It wasn’t exactly Lions coach Dan Campbell kicking onside with 12 minutes left in a game, but Bears interim coach Thomas Brown showed the world what he thought of his defense two minutes into Monday night’s loss to the Vikings.
He went for it on fourth-and-one from his own 39, handing off to D’Andre Swift, who was stuffed at the line of scrimmage.
The Bears had fourth-and-three-or-less on their half of the field 11 times this season before Monday night’s 30-12 loss to the Vikings. They punted six times. They were trailing in the five other games they went for it, and by a combined 46 points, until Brown decided to get aggressive in a scoreless tie.
That’s how you coach when you don’t believe in your defense. And with good reason — since Week 12, the Bears have allowed a league-high 121 points and a league-high 1,638 yards.
Brown, though, said he didn’t see it that way.
“I think it’s less about that, more about, ‘Hey, if we don’t get it, I still trust our defense to stop them.’ Which they did, and forced the field goal.”
The Bears turning the ball over so deep in their own territory that a stop still yielded three points in nothing to celebrate. Neither has been a defense that’s gotten worse, and not better, since the Bears jettisoned head coach and defensive play-caller Matt Eberflus.
Just as Eberflus was responsible for a sputtering offense because he was the head coach, Brown must answer for the defense.
In the past four weeks, the Bears have given up the second-most first downs in the NFL, the fifth-most rushing yard and the seventh-highest passer rating.
A franchise that has long prided itself on a stout defense doesn’t have one. It will take an offseason retooling of their offensive line — and perhaps elsewhere, too — before they can say any different.
The Vikings converted half their 14 third downs Monday night, including a third-and-17 checkdown to running back Aaron Jones and a third-and-15 completion to tight end T.J. Hockenson.
“To be able to go and get that first down the way that they did on those two plays was very crucial in the game,” quarterback Sam Darnold said.
The Bears also let the Vikings convert a third-and-10 pass to receiver Brandon Powell and a third-and-seven on safety Kevin Byard’s pass interference flag.
Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson had one, too, when he shoved receiver Jordan Addison to the end zone turf on a fourth-quarter pass. The pick wouldn’t have counted any way; defensive end Montez Sweat, who is second on the team with only 4 ½ sacks, was flagged for roughing Darnold.
“Ball was in the air, I played back,” said Stevenson, who had his first interception since Week 1 earlier in the game. “I thought once the ball in the air, I look back, it becomes a 50-50 [ball] — a little shove is allowed. It’s not my fault he’s 135 pounds and he fell.”
But it was Stevenson’s fault — the same way it was his fault when the Fail Mary landed in the arms of the Commanders to start a losing streak that reached eight games Monday with no sign of stopping.
Cornerback Jaylon Johnson could only shake his head minutes after the game
“Looking forward to going home and getting into bed,” he said. “That’s the only thing I got.”
It wasn’t, though. Johnson later said the Bears defense hasn’t given up yet.
“Have you fought through adversity in your life? And what’d you do?” he said. “I’m no different.”
The Bears defense is going through more than just a little adversity. It won’t get any better, either — Sunday’s opponent, the Lions, lead the NFL in scoring.