Bears defense tries to make adjustments in preparation for Vikings

The numbers speak for themselves: the Bears run defense has been among the worst in the NFL through four weeks.

For Alan Williams, it’s hard to pick out any one thing that has gone wrong. Instead the Bears first-year defensive coordinator is focused on not allowing his team to repeat mistakes.

“The main thing is execution,” Williams said Thursday at Halas Hall. “It’s one thing here, one thing there. It could be a tackle, it could be poor eyes, it could be slow fit. There are a variety of things. When you start with a new defense, new guys, you chip away and you try to work on consistency and execution and not doing too much.”

Williams’ defense has allowed 733 total rushing yards in four games, 183.3 rushing per game, while the pass defense has allowed the fourth-fewest passing yards (674) in the league. The New York Giants (262 yards) and Green Bay (203 yards) each had their most rushing yards of the season against the Bears, while San Francisco (176) and Houston (92) had their second-best outputs.

In Sunday’s loss to the Giants, running back Saquon Barkley rushed for 146 yards. Quarterback Daniel Jones added 68 yards and scored both of his team’s touchdowns on bootleg runs.

Williams attributed the poor run defense to unsound gap control and players trying to do too much to help teammates.

“We need to make sure consistently guys are doing their job, consistently executing, consistently putting your eyes where they need to be,” Williams said. “When you make decisions to do those things, you’ll see that the defense gets a little bit better, a little bit better each week.”

Williams doesn’t think improving discipline will be a tough task four games into the season, but admitted it takes time, especially for a young defense. It’s dependent on his staff making sure the Bears show eye discipline, mental stamina and stability and rely on technique, something that Williams thinks can stand the test of time.

“It’s always a long-term issue,” Williams said. “That’s the tough thing about having a good defense and having a good consistent defense for the long haul, good defenses do that over the long haul and we’re working on that week to week... Good defenses, good teams, good-coached defenses, they do that consistently and that’s our challenge to do it every week.”

The Bears will need to show improvement quickly with the Minnesota Vikings up Sunday. Running back Dalvin Cook and wide receiver Justin Jefferson can each take over a game, which Williams admitted will create problems on whether they want to focus on stopping the run or pass game.

Cook has 279 rushing yards in four games and is averaging 69.8 yards, while Jefferson has 393 receiving yards and averages 98.3 yards. Williams said Minnesota has changed up its schemes and found more balance under first-year offensive coordinator Wes Phillips, but he wouldn’t be surprised if the Vikings change their plans after looking at the stats.

“They’re going to come and say, ‘They’re coming into our house, we’re going to run the ball down their throat and then play-action pass to get over their head.’ That’s what the stats say to do,” Williams said. “We’ll see if the stats lie or not.”

Injury updates: David Montgomery was a limited participant Thursday after not practicing Wednesday. The running back missed Sunday’s game against the Giants with an ankle injury that he suffered against the Texans in Week 3.

Cornerback Jaylon Jones (illness) and linebacker Matt Adams (hamstring) were full participants Thursday while safety Dane Cruikshank (hamstring), cornerback Jaylon Johnson (quad) and linebacker Sterling Weatherford (illness) did not practice. Tight end Ryan Griffin (achilles) and defensive lineman Justin Jones (hip) were limited.