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Film study: Bears pass rush was phenomenal against Falcons

We take to the tape to break down the Bears’ tenacious pass rush from this Sunday.

NFL: Chicago Bears at Atlanta Falcons Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

While the fourth-quarter comeback led by Nick Foles stole the headlines after the Bears’ win against the Falcons on Sunday, the team’s pass rush quietly may have been their best unit of the game.

The Bears tallied just two sacks, but with eight quarterback hits and numerous pressure, they were a constant nuisance to Matt Ryan in the pocket. Akiem Hicks came away with 1.5 sacks and a whopping five quarterback hits, while Mack contributed half of a sack and two hits of his own. Other players like Roy Robertson-Harris, Bilal Nichols and Mario Edwards Jr. also had their fair share of nice reps against the pass.

Chicago’s defensive line wasn’t perfect, as it did struggle with eating up gaps and getting moved around at the point of attack in run support. Their off-ball linebackers also had some issues with disengaging from climbing blockers at the second level.

However, their performance up front against the pass played a big role in their eventual victory. With Mack playing at an elite level, Hicks looking like a potential All-Pro, Robert Quinn making some solid plays and the rest of the roster proving to be a deep and dangerous group, the Bears’ defense is looking like a dangerous unit.

I recently went to the tape and broke down a couple reps that showcased just how well the Bears’ pass rush did against Atlanta in the thread below: