Why Absence of Starting Cornerback Could Be Bad News for Bears vs. Lions
Back in April, shortly after Kyler Gordon was rewarded with a contract extension that made him the highest paid slot corner in the NFL, new Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen made it clear that he had more in mind for Gordon than remaining in the slot.
“Does he go outside and compete at outside corner? Does he compete some at safety? I’ve told him that he needs to be learning both of those spots,” Allen said of Gordon back in April. “We’ll figure out where that second position is where he can go and compete. Hopefully we can find some more playing time for him.”
Unfortunately for Dennis Allen, the Chicago Bears and Kyler Gordon himself, we’ve yet to see this ambitious plan in action, because Gordon missed the Bears season opener against the Minnesota Vikings this past Monday, and now he’s been ruled out for the second consecutive week as the Bears prepare for another tough test within the division, this time versus the Detroit Lions.
Kyler Gordon’s Absence Could Mean Big Things for Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions Offense
There’s obviously no good time for a starter — and a highly-paid one at that — to miss any amount of game action, but Gordon’s absence this week is particularly impactful for a Bears defense that is fresh off of a 4th quarter in which they gave up 21 points. Not only were the Detroit Lions the highest scoring team in the NFL in 2024, but they have arguably the league’s most prolific slot receiver in Amon-Ra St. Brown.
If ever there were a matchup you’d want Kyler Gordon on the field for, it would be against Amon-Ra St. Brown, a slot merchant — George Pickens’ words, not mine — who has put up absolutely huge numbers in his career since the Lions used a 4th Round draft pick on him in 2021.
St. Brown has averaged 6.9 receptions and 80.3 yards per game throughout his career, but in six matchups with the Chicago Bears with Kyler Gordon on the field, St. Brown’s averages dip slightly to 6.0 receptions for 70.3 yards per game. It’s a minor difference, but football is a game of inches, and on Sunday, any bit of resistance would’ve been crucial as the Bears look to avoid a dreaded 0-2 hole.
To make matters even worse, the Lions have also been one of the league’s best and most consistent rushing offenses over the last three years, and that’s another area defensively where Kyler Gordon has shined. In 2024, Gordon was ranked 32nd among 222 qualified cornerbacks as a run defender by Pro Football Focus. And last week against Minnesota, it was the Vikings ability to get the run game going that opened things up in the 2nd half for quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
Jaylon Johnson, TJ Edwards Set to Make 2025 Debuts
To offset the fact that Kyler Gordon is out once again and it’s not looking good for Grady Jarrett, the Bears will
At his best, Jaylon Johnson is one of the best cover corners in the entire league, and from the sounds of it, Johnson has looked like he’s close to at his best as he returned to Bears practice this week.
“I’m very happy with him,” coach Ben Johnson said of Jaylon Johnson’s progress on Friday before practice. “He comes out, he’s got a swagger to him. Confidence, he’s not afraid to talk a little bit. That’s what I feel immediately is just the presence out there. When you watch the tape yesterday [from practice], he’s very sticky. We like to eliminate the space in our coverages, and so I think he’s going to be a really good fit for us this week.”
Ex-Raiders Defender Signs With Chargers Ahead of Monday Night Football Matchup
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The Las Vegas Raiders are facing their first divisional opponent of the season, as they welcome the Los Angeles Chargers to Allegiant Stadium for Monday Night Football. The two teams know each other very well, even with the Raiders changing coaching staffs this offseason.
Regardless, both teams will still try to find any advantage they can. Ahead of the Week 2 clash, the Chargers announced that they signed linebacker Kana’i Mauga to their practice squad.
While Mauga was with the Chargers for much of the offseason, he was actually with the Raiders from 2022 to 2024. In that time, he played in 17 games for the team, mostly on special teams.
He should know Patrick Graham’s defense somewhat well after spending three seasons under him. That said, Graham’s defense has evolved under head coach Pete Carroll, so Mauga might not have many secrets to share.
This signing comes after the news that linebacker Denzel Perryman, who is another former Raider, might not be able to play due to injury. Mauga only has six career tackles, so it’s unlikely that he’d see the field much even if he’s promoted to the active roster for the game.
Patrick Graham Talks Justin Herbert
The Chargers were a playoff team last season, and many expect them to beat the Raiders in Week 2. A big reason for that is quarterback Justin Hebert.
He’s already cemented himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL and is coming off an incredible opener against the Kansas City Chiefs. Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham spoke about how Herbert can affect the game in multiple ways.
“They’re making good decisions in the RPO game. Then from there, just the quick decisions in the drop back passing game, and he’s getting the ball out pretty quick,” Graham said of Herbert during a Friday press conference. “And if he doesn’t have it, he has the ability to move around, whether he goes down the field with it or takes off.”
Graham Hoping Improved Tackling Holds Up
The Raiders’ tackling looked rough in the preseason, which led to some concern about their defense. However, in Week 1, the tackling was among the best in the NFL, having only missed four tackles all game.
If the Raiders’ tackling is going to be this good, the defense can at least be solid this season. Graham is hopeful the surefire tackling will hold up.
“If you take the first preseason game … with the first regular season game, it was night and day,” Graham said. “So to me as a coach, to see that improvement, it’s a credit to the players, all the hard work, because for us, we pointed it out from the first game and said, ‘OK, here’s how we’re going to go about correcting it and how we’re going to work it.’ And the guys really bought into it, and it showed up the first week. We’ll see how it goes this week, but we got to keep working it.”
The Chargers’ offense is tougher than the New England Patriots’, so this is going to be a tougher test for the group.
