no contact yet. The pads come on Friday so more can be seen after that point.

Williams came out in 7-on-7 early at practice against zone coverage and was extremely sharp. Coach Matt Eberflus frequently has said he doesn't want the ball to hit the ground in 7-on-7 and in this session. It didn't. Every one of the tosses on the first session was caught by the offense.

Lining up

Williams didn't have two targets as wide receiver Keenan Allen and tight end Marcedes Lewis were given veterans days off.

Coleman Shelton took over at center as the alternating between he and Ryan Bates continued.

"We've got two different body types," Billings said of the centers. "We've got one quick guy and one really strong guy."

Bates is the bigger center at 6-4, 302. Shelton is quicker but very light for modern NFL linemen at 6-5, 285.

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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.