We've got to play better

Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano expected great production this season from a group of Cody Whitehair Jersey players who led the NFL in numerous statistical categories last year.It hasn't been the same Danny Trevathan Color Rush Jersey type of unit for several reasons, and Pagano's first Bears defense declined at making impact https://www.thebearsfanshop.com/Devin-Hester-Jersey plays."We'll never accept where we're at," Pagano said. "It's not good enough. I'll go back Sam Acho Jersey and look at myself. Everybody will look at themselves and we'll make the necessary adjustments Tom Waddle Color Rush Jersey in the offseason and we've got to be better. We've got to play better."Pagano, the https://www.thebearsfanshop.com/Kyle-Long-Jersey former head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, took over the Chicago defense when Vic Fangio Pat O'Donnell Jersey left to become head coach of the Denver Broncos. Pagano inherited the league's No. 1 Mitchell Trubisky Color Rush Jersey team in forcing turnovers, defending the run and preventing points.The Bears are 7-8 after winning https://www.thebearsfanshop.com/Adam-Shaheen-Jersey the NFC North at 12-4 last year, when they led the league with 27 interceptions. Prince Amukamara Jersey They rank 28th this year with eight."We just haven't been able to force 'em," Pagano Nick Kwiatkoski Color Rush Jersey said about turnovers. "So, we'll do the same thing; we'll go out today and work https://www.thebearsfanshop.com/Joel-Iyiegbuniwe-Jersey on intercepting, punching the ball out, attack the football and hopefully it will come. That's Charles Leno Jersey all we can do."The Bears close the season Sunday at Minnesota against the Vikings (10-5) Sherrick McManis Color Rush Jersey in a game meaningless to both teams. Although the Vikings are in the playoffs, they https://www.thebearsfanshop.com/Anthony-Miller-Jersey are unable to improve or drop in their playoff seeding, while the Bears were eliminated Josh Bellamy Jersey Dec. 15 with a 21-13 loss to Green Bay.Players say there is incentive to finish Bryce Callahan Color Rush Jersey on a positive note."Yeah, it's another opportunity," outside linebacker Khalil Mack said. "No excuses. We https://www.thebearsfanshop.com/Kyle-Fuller-Jersey have too many excuses. Anybody can use excuses, but we have another opportunity and we're Marcus Cooper Jersey going to make the best out of it."If not for pride, the game means something Eddie Goldman Color Rush Jersey for next season to Bears defensive players."Everyone knows when a team isn't going to the https://www.thebearsfanshop.com/Roquan-Smith-Jersey playoffs, everyone is being evaluated because obviously we're not good enough," cornerback Prince Amukamara said. Eric Kush Jersey "We know that ownership and management are looking for the right personnel, so guys know Leonard Floyd Color Rush Jersey they have to give their best because they're being evaluated extremely hard these last two https://www.thebearsfanshop.com/Brian-Urlacher-Jersey games."I think guys are going to go out and give their best."Injuries have played a Dan Hampton Jersey big factor in the Bears defense dropping to eighth in yardage allowed after finishing third Richard Dent Color Rush Jersey last year. They're fifth in scoring defense after being No. 1 last year.When the season https://www.thebearsfanshop.com/Mike-Ditka-Jersey ends, they will have played seven games without inside linebacker Danny Trevathan and four without William Perry Jersey inside linebacker Roquan Smith. Both are on injured reserve, Trevathan with an elbow injury and Dick Butkus Color Rush Jersey Smith with a torn pectoral muscle. The biggest loss was probably defensive lineman Akiem Hicks, https://www.thebearsfanshop.com/Mike-Singletary-Jersey who hasn't practiced this week and is likely to miss the finale. He has been Gale Sayers Jersey available for only five games due to a dislocated elbow."Not only his play on the Walter Payton Color Rush Jersey field, but his leadership, his enthusiasm, his love for the game. I mean, the guy https://www.thebearsfanshop.com/Jim-Mcmahon-Jersey is a big, big man, and he can wreak havoc in there and he commands Dion Sims Jersey double teams," Pagano said. "The one game we got him back after his injury, he Tarik Cohen Color Rush Jersey went in and showed up all over the stat sheet. "It was a big loss, https://www.thebearsfanshop.com/James-Daniels-Jersey and I'm proud of the guys who stepped in for him. They grew. They took Aaron Lynch Jersey advantage of their opportunities, but those guys, I mean, he's a game-wrecker. He's one of Kevin White Color Rush Jersey the top defensive linemen in this league. So, it hurts you when you lose guys https://www.thebearsfanshop.com/Riley-Ridley-Jersey like that."A drop in sacks accompanied the fall-off in turnovers. Mack has 8 1/2 sacks David Montgomery Jersey after totaling 12 1/2 last year, and outside linebacker Leonard Floyd has only three and Chicago Bears Hoodie just one since the season opener.Floyd was the Bears' first-round draft pick in 2016."Again, there's https://www.thebearsfanshop.com/hats always going to be expectations with where you were picked and all this stuff, but Chicago Bears T-Shirts Leonard's played really good for us," Pagano said. "He's been consistent. Does he have the Chicago Bears Customized Jerseys sack numbers that we all wanted? No. Does Khalil have 'em? No. "The turnovers, we https://www.thebearsfanshop.com haven't produced in those areas the way we wanted to. But (Floyd) has done a https://www.thebearsfanshop.com/Khalil-Mack-Jersey heck of a job. He comes in here every single day and prepares and practices Cody Parkey Jersey hard and plays hard every single down. The splash plays that we all love to Trey Burton Color Rush Jersey see, we didn't see as many of them and he'd be the first one to tell you that. But down-in and down-out he does a great job. He's always sacrificing for the team."As with the Bears offense, there will be analysis and change in the offseason."We'll look at obviously everything A to Z," Pagano said. "We'll look at the things that we did well and then we'll look at the things we didn't do so well."