Bear Digest

Bears Pass Rusher Climbing the Charts Toward Montez Sweat

Gervon Dexter's early progress as a 3-technique starter for the first time not only resulted in some big statistical jumps but also in earning coaches' respect for effort.

Gene Chamberlain

Gervon Dexter's pass rush from the inside has been a good complement to Montez Sweat's edge rush for the Bears.
Gervon Dexter's pass rush from the inside has been a good complement to Montez Sweat's edge rush for the Bears. / David Banks-Imagn Images
In this story:

The Jacksonville Jaguars paid the obligatory homage to Bears edge rusher Montez Sweat this week.

There's good reason for it. Even with only two sacks, Sweat's destructive powers force teams to send more than one blocker his way much of the time and it frees up other Bears for what Matt Eberflus calls "the Sweat effect."

"Played against him when he got into Washington in the NFC East, when we were (coaching) in Philadelphia, tons of length," Jaguars offensive coordinator Press Taylor said, according to On SI publisher John Shipley. "He's got a variety of pass rush moves but he's able to affect the quarterback."

The Jaguars claim Sweat had eight pressures against them in one game while with Washington, though Pro Football Reference put it at three. He has had six against an opponent, though.

"I mean, I feel like you've got Montez Sweat out there, I feel like we've got to be dialed in for him," running back Travis Etienne said, according to Shipley. "We can't let him wreck the game."

There could be a Game Wrecker II developing. If teams continue this route it won't be long before they're worried about another player up front in the pass rush at least as much. Actually, they should already be worried about Gervon Dexter and Andrew Billings. Chiefly, it's Dexter because of his speed, but Billings is surprising them as well.

Dexter has been one of the chief beneficiaries of the "Sweat effect." However, his own improvement as a young player coming into his own in his second season and first year as a starter also is involved.

Dexter had six pressures, no sacks or tackles for loss and six pressures for the eight games he played in prior to the arrival of Sweat last year, according to Stathead/Pro Football Reference.

In the 14 games since Sweat has been playing, Dexter has made 6 1/2 sacks, 19 quarterback hits, 24 pressures and three tackles for losses.

IT'S NEXT SAFETY UP FOR BEARS AND EXPERIENCE IN SYSTEM COUNTS

NO PANIC BY BEARS DEFENSE DESPITE SECONDARY INJURIES

HECTIC WEEK FOR JAGUARS CAN HELP BEARS STAY ON PACE IN NFC NORTH

WHY KEENAN ALLEN CAN BE ONE OF THE BEARS WHO CAUSE JAGUARS PROBLEMS

How good is that? Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter gets mentioned as the standard for a young defensive tackle and over that same period Carter has four fewer sacks, 14 fewer quarterback hits and 13 fewer pressures than Dexter.

It looks like an even bigger difference if you use Pro Football Focus' way of keeping track of statistics. They have Dexter with eight sacks in that period, but they don't count half sacks. While this might seem logical, it also subverts the reality of actual league statistics, which say 6 1/2 sacks.

It's not just a case of a player coming of age but one who is learning the defensive tackle position.

"Well it would be easy to say the rush production the sacks and his overall energy and his understanding some of the little fine details of how to play defensive tackle, especially the 3-technique position but also how to play the nose--occasionally he'll line up over the center," defensive coordinator Eric Washington said. "His assignments have almost been flawless.

"And so there's been no issues as far as him not being in a position to execute. That allows you to play extremely fast and when you can do that the production is soon to follow."

Dexter's attitude has combined with his better knowledge to impress coach Matt Eberflus.

"He's done really well for us and really it's about the work ethic," Eberflus said. "Obviously you see how big Gervon is and all those things, and athletic, all that, but to us it's about the work he's put in. He's put in his body and his mind in terms of toughness level and a focus level that's been unmatched that I've seen. He's really worked himself into the position he's in.

"So his execution and his production is really no surprise to me this far in the year and I really believe that he's going to take some bigger strides here coming forward because he continues to work with great determination every single day."

A player off Dexter's experience can suddenly become too impressed with his own progress but Washington said he doubts it's the case with Dexter.

"I don't worry about him maintaining a certain disposition because he's such a professional person, and especially in Year 2 going into a full-time starter's role, his humility and his willingness to be open to constructive feedback, his just overall maturity," Washington said. "So I don't worry about any drop off. I don't worry about him being enamored with what he's done.

"Gervon, like everybody else on the defense, we understand that once we get past one opponent or one particular play we've got to move forward because we've got larger goals than (four) sacks or whatever he has in (five) games. We have larger goals not only for him individually but for our defense and for our team. And so we continue to stay focused on that and he really embodies that."

Twitter: BearsOnSI

Published
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.