NEWSLETTER
The changes are plentiful around Halas Hall, as the Chicago Bears embark on a new journey with first-year head coach Matt Nagy leading the way.
There is a different vibe surrounding the Bears these days, and defensive end Akiem Hicks was quick to point out why the levels of optimism have been running high: “I think the biggest difference for us is having an offense that’s going to score in the first half,” Hicks said while meeting the media on Tuesday.
Hicks seems impressed with the Bears’ new-look offense, saying it looks faster and that the players look fresher, quicker, and more likely to make a play. An honest Hicks even said the unit’s multiple moving parts has given the defense fits in practice. That’s not a sentiment that was heard often when Dowell Loggains was running the show last year.
The Bears ended the 2017 season with a defense that finished in the top-10 in scoring and yardage. But because the offense struggled to score and sustain drives, the defense was on the field too long and there were times that the group struggled because of it. Now, the hope is that a reboot of the offense will lead to more prosperous times.
“I really feel like having our offense be able to get out there and keep us off the field and keep us a little bit fresher is going to benefit us a lot,” Hicks said. “As long as we polish up our end and make ourselves a little bit better, and then have the offense contribute to keeping us off the field and staying fresher, I think we’ll come out with a good attitude and be able to kick some more butt.”
The Bears’ defense kicked its fair share of butts in 2017. And with an improved offense, there is a ton of untapped potential. So what does Hicks see in the near future for the new-look Bears? Big things, of course:
I asked Akiem Hicks what he believes this #Bears team can accomplish this season..his response: "double digit wins"
— Shae Peppler (@shaepeppler) June 5, 2018
Now, THAT is how you set the bar when you’re playing for the Bears!
