Minnesota Vikings vs Bears in Week 11: The Chicago perspective
By Adam Carlson
2) The Bears made the big move to acquire former Defensive Player of the Year and three-time Pro Bowl linebacker Khalil Mack this offseason. How much has his addition to the Chicago defense done to make this squad so much better?
Khalil Mack has literally changed everything about the 2018 Bears. Before they traded for him, most experts and fans thought that maybe the Bears would improve over last season’s 5-11 record and start to lay the foundation for a contender.
Mack’s arrival signaled that management believes the Bears are ready to take the next step now. His dominance the first few weeks was undeniable, landing him NFC Defensive Player of the Month for September. He was slowed by injuries in October, but announced his return last week against the Lions with two monster sacks, showing his speed and power.
Mack has made the entire Bears defense better. He gets a lot of attention, which has freed up other defenders to make plays. A strong pass rush has made the secondary better as opposing quarterbacks have tried to force some balls that landed in Bears’ greedy paws.