When you think about the The Chicago Bears On defense, it’s usually star pass rusher Montez Sweat, their excellent linebacking group, or their defensive backfield that come to mind. However, there are some underrated defensive linemen who have helped this team dominate for two weeks.
These include defensive tackles Andrew Billings and Gervon Dexter, both of whom have had incredible starts to the 2024 season. They have played key roles in the Bears’ defense, which has worked well.
According to Pro Football Focus, Billings ranks seventh among all interior defenders this season in both overall grade and win rate. He is also third in their pass rush grade. Stats like these show just how dominant Billings has been compared to his peers at the same position.
Dexter, too, has stood out, particularly as an interior pass rusher. In two games, he has already accumulated 2.0 sacks, five total tackles, two tackles for loss and three QB hits.
Rushing the opposing quarterback is as important as having a good quarterback yourself. That was a question mark for Chicago, but Dexter and Billings helped answer those questions along the defensive interior.
With other defensive stars also getting going, they could become even more dangerous than they have been. Billings and Dexter are certainly doing their part in the middle of the defense.
The only criticism of Chicago’s defense is that their most dominant play has come in the second half of their two games, where they’re giving up 1.5 points per game. If they can keep up that level of play early in each game, it could translate into even more wins this season. And can you imagine if the offense starts scoring points? The Bears could be a team that will contend for the NFC North.
This article was originally published on Bears Wire: Bears’ Andrew Billings, Gervon Dexter off to impressive 2024 debuts
