After an ugly 27-24 Week 9 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Chicago Bears finally got their return on investment on their offseason decision to sign linebacker Devin Bush.
Chicago let Tremaine Edmunds go in the offseason, leading the Bears to sign Bush to a three-year, $30 million contract to join T.J. Edwards in the starting lineup at linebacker. At the beginning of the season, there really wasn't much to talk about with Bush, as he had put together some quiet performances.
The hope was that the second half of the season would show something different with Bush in this Bears defense, as everyone knew he had the potential to be a dangerous weapon. Week 9 finally gave Bears fans what they wished for, and man, Bush came to play.
Devin Bush flexed his muscles in Bears' Week 9 win over the Buccaneers
This was Bush's best performance of the season, as he dominated throughout the Bucs game. It was everything he did; he did multiple things beautifully, not just one thing.
Everyone knew how fast Bush was at the linebacker position, but that was really on display throughout the game. One highlight play that showed his speed came on a third-and-goal in the second quarter, when Bush flew past the interior of the offensive line and hammered Kenneth Gainwell for a one-yard loss, forcing a Tampa Bay field goal. Bush also got a massive hit on wide receiver Emeka Egbuka for a one-yard gain on a receiver run.
Bush made multiple plays, flying around the field to make a massive tackle for the Bears. The Buccaneers had no answer for him since they had other guys to worry about, like Jeffery Simmons, Montez Sweat, and Austin Booker.
In the game, Bush finished with a team-high nine tackles, two pass deflections, and one tackle for loss. Pro Football Focus also added that he had a team-high three run stops and allowed four receptions for 36 yards.
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Bush has been trending in the right direction over the last month in this defense. He got a sack in the Bears' Week 8 win over the Seattle Seahawks, then put up a season-high nine tackles against the Buccaneers.
PFF had Bush's overall grade at a 62.8, ranking 37th out of 76 eligible linebackers. They also gave him a coverage grade of 69.4 (ranked 20th), a run-defense grade of 52.3 (ranked 63rd), and a pass-rush grade of 63.3 (ranked 42nd).
Several factors are helping Bush start to hit his stride with the Bears. He seems more comfortable with the defense and has a feel for where to find gaps to get the tackler.
It also helps that the talent around Bush is at its best this season. Simmons has really opened things up for Bush since offenses have to double-team Simmons, which opens things up for Bush to exploit the offense and make plays.
Despite heavy targeting throughout the year, Bush's coverage skills seem to be improving. His speed can help him keep up with tight ends and running backs in passing situations.
This is the kind of game that Bush can use to build momentum for the rest of the season. He is playing his best football, and no offense seems able to slow him down right now.
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The Bears have their bye week, which should give them time to rest up from a bruising first half of the season. Bush will benefit from the rest, and when he's back, offenses better be aware because he is playing like a madman at linebacker.
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