Bear Digest

Brian Burns only one of several Bears problems against Giants

The NFL sacks leader facing Theo Benedet seems an obvious problem for QB Caleb Williams but the Bears could find a surprising number of headaches against a 2-7 team.
Gene Chamberlain|
Brian Burns applies the pressures to Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. Burns leads the NFL in sacks.
Brian Burns applies the pressures to Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. Burns leads the NFL in sacks. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Ben Johnson has seen a change come over the Bears.

Anyone who remembers the clock running out on the Bears in Detroit last year, the blocked field goal by the Packers, the miracle comeback against the Vikings before losing in overtime and the Fail Mary would have to agree.

"I brought it up to them when we first came in (for practices this week), this particular team, in years past, would find ways to lose games and now we're finding ways to win games," Johnson said. "So I think they're looking to change that narrative. Now that we've done that, we've got to continue to develop that killer instinct."


A good time to have it would be against this week's opponent, the New York Giants. The Giants find ways to lose even while they have the talent to win.

Their defense is particularly perplexing, with a handful of talented players like defensive linemen Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence and Kayvon Thibodeaux, but little to show for it besides Burns' 11 sacks.

"I think Burns plays at a high-effort level," Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle said. "He's just a really talented pass rusher. He's slippery, and you know when you talk about Lawrence, obviously, he is a really big human in there inside. He eats up a lot of blocks and tries to free things for their linebackers to go make plays. Both of them are good players, both provide unique challenges."

There are matchups involving those players and others in this game that the Bears could find difficult, at best. Here are the toughest matchups for Chicago.

LT Theo Benedet vs. DE Brian Burns

Although Burns most often lines up on the left side of the defense, the Giants do move him at times and they're likely to try and take advantage of less experienced Benedet than rampaging Darnell Wright. Burns is a player the Bears coveted at the time they made the trade for DJ Moore with Carolina. With 11 sacks, he's leading the league and has 21 pressures. He's also disrupting the run at times with 14 tackles for loss, leaving him only three short of a career high. However, Pro Football Focus grades him only 87th out of 119 edges against the run. Benedet has found ways to adjust each week while facing Maxx Crosby and a handful of dominant edge rushers. Here's one more for him to worry about and it's the hottest pass rusher in the league, who relies on both speed and strength.

RG Jonah Jackson vs. DT Dexter Lawrence

The 1-2 dominant punch on the Giants defensive line will usually be across from Jackson with help from center Drew Dalman. They may need to enlist a few more for help based on the way the 340-pound Lawrence has played against the Bears in the past. He isn't getting the sacks like in the last three years but Burns has been finishing some of those first. Lawrence has half a sack with seven pressures. He has two tackles for loss, so his numbers are down. He's still graded third-best pass rusher among 124 interior defensive players this season by PFF. The same website has started to recognize the improvement in Jackson's play lately. He's now graded 24th out of 78 guards and 22nd blocking the run after some poor marks early in the season. Jackson has allowed a sack and committed four penalties.

WR DJ Moore vs. CB Cor'Dale Flott

Moore might be the best Bears receiver but he's not being recognized enough by Caleb Williams for that title to be meaningful, contrary to what James Odunze, Rome's father, thinks. Going against Flott shouldn't make Moore more visible to his QB. Flott is graded seventh-best cornerback in the league according to PFF, and fourth defending the pass. The wiry 6-foot-2, 175-pounder has a passer rating against of 84.9 according to Stathead/Pro Football Reference. He has an interception and has allowed 60.2% completions. His pick was crucial in beating the Eagles because he took it all the way back.

DE Austin Booker vs. LT Andrew Thomas

Booker gets his rush in on occasional spots and provided a sack last week but now he'll be a starter and needs to up his overall game. Going against the 6-5, 315-pound tackle who is graded fifth overall and at pass blocking isn't an easy ask. Thomas hasn't given up a sack or committed a penalty. Wouldn't the Bears love to have a left tackle with those type of stats? He isn't as tough of a run blocker, ranking 20th among all tackles, but Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen admitted this week Booker needs to add size and strength in terms of being a run stopper.

CB C.J. Gardner-Johnson vs. WR Wan'Dale Robinson

Gardner-Johnson stood out as an attacking slot cornerback last week but when back in coverage it was apparent he just got back into a scheme he used to play in New Orleans. There was rust but the real problem was he didn't get much chance to shake it off, as he was targeted only four times when he wasn't blitzing or snuffing out the run. Robinson has had to take over the top receiver role since Malik Nabers is out for the year. He has 47 receptions in 68 targets for 540 yards.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.