Ben Johnson knew he needed to assemble a strong coaching staff if he was going to get the Chicago Bears out of the mud. Few were more important than the defensive coordinator. Since he will be running the offense, Johnson would need somebody capable of basically running the defense by themselves without much oversight. That is why he went for Dennis Allen. As a two-time former head coach, he has plenty of experience running entire teams. Leaving him in charge of the defense shouldn't be an issue.
Allen has enjoyed plenty of success as a coordinator. His unit ranked in the top 10 five times with the New Orleans Saints. Former Pro Bowl running back Deuce McAllister was there to watch all of it. He watched all the games and several practices. He knows what the Bears defense is in for once Allen arrives. McAllister gave 670 The Score a sneak peek during his conversation with them. Two things were promised. Allen is going to work them tirelessly in practice, making sure their conditioning is high.
He will also be much more aggressive, both in his attacks on the quarterback and in his coverage calls.
Dennis Allen is made for Chicago.
Defensive coordinators who have attacking styles have always seemed to do well here. It was true of Buddy Ryan and later Vic Fangio. Allen seems to come from the newer age of defensive coordinators. The days of sending four and dropping seven into zone coverage are over. He isn't afraid to create exotic blitzes to make opponents uncomfortable while also calling lots of man coverage. Jaylon Johnson will likely get a major workout since Allen often shadows the opponent's best receivers with his best cornerback.
Dennis Allen should be able to hit the ground running. His scheme isn't all that different from what Matt Eberflus ran for the past three years. Players should adjust to it quickly. It will be interesting to see how he molds things to the personnel available. Lucky for him, the Bears have assembled a talent group. If they can find another pass rusher, this has a chance to be a top-10 unit. We know Allen is capable of getting there.
