Caleb Williams is not the only Bear who has yet to appear in a preseason game, although it sometimes seems national media and the social media power brokers think this.
The Bears held out almost all of their starters and did sideline everyone on defense except Noah Sewell and Tyrique Stevenson.
While Austin Booker and Sewell captured plenty of attention for big plays on defense in the 24-24 tie with Miami, the full Dennis Allen defensive impact could be more evident in this Sunday's game against Buffalo.
"The pace has been a lot more aggressive and coaches have been getting after us," safety Jaquan Brisker said about the Bears defense. "The players have been holding other players accountable, but it could always improve. We can always get better.
"So, I feel like we could look a lot more aggressive and physical on days.”
This would be hard to imagine for some of the players on offense, who commented almost to a man earlier in camp about how difficult it was facing Allen's scheme and the players' daily execution. It's much different for the offense facing this pressure-oriented scheme than the Matt Eberflus zone-based scheme.
The Bears got a phenomenal player in Austin Booker. His year 2 debut was exactly what I expected. Run defense looks really good, cleaned up some technical things in pass rush, I don't see how he does not become a Top 10 guy. Reminds me of a young Maxx Crosby. pic.twitter.com/kvKz8c3fuI
— Sanjit T. (@Sanjit__T) August 11, 2025
“Yeah, it's different, it was a lot of different installs," Brisker said. "We’ve been installing every single day, so that's different for me."
Fans might not be able appreciate what press-man coverage does for the defense or the various blitzes and stunts the defensive front could use. Brisker simplified it for everyone.
Austin Booker is starting to put it all together.
The sacks are encouraging, but I was just as impressed with his run defense against MIA.
He’s not just stronger, but more experienced. Winning with physicality and technique.
You love to see it. #Bears
pic.twitter.com/Yf06vTkV2q
— Luke Brost (@luke_brost) August 12, 2025
“We will be more aggressive," he said. "We’ll be a lot tighter in coverage. A lot of different looks, a lot of different personnels, things like that.
"And, DA (Allen) calls a different game.”
One thing Allen has been known to do is an old Mike Zimmer trick and that's bring the linebackers or linebacker and a safety up into the A-gap on both sides of the center and act like they're blitzing. Or maybe they don't act like it and simply do it.
The #Bears defense had Quinn Ewers seeing ghosts 😳
5/18 (27% Completion)
48.1 Rating 🤮
91 Yards
2 Sacks
2 Forced Fumbles 🏈🏈
Excellent debut from Dennis Allen’s unit🐻⬇️pic.twitter.com/8DpQDfyLJ8
— SleeperBears (@SleeperBears) August 10, 2025
“It just depends on the defense we're playing, the disguise and things like that," Brisker said. "You have to sell it. You just have to make sure the disguise is good because sometimes we have double mug, we might be sending somebody, sometimes they back out. It all depends.
"The back end has to make it look good, has to make it look the same. Whatever defense we're in, the quarterback has to see the same picture.”
Deception was important in Eberflus' zone scheme. It's even more important in this one.
Bears Overall, Offense, Defense & Special Teams Scores from PFF
Preseason Game #1 vs. Dolphins
No surprises.
WORST: Tackling, special teams and pass/run blocking needs the most work
BEST: QB play, run game, pass rush & run defense (held Miami to 3.9 ypc & 101 yds) pic.twitter.com/d9cjx73J9T
— Kirsten Tanis (@Kirsten_Tanis1) August 11, 2025
“Our disguises, our safeties, the way we sell or look the way we are, 12, 14 yards deep, that's a big difference," Brisker said. "Not showing our hand, coming down during the snap, things like that.
"So, just trying to keep the picture the same, but when he calls hut, just show a different picture."
The defense liked hitting live in practice and they had more of it in Wednesday work but not quite at the level of last week's violent Tuesday practice. The starters think it has calloused them and they're close but need that live hitting of a game.
Ben Johnson's reaction after the Bears defense stops the Dolphins at the goal line
pic.twitter.com/RB8tZSZcya
— Dave (@dave_bfr) August 10, 2025
“The feeling is great, but we're not there yet," Brisker said. "Especially defensive wise, we're not where we want to be. We feel like we could be a lot better.
"So, it's cool (to start Sunday), but it's not where we need to be. I feel like we have to amp it up a lot more.”
No doubt they'll save the more complicated stuff for the regular season.
A few blitzes, a few sacks, and maybe they could be good to go.
The Bears defense was 1st league-wide in QBR allowed when they played man and 20th when they played zone. On the pod, @CarmieV and I discussed the Dennis Allen hire and why it’s significant.
🎧: https://t.co/EejsEyWom6
📺: https://t.co/aWYCiCqLIk pic.twitter.com/6UnJMfWhYb
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) July 16, 2025
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