Same Old Story for the Bears' Pass Defense

Last season, the Bears defense proved to be incredibly strong against the run while also being amongst the worst in the league in pass defense. This became all too apparent in week 17 against the Texans as Andre Johnson torched the Bears for 148 receiving yards and two touchdowns, crushing playoff hopes and exposing a season-long weakness. For even the average fan, the cause of this vulnerability was quite obvious. The front four were unable to create pressure, the secondary was often injured and the defensive scheme left the linebackers out of position to defend against the pass. Despite a large amount of blitzing, quarterback pressures came at a premium while the young secondary frequently gave up the big play.Going into training camp this year, there was a strong reason to believe in a resurgent pass defense. Charles Tillman and Nathan Vasher were healthy, the safety position was solidified with free agent acquisitions Josh Bullocks and Glenn Earl and Lovie Smith announced h...