3 takeaways from the Chicago Bears win over the Lions in Week 14
Don't look now, but the Chicago Bears have won 3 of their last 4 games. The Bears got their second consecutive win over an NFC North foe on Sunday, defeating the Detroit Lions 28-13.
It may be too late for any shot at the playoffs, but the Bears have shown signs of life that can be built upon. Against the Lions in Week 14, Justin Fields had another solid outing. The QB threw for 223 yards with 1 passing touchdown and ran for 58 yards and added a rushing score.
The defense did a fabulous job of containing the high-powered Lions. Jared Goff was held to 161 passing yards and threw 2 interceptions. This is the type of game Bears fans have been waiting to see, and it could give the team brass some things to ponder as the season draws to a close.
Now, I want to go over three takeaways from the big Bears' win.
Jaquan Brisker is making his Pro Bowl case
Brisker was all over the field on Sunday and ended with easily his season-high in tackles. The defensive back racked up 17 tackles and defended 2 passes. Before this game, Brisker's season-high in tackles was 10.
The defensive back is making a strong case for his first Pro Bowl season. Brisker is now 3rd on the team in tackles with 80, and also has 1 sacks, 7 pass defenses, and 1 interception. Brisker has been arguably the most consistent member of the secondary this season and has definitely taken a step forward in his development.
Justin Fields could convince the Chicago Bears to not select a QB
The Week 14 matchup against Detroit is exactly the type of game everyone wants to see from Fields. Fields' explosive dual-threat ability was on full display, as the QB threw for 223 yards, ran for 58 yards, and accounted for 2 TDs.
Many mock drafts have the Bears selecting a QB with the top pick. With the Bears owning the Panthers' top selection, it may be hard to justify passing up on a rookie passer once again. However, Fields could easily be playing his way into another chance in Chicago.
On the season, Fields has 1,810 passing yards with 13 TDs and 6 INTs. The QB is also the team's leading rusher with 458 yards and 2 rushing scores. If Fields continues to take care of the ball and make plays with his legs, the Bears could have a tough decision on their hands. That decision could become even tougher if Fields leads his team to a strong finish.
The defense is turning into a solid unit
The Chicago Bears' defense has been much improved over the last month. Granted, the team has faced an abysmal Panther team and the Vikings with Joshua Dobbs, but still, progress is progress.
Currently, the Bears have the No. 2 rushing defense in the league. Only the San Francisco 49ers are allowing fewer rushing yards per game than the Bears. This is just one year after the Bears sported the No. 31 rushing defense. This is an incredible improvement over the course of one season, and Matt Eberflus deserves some credit.
The pass rush and pass defense still need to improve, but the team has gotten much better at forcing turnovers. The Bears have collected the 2nd most interceptions in the league after finishing 12th in that category last season.
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Has the defense improved enough for Eberflus to keep his job? How the team finishes its last 4 games will likely provide the answer to that question.