The Chicago Bears were beaten thoroughly by their rivals from Green Bay last Sunday, with a poor showing from the defense feeding heavily into concerns about the unit's long-term viability. If the latter part of that statement sounds familiar, it does to defensive coordinator Dennis Allen as well.
Back in Week 1, the Bears allowed 37 points to the Carolina Panthers. They allowed 478 yards in total, including a 361-yard showing from quarterback Bryce Young. That week, of course, the Bears put up 59 points in their own right, allowing those defensive concerns to be staved off for another week.
Over the course of the next three games, the defense fared well. That came to a screeching halt on Sunday against the Packers, where the defense was throttled through the air on their way to another 400 yards allowed. This week, Allen discussed the team's mindset coming off such a showing.
"First game of the year, we didn't play exceptionally well. We came back and played pretty well in three games, and then we had another poor game. It's kind of the life of the NFL. There's some ups and downs throughout the season and the most important thing for us is to stay the course, continue to work to improve. There's nothing you can do about anything that's happened in the past. You gotta look forward and go on to the next play, go on to the next game, and figure out how we can be better."
No lies detected there. The defense rebounded quite well following the Carolina game, even in the wake of some offensive struggles in Week 2 against Minnesota and the absence of Caleb Williams that followed. Their ability to gain momentum and, as such, confidence was an imperative that resulted in their ability to generate turnovers and close out games. Of course, complementary football also helps (something that was absent on Sunday against the Packers). Maintaining that acknowledgement that a unit's success ebbs and flows over the course of the year will be crucial for them to get things back in order on Sunday.
Regardless of how that unfolds, the Bears now find themselves facing down another difficult matchup on Sunday in Atlanta. The Falcons possess one of the best rushing attacks in the NFL, meaning that forward-facing mindset will have to be in full effect if the team is to get back on track following a difficult week.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Dennis Allen on Bears' defensive focus after poor showing vs. Packers