Takeaways interest Bears defensive coordinator far more than reunion

“This is the NFL," he said. "Everybody’s trying to win this week. I probably wouldn’t try to make anything more of it than really what it is.

"It’s the next opponent on the schedule. I’m sure they feel the same way."

Besides, Allen really has something worthwhile and positive to talk about with the run defense improving drastically in a matchup of the league's worst run defense against Washington Monday, and with all the takeaways they keep making.

The strong run defense can make a difference against Alvin Kamara and the Saints on Sunday.

“I think our guys did a really good job going out and executing the plan, and really, run defense is not as complicated as a lot of people might think it is," Allen said. "It gets down to really fundamentals. It gets down to being able to strike blocks, being able to get off a block, linebackers coming downhill, secondary guys getting off blocks keeping the ball inside. All those kinds of things are important, so it really was more about us playing with our fundamentals and our technique. I thought our guys did a good job of that last week.”

The run of three straight games with 11 total takeaways and finally getting the run defense to work in Week 6 did not surprise Allen one bit. The Bear are tied for first in turnover differential and are second in takeaways (12).

It takes time normally for players to buy into a defensive system to get positive results but it's starting for the Bears now, Allen believes.

"I think any time you do anything that might be different than people have done in the past they've kind of gotta see the results of that first," Allen said. "And then, as they begin to see the results, they start to buy in more and more to the things that they're being asked to do.

"Sometimes guys have to do things that maybe they may not naturally just want to do but yet they see the results and how it helps the entire football team."

The example is seeing the defensive ends dropping into occasional coverage. Dominick Robinson was enjoying a good night against Washington and then had to drop into coverage, where he immediately gave up a reception in an unnatural position.

Linebacker T.J. Edwards described it as a feeding frenzy of sorts when a few turnovers come your way.

“I don’t know if there's much science to it," Edwards said. "I think we're doing a good job of executing our jobs and taking advantage of the opportunities when they come. I think it is an emphasis every week. We start every week of practice with some type of takeaway drill, which is common in the league, but I think it's somewhere we do it with such intent that it's a focus for sure.

"It's also one of those things to where they come in bunches, that guys want to go out there and make those plays. Guys want to be the ones to get the takeaways. You saw even on the punch that Montez (Sweat) had when the ball came out, there's guys fighting in the pile to get the ball and you realize it's like three of our own teammates trying to fight the rip the ball from each other. We want to go and make those big plays to change a game for sure."

The Bears will hope for takeaways again to make their offense's job easier, but the Saints have only turned it over four times on the year.

As for the matchup against his old team, Allen got pressed further and responded further into a dead end.

"Look, I mean, 15 years there, a lot of good experiences, a lot of good people, a lot of wins. We were a part of a lot of success there," Allen said. "I’ve got fond memories of it, but this week is really all about let’s focus on the football."

It's what his defense as been doing all season.

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