Ryan Pace Proving He Can Rebuild Chicago Bears Defense
By Erik Lambert
Aug 13, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears head coach John Fox (left) talks with general manager Ryan Pace (right) prior to a preseason NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Finding a quarterback is of course the hottest topic around every new GM who enters the NFL, but in truth that wasn’t the first question Chicago Bears fans were asking when they heard that 37-year old Ryan Pace had been hired for the job to replace Phil Emery. They only wanted to know one thing.
Could he somehow rebuild a once great defense that had fallen into a pit of despair? The Bears have finished 30th two years in-a-row after a long run of dominance during the previous decade. The fact Pace came from New Orleans, a franchise known more for incredible offense with Sean Payton and Drew Brees made some skeptical.
In truth though Pace would be a guy who knows how to recognize good defense. After all, he played it himself during his college years at Eastern Illinois. Couple that with years of scouting and front office experience and logics suggests the man knew what to look for. Even so, his array of first moves in free agency and the draft raised some questions.
It’s taken just one month into the 2015 regular season to realize that maybe, just maybe, the Bears defense is in the better hands than they ever could’ve hope for.
John Fox and Vic Fangio
I wonder if John Fox knew what he was inheriting in Chicago?
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) October 4, 2015
It’s only Week 4, but if positive trend on #Bears defense continues, Vic Fangio should be run-away Assistant Coach of the Year.
— Adam Hoge (@AdamHoge) October 5, 2015
From the beginning, Pace said the most important hires of his tenure in Chicago would be the coaching staff. If he wanted to get that defense right, he needed men running the show who knew how to fix it on the field. That is why his hiring of John Fox and Vic Fangio were so brilliant. Both are experienced NFL veterans with a long track record of defensive success behind them.
Through four weeks the unit, despite switching from a 4-3 to a 3-4, ranks 5th in the league against the pass and forced four turnovers in the previous three games. That all goes back to coaching and getting them ready to play.
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