Bears' stifling defense steals the show with first joint practice with Dolphins

If there were any concerns regarding the Chicago Bears' defense before their joint practice with the Miami Dolphins, then fans should put those thoughts to rest. Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen has this group cooking.

There was a lot of praise pointed towards the Bears' defense as they dominated the Dolphins' offense. ESPN Bears reporter Courtney Cronin recounted what she saw that made the difference for the defense.

"Bears defense dominated two early 11-on-11 periods and looked like the most consistent unit today. Brisker and Byard each had an INT during move the ball periods. Edmunds came away with an INT during red zone."

Bears' defense continues to look like the strength of the team in 2025

Major credit to the culture shift that head coach Ben Johnson and Allen have implemented on this team, as the defense has seen most of the positive effects of that. Week after week in training camp, all the praise has been for the defense outperforming the offense, with the linebackers and defensive backs creating turnovers.

Edmunds' name has been brought up multiple times, including Allen himself, who has shown to be a big fan of the former Pro Bowler. Many in the media were hoping for a breakout season from Edmunds after he underperformed compared to his play in Buffalo with the Bills.

The secondary continues to show its depth, with Gordon not practicing due to an injury he suffered in Thursday's practice and Jaylon Johnson out for what could be most of, if not all of, training camp. Despite these absences, they continue to impress with excellent play. The safeties, Byard and Brisker, are the ones making the plays in the secondary with interceptions on the Dolphins, which are great signs.

Read more: Ben Johnson reveals Bears' plans with starters entering first preseason game

Sunday's matchup with Miami will tell the whole story on where this Bears team stands, but the defense will be ready to roll.