Bears defense can't stop Broncos even without Peyton Manning or Brock Osweiler

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Half-full or half-empty? Does the Bears defense look at a first half and 20 points allowed or a second half in which it shut out the Denver Broncos? Because it’s preseason, it really doesn’t matter, but coaches look at the games as major evaluation points, so it does count for something besides the 22-0 score that the Broncos took out of Soldier Field.

And unlike the offense, which allowed two points for the Broncos vs. scoring none of its own, the defense did take at least something positive. Something. At least.

The Bears, who intercepted just eight passes all last season, and only four of those by defensive backs, at least saw their No. 1 unit come up with a takeaway, although not before an opening-drive embarrassment.

Denver methodically pushed the Bears backwards for 10 plays and 78 yards for a touchdown, which came on a 32-yard throw from quarterback Mark Sanchez to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, who was all alone behind nickel cornerback Bryce Callahan. Exactly whose mistake resulted in the blown coverage isn't clear, but both inside linebackers were blitzing, which suggests that Callahan was assigned man-to-man accountability for Thomas.

But Callahan achieved a moment of redemption five plays later when he got a hand on a Sanchez pass toward wideout Bennie Fowler, deflecting the ball into the hands of linebacker Jerrell Freeman. Since the Bears had just one interception over the final 13 quarters of the 2015 season, even one in practice warrants mentioning…

…Though not for only one player obviously, the preseason opener against the Broncos was in part a coming-out party for Leonard Floyd, the ninth-overall pick of the 2016 draft and the highest defensive draft selection by the Bears since Brian Urlacher (also ninth) in 2000. In an evening with few standout moments, Floyd did not dominate, but neither did he disappoint.

[RELATED: Bears "O" scores more for Denver than Chicago in dismal preseason opener]

Floyd made his debut in the first quarter on a third-and-long from the Chicago 32, coming strong with a bull rush into right tackle Donald Stevenson. Floyd did not get home on the rush but appeared to handle his assignment perfectly, keeping to Stevenson’s outside shoulder while linebackers Freeman and Danny Trevathan were both blitzing inside.

“It was a great feeling, because it was my long-term dream to play in the NFL,” Floyd said. “I just embraced it and went out and played as hard as I could.”

Floyd took some hammerings, flattened on a pass rush by a double-team. But he also was credited with two solo tackles and contributed to holding a good Denver run game to 3.2 yards per carry.

Floyd had been worked in with the No. 1’s late in training camp, and will be part of a rotation within a generally deep group. The defense opened Thursday in nickel personnel, with Lamarr Houston and Willie Young at the edges of the 4-3 package, with Eddie Goldman and Akiem Hicks inside. Young had two pressures of Mark Sanchez on the Broncos’ first possession…

The pass rush in general was mute, with zero sacks of either Mark Sanchez or Trevor Siemian on 25 pass plays through two quarters. The Bears got to rookie No. 1 pick Paxton Lynch three times in the second half (Sam Acho, John Timu, Cornelius Washington).

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Rookie corner Deiondre Hall broke up consecutive passes in the end zone to force a Denver field goal early in the second quarter, one of the few bright spots early in a game where the visitors clearly came in with greater intensity. Hall tied for team honors with five tackles to go with his deflections and projects to see more playing time in New England against the Patriots.

“That’s a positive, that he made back-to-back PBU’s [pass breakups],” said coach John Fox. “So he’s a young guy, first time to see it in game conditions."

Cornelius Washington, who added weight and was showing promise before going on IR after one game last year, acquitted himself well in some extended playing time and was credited with a third-quarter sack to go with a tackle for loss and QB hit. But Washington twice had to be helped off the field with knee and ankle injuries.

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