The Bears blitzed Saturday, and then blitzed some more.
On second down in the first quarter, cornerback Kyler Gordon sacked Bengals quarterback Logan Woodside on a blitz from his right nickel spot. Woodside never saw him coming.
On second down in the second quarter, cornerback Josh Blackwell rushed from his right nickel spot and hit Woodside as he was throwing. The ball floated into the arms of linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga for an interception.
On third down in the third quarter, cornerback Reddy Steward rushed from the left slot, forcing Woodside to throw the ball early — and right to the Bears’ Terell Smith.
“They brought the same nickel pressure,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said after the game. “We didn’t pick it up a single time. That part was really frustrating. That should’ve been an easy handle for us. Same second-down pressure four times in a row; four times they got us. That cannot happen.”
Play-caller Matt Eberflus has never been a blitz-happy coach, which made Saturday’s showing so unusual. Coaches are usually loathe to blitz — or show any tricks — in the preseason. On Saturday, the Bears already had a mismatch, playing their starting defense against a second-string Bengals offensive line and a third-string quarterback.
Saturday was more proof Eberflus can adjust to a roster that’s still an edge rusher short. The Bears entered training camp on the lookout for a defensive end to put opposite Montez Sweat on passing downs, with DeMarcus Walker sliding from end to tackle. They haven’t found that end yet, though general manager Ryan Poles showed interest in Matthew Judon before the Patriots traded him to the Falcons last week.
If Eberflus isn’t adjusting, he might simply be trying to give the Bears’ early regular-season opponents one more thing they have to scout over the next few weeks.
It’s most likely both.
“I would just say that bringing that nickel slot pressure is a good thing,” Eberflus said. “We’ve always done that. Guys have seen that forever and it’s nothing new.
“We feel really good about what Kyler can bring. He’s got a really wide range set in terms of his skills. He’s really good in man (coverage), good in zone, good in all the things we do that way and he’s good at pressuring. We like sending him, and he’s good at it.”
Gordon had one sack last year, as did safety Jaquan Brisker. Brisker led the Bears with four sacks the year before, when they finished last in the NFL with 20.
“I feel like we all like that — just applying pressure on whoever our opponent is,” Gordon said. “I like to blitz. Everyone likes to blitz. Everyone likes to be the aggressor and not the receiver. I feel like that’s the kind of approach we take.”
That hasn’t always been the case. In 2022, the Bears blitzed 18.2% of the time, less than all but seven teams. Last year, with Eberflus calling plays in all but one game, the Bears blitzed 22.2% of the time, less than all but 11 teams.
Eberflus is the Bears’ play-caller this year, though new coordinator Eric Washington has called plays on occasion during preseason games this year.
Intrinsic in Eberflus’ 4-3 “Tampa 2” system is the responsibility of four defensive lineman to get to the passer without help. In Eberflus’ four seasons as the Colts’ defensive coordinator, his blitz percentage ranked second-lowest in the league once, four-lowest one and sixth-lowest twice.
There are exceptions, though — playing in the original Tampa-2 scheme for the Buccaneers, Ronde Barber totaled 28 career sacks, the most ever for a cornerback, on his way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Gordon would need a lot more sacks — and even more opportunities from Eberflus — to go come close.
“A player grows just like a coach grows,” Gordon said. “(Eberflus) is going to learn and get comfortable doing what he does, and add and spice it up and get better. Obviously everyone’s seen him progress and get better as a coach, and the defense get better.”
The Bears rookie has a long way to go. But the splash plays that indicate an upgrade the Bears were looking for, and his knack for managing the pressure-packed responsibility of becoming a franchise quarterback in Chicago, confirm the hope that he could be the real deal.
The Bears are beginning their stretch run toward cut day.