In one play, Chicago Bears defensive end Montez Sweat showed just how disruptive of a pass rusher he can be.

The play came midway through the first quarter against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. Sweat jumped off the line of scrimmage as soon as the ball was snapped and met by tight end Josh Whyle, who provided a chip block before moving on.

He moved on and quickly gained leverage on a waiting left tackle Rasheed Walker. A few seconds went by as Sweat extended his left arm into Walker’s chest and pushed his way deeper into the pocket. Once Sweat finally escaped Walker’s reach, Sweat wrapped up quarterback Jordan Love and brought him down.

As soon as Sweat got back up, he placed his right hand on his face mask in what’s been his sack celebration.

Sweat’s impact wasn’t limited to just that play. Love rushed his throw on the very next play and threw a ball that went straight into Bears cornerback C.J. Gardner-Johnson’s chest. Gardner-Johnson returned the ball deep into Packers’ territory and gave the Bears a good chance to score early.

It’s been a common impact for Sweat in his second full season with the Bears. A year after injuries derailed his ability to make a difference in games, Sweat has regained his production by executing whenever he needs to.

“It’s just me taking care of my opportunities whenever they present themselves,” Sweat told Shaw Local News Network.

Sweat has taken taken care of those opportunities for much of this season.

He’s collected 8.5 sacks through 13 games, the most he’s had in a season since he had 12.5 sacks in 2023 when he split time with the Bears and the Washington Commanders. Sweat is tied with the Detroit Lions’ Aidan Hutchinson for 12th in the NFL in sacks.

Much like he did against Love on Sunday, Sweat’s impact has forced opposing quarterbacks into mistakes. Sweat has matched his career-high with three forced fumbles this season. That’s to go along with 13 quarterback hits and 12 tackles for loss, both passing the numbers he put together in 16 games last season.

It’s been an encouraging rebound after the investment Bears general manager Ryan Poles made into Sweat a couple seasons ago. Poles traded a second-round pick for Sweat in 2023 and extended him to a four-year, $98 million contract.

Sweat has found success in Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen’s scheme. Allen confuses opposing quarterbacks by throwing disguised looks, stunts and blitzes. That’s created opportunities for Sweat to take advantage of the confusion.

It took two games for Sweat to register a sack, but he had at least one in five of six games from Weeks 6 to 11.

“It’s a cool scheme,” Sweat said. “It creates one-on-ones and gives you opportunities to rush the passer and keep the offense of its square. It’s great.”

But the Bears don’t feel like this season’s numbers do Sweat justice at times.

Both Allen and Bears defensive lines coach Jeremy Garrett have praised Sweat throughout the season for the impact he’s made by rushing quarterbacks with “hidden plays.” Sometimes Sweat doesn’t get to the quarterback, but the attention opposing offensive coordinators pay to Sweat has opened up opportunities for other Bears.

“I think you look at some of those games and it’s like, it’s hidden production, right?” Garrett said. “He may not make the tackle, but there was a great edge set. He may have not got the sack, but there was a great pocket. I think sometimes we get caught up in stats, pressures and things of that nature. Well, if you watch around the league, some things are considered pressures, the quarterback scrambled. You got to rush as one, and I think he’s done a good job.”

While the Bears are encouraged with the strides Sweat has taken this season, they also believe Sweat can reach another level.

Garrett said Sweat’s run defense has been strong this season. But the Bears want to move Sweat around on the line of scrimmage more to confuse opposing offensive lines, like the Packers’ Micah Parsons or the Cleveland Browns’ Myles Garrett. Sweat has mostly played on one side of the line during games.

“You want to give your best rusher a matchup that’s in his favor,” Garrett said. “I think at times, you got to be able to move him inside a little bit as well. That’s a different type of rush. It’s a little bit tighter. So that’s one of the things you talk about next level, is being being able to say, ‘Hey, you don’t know where he’s going to be, but you know, he can get a win wherever he is.’ So I think that’s the next step.”

Sweat will get a good opportunity to see what that looks like Sunday when the Bears host Myles Garrett and the Browns at Soldier Field. He called players like Garrett and Parsons “light years” ahead of him, but said it was cool to be in the same conversation as them at times.

“It’s just me taking care of my opportunities whenever they present themselves.”

—  Montez

In order to get there, Sweat said he was dedicated to do whatever the Bears asked of him. Much like that play against the Packers, he’ll keep pushing until he gets where he wants to be.

“Just gotta keep working.”