The Chicago Bears entered Week 8 on a four-game winning streak, but it was brought to an end by the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Chicago lost 30-16 to a Lamar Jackson-less Ravens team, and now the team sits at 4-3, third in the NFC North. While it would be great to just brush this off as a random game that teams will lose from time to time, the reality is Baltimore exploited an issue the Bears have struggled with all offseason.
Chicago has struggled to consistently stop the run this season, and the Ravens exposed that. Baltimore ran the ball 35 times for 177 yards and two touchdowns. Averaging 5.1 yards per rush, the Ravens had their way on the ground. It’ll be hard for the Bears, or any team, to contend when they can’t defend the run seriously.
Bears must improve their run defense to become a serious contender
Sunday’s stats weren’t a fluke or just a reflection of the Ravens being a good rushing offense. Chicago has struggled against the run all season, and that’s evident in the team’s stats. On the season, the Bears are giving up 143.3 yards per game, which ranks 27th in the NFL. Chicago also allows 5.3 yards per carry, which is 30th in the league.
This reality was masked by the four straight wins, but it remained. In Chicago’s four wins this season, the defense allowed 132.25 rushing yards a game. The Bears' offense made just enough plays in those games, though, helping the team win despite a bad run defense. That isn’t sustainable, though.
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As complex as football has become, it’s still a game about running the ball and stopping the run. Every postseason, fans are reminded of that, as the teams that do a good job of both play late into the season. If Chicago wants to be one of those teams, it has to get better against the run.