Chicago Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards breaks down the defense's recent play and shares how defensive coordinator Dennis Allen holds the unit to a higher standard.
T.J. Edwards can admit that he and the rest of the defense didn't play their best in the Week 1 win over the Carolina Panthers.
Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen's gave up 37 points and 478 yards of total offense.
"I mean, obviously just that I think for us, we came out and just didn't play our best ball," Edwards said. "I don't think anyone did from top to bottom. And honestly, that's kind of what we're focused on right now is just like, how do we get to where we're all seeing the same thing and we're all firing on all cylinders."
Against the Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles, the defense has been firing on all cylinders. The Bears have given up 16 points, one touchdown and 494 yards of total offense over the last two weeks.
In the 27-7 win over the Eagles on Monday Night Football, Chicago's defense held Philadelphia to 2 of 9 on third down and forced three takeaways.
Edwards is starting to feel the defense flying around and playing off one another, but the veteran linebacker said during Wednesday's media availability that there are still areas the unit must clean up. With Allen calling the defense, he will ensure that those corrections are made.
"I think with DA, the one thing that from the jump, like he's not gonna he's not gonna sugarcoat anything to you, like he's gonna be himself day in and day out and he's gonna be the same guy," Edwards said. "And you can respect that I think coming in and listening to him talk every day of what his expectations are and what his standards are for what we wanna get done and then it's kind of on the players to uphold those things. And so I think we just respect how he goes about his business, how he attacks each week and how he—he expects a lot and that's what you want out of a coach."
This Bears defense set the standard last season for generating takeaways, leading the NFL with 33. Allen's unit has six through the first three games, one ahead of what the Bears had at this point last season.
Edwards credits the the defense's ability to get multiple people to the ball, which allowed safety Xavier Woods to recover defensive end Austin Booker's forced fumble. With the interceptions, those were examples of rush and coverage working hand in hand.
With :27 seconds left in the third quarter, Edwards intercepted Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. Before the play, the camera caught Edwards trying to listen to Philadelphia's play call. Edwards admitted he didn't hear anything useful, but he had to at least try.
"I really try to pick up anything I can throughout the door, whether it’s protection or something like that. Again at that point too I knew that they were just checking a lot of things and I was just like leaning over to just kind of see if I could hear anything, see what J Hurts was talking about. But really couldn’t get much."
The Bears will always look for ways to improve their football team, and that's what the defense has done since Week 1. Allen has high standards for his unit, and the defense is starting to meet those with the play on the field.
"We come in here and go to work and correct what we need to and we went right back to work on all that today and then you get on the practice field and try to improve," Edwards said. "I know it sounds whatever. But that’s just a day to day thing and he’s kind of instilled that in this team and that’s how we approach it."
