Next Tuesday’s episode of Bears on the Marquee, we’re giving out early season grades to each unit and we want to hear from you, the fan. Fill out the survey below and listen to next week’s episode for our grades, as well as what fans like you have to say: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KVCVMVN

Caleb Williams has been the focus of Bears conversation locally and across the league during a three-game win streak leading into a bye.

And rightfully so.

There’s another element to the Bears success this season, one that offers the team true stability. Their defense has been excellent, and it never rests.

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That unit is the team’s backbone, providing the offense opportunity to find itself without the team falling apart. The Bears have allowed just 16.8 points per game this season – that ranks fifth in the league – and hasn’t allowed more than 21 points all year.

The Bears are taking the ball away at a high clip, averaging 2.2 takeaways per game. All that’s setting up the offense for success. Let’s use this pause in the Bears competitive schedule to assess the defensive performance to this point in a position-by-position breakdown.

Defensive ends

Starters: Montez Sweat, DeMarcus Walker

Key reserve(s): Darrell Taylor

What’s right: Generating pressure off the edge opposite Montez Sweat was a major question mark heading into the season. Adding Darrell Taylor in trade seems to have answered that. The former Seahawk has been good rushing the quarterback on passing downs, with 12 total pressures, two sacks and a hit that created an interception. DeMarcus Walker has been good on early downs as well, adding to a rotation that keeps everyone fresh.

What’s wrong: Sweat has been good but not great to this point. He’s still getting schemed against and makes others around him better, but a veteran getting paid like he is needs to produce game-changing plays at a steadier clip. We’re being nit-picky here, but having Sweat become a truly dominant force would take this defense to the next level.

Defensive tackles

Starters: Andrew Billings, Gervon Dexter Sr.

Key reserve(s): Chris Williams, Byron Cowart

What’s right: Interior quarterback pressure has been a steady and pleasant surprise for the defense. Gervon Dexter has come alive in his second season, leading the team with four sacks. Andrew Billings pass-rush ability has been better than in the past, creating more trouble for opposing offensive lines. Those two lead the charge inside, and that has produced more big plays than expected to this point.

What’s wrong: The Bears run defense hasn’t been great at times. While that’s a whole-team issue, maintaining gap control in the middle can help that effort significantly. Stopping runs early can avoid the explosives on the ground that have been a rare weak spot for this defense. The Bears have to be better there, and it starts up front.

Linebackers

Starters: Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Edwards

Key reserve(s): Jack Sanborn

What’s right: While the edge rushers and defensive backs get tons of credit for Chicago’s defensive success, the team’s three-down linebacker duo is as important as anything to shutting teams down. T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds are sure tacklers, solid cover men and guys who can make big plays. Jack Sanborn has been impactful as well in the base defense but doesn’t take many snaps considering the Bears live in the nickel package.

What’s wrong: Not much, honestly. We’ve seen the Bears depth assist when called upon, but it’s hard to find much fault with how the starters are playing at this point. If we’re going to call out the defensive tackles for explosive runs, the linebackers must help prevent that as well.

Defensive backs

Starters: Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, Kyler Gordon, Kevin Byard III, Jaquan Brisker

Key reserve(s): Elijah Hicks, Jaylon Jones, Josh Blackwell

What’s right: Some may be able to argue the point, but the Bears might employ the NFL’s best secondary. This unit is elite, with an ability to cover and blitz and play strong against the run. Jaylon Johnson’s having another All-Pro type season. Tyrique Stevenson’s been aggressive on the other side despite getting targeted a lot. Kyler Gordon has been effective as a blitzer and is an important run defender in the slot.

Kevin Byard III’s addition has been huge from a leadership perspective, but he has made some big plays on the field as well. His presence also allows Jaquan Brisker to roam and make plays.

The secondary plays aggressive and consistently makes plays on the ball, with the takeaways and sacks to show for it.

What’s wrong: This group is banged up. Stevenson, Brisker and Gordon are all dealing with injuries, and losing that many members of the first unit is troubling. The good part of this scenario is that the backups proved capable in Week 6 and have the talent and experience to fill in well if asked.