The Chicago Bears played like a team that is tanking for the first overall pick in their game against the Cleveland Browns. There was simply no offense and the defense was on the field for what felt like the whole game. It is hard to find any silver linings after the way it played out, but a few players on the defensive side of the ball stood out amongst the wreckage.
The Chicago Bears defense played well enough without any offense
Chicago Bears Week 3 Winner No. 1: Khalil Mack
Khalil Mack showed what kind of player he is with a great effort against the Cleveland Browns and one of the best offensive lines in the league. He was able to get two sacks and applied consistent pressure on Baker Mayfield all game. The entire Bears pass rush looked strong which is a good sign considering how much money is invested in it.
Mack had been a bit quiet this season so far, so it is a welcome sight to see him getting back into his grove. We have not seen the same Khalil Mack that was so dominant in his first year with the Bears, but if he can continue to play the way he did in Cleveland it will go a long way in helping the Chicago Bears win some football games, especially if the offense is nonexistent.
Credit to Sean Desai who has done a good job of changing his pass-rushing scheme in order to free up the edge rushers who have not been able to produce much so far. Putting Mack and Robert Quinn on the same side has shown to be effective in spurts and it shows the creativity of Sean Desai.
Things were not looking good for Desai after Week 1, but today showed how he can think and fix things within his game plan so there is an improvement (unlike another coach on this team).
Khalil Mack is coming off a game with two sacks and two tackles for loss which contributed to the stout run defense, especially on star back Nick Chubb. Obviously, with the defense being on the field for so long they will get worn down, especially with how the Browns used Kareem Hunt. After such an ugly loss, it is good to see Khalil Mack getting into his grove.