Supposedly, the defense is the strength of the 2021 Chicago Bears. Superficially, this seems to be true—they are tied for third in the league with 31 sacks, and they are tenth in the league in yards allowed per game (334.4). However, yards allowed is one of the least meaningful stats in football, and the slightest scratch beneath the surface reveals a paper bear.
Sean Desai’s takeaway bucket and the summer focus on turnovers has only resulted in eleven total takeaways, tied for the 24th-best result in the league. Chicago’s experience with Lovie Smith aside, turnovers are typically a very hard thing to predict, and they are remarkably inconsistent on a year-to-year basis.