The Bears have moved on from the defensive implosion that led to a stunning loss the Lions last week, but they haven’t forgotten the pain.
“I’ve seen a lot of things happen in football, but that was the first time I’ve ever seen that,” defensive end DeMarcus Walker said. “It was definitely eye-opening and a shock.”
The Bears’ defense was in the midst of a statement game against the Lions’ second-ranked offense — holding the Lions to 190 yards and 4.5 yards per play, with three interceptions of Jared Goff in the first 55 minutes and 45 seconds of the game in taking a 26-14 lead. But that defense crumbled in the end, allowing 184 yards and 8.7 yards per play — touchdown drives of 75 and 73 yards — in the final 4:15 to lose 31-26.
What’s done is done, and now the Bears’ defense faces the task of responding in a tough environment against the Vikings on Monday Night Football at U.S. Bank Stadium — and proving that their stellar performance in the first 55:45 was their defining moment, and not the devastating final 4:15.
“Sometimes you go through storms,” middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds said. “We’ve just been through a big storm this year. And we’re going to continue to go through things, but that brings out the character in a person as a man. And that brings out the character of your football team. Because we feel this pain — and now it’s time to turn this pain into passion and apply it on Monday night in front of the whole world, so they can see what the Chicago Bears [are] truly about.”
Edmunds is a key factor in that response. He was limited to 41 of the defense’s 62 snaps in his return after missing two games because of a knee injury. He had an interception in the second quarter and eight tackles. But he faded a bit at the end, missing a tackle of Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs in the middle of the field that gave Gibbs an extra 11 yards and allowed him to get out of bounds to stop the clock on the first touchdown drive. And because of snap-count limitations, Edmunds was not on the field on the final drive.
But even a limited role was a benefit for Edmunds, who had practiced only on Friday last week — on a limited basis, at that — and was questionable for the game.
“Whatever my role was, I just wanted to help my team the best way I could,” Edmunds said. “Unselfishly, I wanted to be out there and contribute no matter what it looked like. That was very important to me just to be out there with the guys, to get my feet wet again and to move around. It felt good.”
Edmunds said his knee responded well to the activity and he expects to return to his usual full-time role against the Vikings. “It’s looking good,” he said.
The response to the debacle against the Lions has already started.
“It’s about what we do this next game. These next four practices. These next meetings [this week] and see how it goes,” safety Jaquan Brisker said. “Guys were a little pissed off. It seemed like they wanted to play the next game, play the next practice.”
Edmunds likewise said he felt the impact of the team’s response already this week.
“Obviously there’s a sense of urgency, and it’s easy for me to say that because I saw how guys responded,” Edmunds said. “I saw how hard we practiced [Wednesday]. And I saw everybody walking in with their head up, chest out.
“That’s what men do, no matter how tough it gets. That’s what we’re going to continue to do. That’s what I’m going to continue to do. I’m going to continue to lead, and we’re going to put our best foot forward come Monday night.”
