5 changes the Chicago Bears made to beat the Washinton Commanders

3. The Chicago Bears blitzed the Washington Commanders

The Chicago Bears entered the game with one of the lowest blitz rates in the NFL. However, they also were not getting any pressure, so the decision-making made no sense. They entered the game with 26 blitz attempts all season. Against the Commanders, they blitzed 19 times. It worked, too. They went from a 20% average blitz rate on the year to 39.1% against Washington.

Sam Howell averaged 9.5 yards per attempt when he was not facing a blitz. He was averaging 3.6 yards per attempt against the blitz. The Chicago Bears finally got some sacks as well. The defensive front got some late, but even TJ Edwards and Greg Stroman had timely blitzes that led to sacks.

This could be because Sam Howell simply is not processing fast enough to see the blitz. It could be a one-game thing because of the opponent. However, the Chicago Bears need to realize that they cannot generate enough pressure, and they have to blitz more often to bring more heat and create a few more sacks. It worked this week and needs to keep coming.