The Latest Breaking News from Montez Sweat

Defensive end Montez Sweat and the Bears’ invigorated defensive front faces another challenge against right tackle Penei Sewell and the Lions’ offensive line. Can the Bears’ sustain their takeaway excellence — eight in the last two games?

Washington's defense allows far more big plays than any other NFL defense.

Sunday’s game against Detroit is a chance to atone for a 31-26 loss on Nov. 27 at Ford Field — when the Bears led 26-14 with 4:15 left, but allowed two touchdown drives to mar what had been an encouraging performance. “You can feel a motivation and optimism,” coach Matt…

The Bears cornerback needs to make the most of his big-play chances to be as good as he thinks he is. But just having those opportunities in recent games is an indication that as Matt Eberflus’ improving defense grows, Johnson’s impact will increase as well.

With newly acquired defensive end Montez Sweat fueling a much-improved pass rush, the Bears’ defense has seven takeaways in the last two games, after getting just nine in the first 10 games. “I like where our defense is right now in a lot of ways,” coach Matt Eberflus said.

The studs and duds from Monday night's loss were not favorable

Probably the last thing fans want is another first-round defensive lineman.

The Bears and quarterback Justin Fields have to find a better way to handle the Vikings’ blitzing pass rush than they did in a 19-13 loss on Oct. 15 at Soldier Field.

The Bears are 18th in takeaways the last two seasons and have little chance to win when they don’t generate them.

Sweat played his fewest snaps as a Bear in the loss to the Lions, which Matt Eberflus attributed to their rotation, but they’ve invested a lot in him and need him on the field more.

After a 31-26 loss to the contending Lions in which the Bears looked like an actual good team before imploding in the final 4:15, games against the Vikings and Lions will define the direction of the Bears under Eberflus. “We’re gonna find out who we are this week,” linebacker T.J.…