The
Chicago Bears defense has really weathered a tough storm this year. They lost one of their best players to free agency in Kyle Fuller. Star outside linebacker Khalil Mack went down with a foot injury. Akiem Hicks has missed several games with health setbacks. Yet despite it all, they still rank 5th overall in the NFL. A big reason for that is the season Robert Quinn has had. The most dominant as a pass rusher in franchise history.
It was a special moment for him on Sunday. Needing one more sack for the Bears' single-season record, long-held by Richard Dent, he dropped Mike Glennon in the 4th quarter for his 18th of the season. The same quarterback he sacked back in 2013 to break the St. Louis Rams then-franchise record. Yet in the midst of the celebration, Bears fans actually
missed a few details that made the moment so much better.
First was the play itself.
On 1st down from the Bears' 44-yard line, Sean Desai called a five-man blitz. Four crashed to the right side with Quinn one-on-one with their left tackle Andrew Thomas. Meanwhile, safety Eddie Jackson came off the right side completely unblocked. Upon watching the replay, it is clear Jackson had more than enough time to close the distance on Glennon. Instead, you see him stop and hold the attention of the quarterback long enough for Quinn to snag him from behind.
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A heady and unselfish play by Jackson. It gets better though. After the sack happened, Quinn celebrated and returned to the defensive huddle expecting to prepare for the next snap by New York. It was here that Roquan Smith took control, calling a timeout in order to give his teammates some well-deserved time to soak the moment in.
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This should serve as a perfect example of how tight-knit the Bears defense is. The fact they're not only still playing really good football in a season with no playoffs to shoot for is one thing. Yet for two of them to actively go out of their way to give Robert Quinn his chance at glory is what makes it so much better.
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