Bears See Side Effects of 'Screaming' DBs

Players on both sides of the football have seen the benefits of Matt Eberflus' zone coverage approach, combined with the HITS style of play.

Bears receiver Darnell Mooney loves the new defensive approach by his team.

That's right, Mooney. Their No. 1 wide receiver hasn't switched sides of the football. He simply is seeing the effect on the entire team of a group of highly energized, competitive "screamers," in the defensive secondary.

"We realized that the first couple of weeks when they were getting the ball out, punching the ball out, were all over the place," Mooney said. "The way that they run to the ball, it makes you scream and want to finish to the end zone because you have guys screaming at you and running fast at you.

'That will help us, for sure. Just being able to finish and understand that guys are going to continue to come."

Mooney uses the word "screaming" descriptively and not literally.

"Not screaming, but running-wise, everybody’s running," Mooney said, laughing.

Mooney obviously sees the benefit of being challenged every step on the field in practice every day by relentless defenders.

Improving the receivers and passing game are side benefits of getting defensive backs to run hard to the ball every play out of their zone coverage, with their eyes on the quarterback. Numerous young players in the secondary fighting for limited roster spots adds to this hungry attitude.

This is the HITS approach coach Matt Ebeflus has installed with his team impacting the defense, and then rubbing off on the offense.

Will it work to improve a group obviously short on talent in some areas? Eberflus has seen it happen in Indianapolis.

However, when you're trying to coax veterans stuck in their ways of doing things to suddenly run every play at practice like their lives depend on it then there can be trouble. It doesn't appear to be the case in this Bears secondary because even their most established player, Eddie Jackson, sees the benefits.

"I just love the type of identity the coaches have built here–just flying around, hard-nosed, creating turnovers, putting us in a position to play with our eyes," Jackson said.

In fact, Jackson is feeling rejuvenated by the energy he sees.

"Me, I take all coaching," Jackson said. "You know my approach is just like a rookie. It's a new coach. Coach Dre (Andre Curtis), his record speaks for itself, the types of players he’s coached in the league. So if he tells me, I take heed to it and I put it in my notebook, 'Ok, if I need to work on this, I'm going to try to work on this.'

"Even if it's something with my stance, or breaks, or anything like that. I just take the coaching and run with it."

Eberflus' staff counts "loafs" when they're reviewing and grading practice film, and secondary players seem determined not to wind up with many strikes against them.

Jaquan Brisker, Kyler Gordon, Kindle Vildor and Thomas Graham Jr. are not the only players in the secondary with two seasons or less who are buzzing around. Energy from young roster challegers like Jon Alexander, Allie Green IV, Lamar Jackson, Jaylon Jones and A.J. Thomas can help keep even experienced players from slacking.

Considering the lack of success at takeaways in the last three seasons by the Bears secondary and cornerbacks, in particular, any change is welcome. Since the Bears led the league in interceptions in 2018 with 27, they have been ranked 25th with 10 interceptions, 23rd with 10 and 29th last year with a franchise record low of eight. 

Only six of last year's interceptions came from defensive backs and only once in each of the last two years have cornerbacks intercepted passes. Bears cornerbacks have made one interception—by Jaylon Johnson—in the last 32 games.

If relentless hustle to the ball every second of every play, or "screaming," can change this, then scream away.

"It's something different, it's something different," said Jackson, whose last interception came 33 games ago. "We're flying around. I can't emphasize that more. Everyone is flying around.

"The effort we're giving, and when you have young guys that's out there that's willing to work, they're willing to take the coaching, they're willing to do whatever it takes to buy in, and making plays on the ball, as you kinda see (during minicamp), we had a couple of turnovers on this side, just having that swag, having fun, that's the best thing that I like about the young secondary that we have right now."

The side benefit of improving the offense by  facing this defensive approach daily can't hurt, either.

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