Chicago Bears: Week 11 offensive and defensive MVPS
By Evan Bruner
Chicago Bears Week 11 Defensive MVP: Robert Quinn
With the announcement that Khalil Mack would have season-ending surgery on his foot early in the week, there will be a lot more pressure on Robert Quinn to lead the pass-rush. Quinn entered the game with 6.5 sacks and added to that total with a 3.5 performance to put him at an even 10 on the year. Chicago’s defense registered six sacks and finished with nine quarterback hits. The line’s consistent pressure limited Baltimore’s offense for most of the game.
Roquan Smith also led the defense with 17 total tackles and two for loss. Most weeks a performance like this would make Smith a shoo-in for defensive MVP. Smith continues to be the do-all linebacker the Bears desperately need, and it’s games like this that will land him a massive extension this offseason.
As great as Smith and Quinn were, it ultimately wasn’t enough to compensate for the secondary’s subpar play down the stretch. The combination of penalties and blown coverages opened the door just enough for Baltimore to escape from Soldier Field with a win.
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What may be hard for Chicago Bears fans to accept is the defense no longer has the talent to be a top-tier unit. With Mack out for the season, and Hicks and Jackson dealing with injuries, the unit is just missing too many key pieces to play at the level they have the last couple of seasons.