Rex Ryan: Current Bears defense ‘can't hold' '85 team's ‘jockstrap'

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Seemingly every NFL pundit has taken their pot shot on the Bears, Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace after their embarrassing loss to the Lions on Sunday. But when Rex Ryan stepped up for his take on ESPN’s “Get Up” he really didn’t hold back. Seriously, he let them have it.

As Buddy Ryan’s son, it’s not surprising that Rex directed his scorn towards the defense, instead of the offense.

“If you’re the real deal, then that game’s over,” Ryan said.

We don’t need to rehash the whole collapse because I’m sure you’re more than familiar by now. But it does bear repeating that the Bears led 30-20 with only 4:33 left in the game when the Lions began their first comeback touchdown drive from their own four-yard line.

“Regardless of the stupid play by Trubisky, and the questionable play call in that situation, if you’re that team… game’s over, dude. It’s flat out over. ‘We’re going to show you how good we are, how great we are.’ Instead, that team gave up over 450 yards to the Detroit Lions. Yeah, you’re really that good.”

Not too long ago, people described the Bears’ defense as historic. People debated where they fit among the league’s best. But after the last two weeks, Ryan says they’ve forfeited the opportunity to have their name brought up alongside the all-timers.

“You wanted your own identity, you never liked the ‘85 Bears,” Ryan said. “Well guess what: You can’t hold their jockstrap. I’m sick and tired of saying that you’re a good defense, the most talented defense. You dang sure don’t play that way.”

When the debate was tossed over to Ryan Clark— a member of the Super Bowl XLIII champion Steelers defense— he was a little more coy, but just as biting with his criticism of the Bears defense.

“I’m sick and tired of you guys talking out of both sides of your mouths,” Clark joked in response to Ryan’s outburst. “What do we always say? ‘We want a team to be together. We want total chemistry. We want complementary football.’ Now the Bears are playing complementary football. The offense sucks. The defense sucks too.

“Isn’t this why Matt Nagy was brought to Chicago? So the offense and defense would be on the same level? Well now you have it… This defense is not what it used to be. It’s not even what it started the season as being. It’s not what we saw on Thursday Night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“The question was asked early in the season: Does this eventually wear on the Chicago Bears defense? That’s an excuse. Because when you’re on the field it’s those 11 players that are coached to play defense and that are coached to stop people.

“You had the perfect chance to get back into it, get back into the race. To give Mitchell Trubisky, Matt Nagy, the people of Chicago, some hope that there was some way you could sliver into the playoffs. And nope, you let Matt Stafford and their new coach pull a win when they were down by 10. That’s on you, that’s all about this defense not being good enough.”

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