Two Chicago Bears defensive studs seemed to come out of nowhere to earn spots on Pro Football Focus’ Team of the Week last week.
Safety Adrian Amos and cornerback Kyle Fuller were both named to PFF’s Week 6 Team of the Week for their efforts against the Ravens in the Bears’ 27-24 overtime win on Sunday. It’s quite the accomplishment for a pair of players who didn’t enter the 2017 season with high expectations because of offseason demotions – especially Amos, who was a two-year starter before losing his job to rookie Eddie Jackson.
Amos was a respectable safety in his two years as a starter, grading out as a sound and solid tackler with the ability to play in the box. He showed that off again on Sunday, when he peeled off seven solo tackles and four defensive stops. Of course, his inability to haul in turnovers was a main reason he was originally demoted in favor of the more dynamic Jackson, but perhaps that changes with Amos’ recent pick-six (his first interception after nearly 2,000 career snaps without one).
And most importantly, his re-emergence as a starter couldn’t have come at a better time – with free agent addition Quintin Demps is on injured reserve. In fact, you might even go as far as suggesting that the Bears have played better with the pair of young safeties currently roaming the secondary, than they would have otherwise.
Amos’ 89.3 grade from Week 6 is impressive, but have you noticed he has quietly and successfully transformed into one of PFF’s highest-graded safeties? Pro Football Focus has given him an 87.7 grade, which is the sixth best among NFL safeties this season. That he’s done it in just 213 total snaps – and that 197 of those snaps have come in the last three weeks – says a lot about how well he has played.