Football can be an emotional roller coaster. When things aren't going a team's way, it's a grueling sport that can grind both players and fans down. You can tell when a team is going through the motions on the field, or when they're checked out in the locker room. It's not hard to tell when fans are upset-- they do a good job of letting everyone know.
When things are going well, though, football can be as fun as it gets. Putting up huge scores, or dominating an opponent on defense can be thrilling. Seeing positive results after putting in hours upon hours of hard work is uniquely satisfying. A great football team can unify a city and improve the moods of your co-workers or significant others.
Right now, the Bears defense is having a lot of fun.
One of the Bears' top defenders shares what makes Dennis Allen's defense fun
Jaquan Brisker played a large role in the team's 26-14 win over the New Orleans Saints in Week 7, when the Bears' defense held Spencer Rattler and the Saints' offense in check for practically the entire day. He told reporters at Halas Hall that the fun in the game actually begins in the meeting room with Dennis Allen in the week before the game.
"Especially when he's up there scheming stuff up and then comes back downstairs and hits us with some good plays," Brisker said. "Then we're like, 'Alright, this is about to work.'
"Then we start running them in practice, start getting a feel for it and it's amazing."
One of those amazing defensive series came at the start of the second quarter, when Allen dialed up three DB blitzes in a row. Brisker had his number called for two of those blitzes and got home with each one.
The result should have been a fourth-and-28 punt for the Saints, but Brisker was flagged for what seemed to be an erroneous roughing the passer penalty.
Regardless, Brisker loves where the defense is at now, because he knows Allen has a lot on his play sheet to call in big situations.
"Just a lot of exotic looks," Brisker said. "Maybe sometimes we'll blitz, sometimes we won't. Sometimes we'll go back in eight, drop eight (players into coverage). Whatever. There's so many different things we have, that's what I like about it.
"Once we get third-and-long, third-and-medium, things like that, we get to have fun. Really, third-and-short, too. Whatever we get on third down, it's good for us."
Read more: What we know about Cole Kmet, Tyrique Stevenson injuries heading into Week 8
The Bears have allowed a 30.5% third down conversion rate this year, which ranks No. 3 in the NFL. Their 15 takeaways and 11 interceptions both top the entire league.