We’ve hit the Bears’ bye week. They’re sitting at 2-2 after Sunday’s 25-24 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, feeling better about themselves while on a two-game win streak.

Head coach Ben Johnson values the early rest, considering it provides a chance to reassess systems and coaching philosophies and course correct when necessary. While the players will practice just once during this downtime, the coaches will go through a hard self-scout in an effort to be better down the stretch.

While there’s a wave of positivity surrounding this team, there’s also plenty to fix. The run defense and the pass rush are problems. So is the rushing offense, which has been inefficient to this point. There’s also a lot to like, including quarterback Caleb Williams’ development and the confidence Johnson is building with his team and the city supporting it.

Let’s get to all that and more in this Bears mailbag:

John Santucci from Northbrook, Ill.

It seems to be a general consensus that this team’s biggest weakness is a defensive line, whether it’s a lively pass rush or defending against the run. What (if anything) would you say is within Dennis Allen’s power to improve the output of the line, and what would you just chalk up to being bad personnel that is out of his control?

Bair: The easiest answer, John, is to blitz more and more creatively. I think that will happen once slot cornerback Kyler Gordon returns. He can be impactful there, as can safety Jaquan Brisker. The Bears thus far have blitzed just 23.6 percent of the time, which ranks No. 20 in the NFL. They have a 25.2 percent quarterback pressure rate, which is No. 30 overall.

Neither of those numbers — especially the second one — are good. To answer your question directly, I don’t believe it’s a talent issue. Montez Sweat, Grady Jarrett and Dayo Odeyingbo are talented players. They’re just not getting home enough.

They’re also having a hard time stopping the run and therefore aren’t putting teams in obvious passing downs. That’s the crux of the issue, so the best way to crank up the pass rush is to stop the run on early downs.

The Bears are forcing takeaways, which is the most important tally, so it’s hard to say coordinator Dennis Allen is doing something wrong. There is an ineffectiveness issue with the defensive front that must be fixed, and it’s a layer cake.

The formula: Stop the run first. Be creative on passing downs. Find ways to get Sweat one-on-one matchups. Have Sweat win in those situations, which he isn’t doing enough of right now.

J.J. Herrera from Niles, Ill.

A recent article from Marquee Sports mentioned something I really agree with: even if progress isn’t immediately visible on the field, the growth within the locker room already speaks volumes.

Through just a few weeks, I’ve already seen real growth from Caleb Williams and this team.

Even in the Week 1 loss to Minnesota, Caleb looked composed in front of the home crowd. That fourth-quarter collapse was tough, but in a way, it was the punch in the mouth this young team needed — and they responded. In Detroit, Caleb handled the hostile crowd with maturity and by Week 3, we saw it all come together in a strong home win over Dallas. He played nearly perfect football (and doing it against our former coach made it that much sweeter).

In Vegas, Ben Johnson told Caleb at halftime, “You’re built for these moments,” and you could tell the team took that to heart. His leadership is showing up across the board. One detail that stood out: after Ben spoke to the locker room postgame, the team responded with a unified “yes sir.” That kind of respect doesn’t happen by accident.

I hope Ben knows how much that effort is appreciated. We see it and we’re behind him.

Bair: That was a long comment from J.J., but I thought it fair to include his entire sentiment. We are seeing Caleb Williams develop before our very eyes, with notable improvement coming in each game. Sunday’s win told us something about his moxie and perseverance when things aren’t going right. His mobility has been a game-changer, as has his willingness to work through problems.

That last part comes from Johnson, who’s clearly having a positive influence on the young talent. This working relationship is off to a solid start, though it will have its difficulties and Williams will have moments of struggle. Getting early returns is a positive, though serious growth potential remains ahead.

Johnson talked about his relationship with Williams, saying it’s centered on offering support, motivation and some tough love.

“Caleb and I have a great relationship right now,” Johnson said Friday. “I can’t ask for anything better. I think he’s wired the right way. I think he’s getting better every single day he comes into the building. He’s putting in the prep time that’s necessary for us as an offense to put points up on the board, and I think we’re going to continue to see him head in the right direction.”

Amanda R. from Barrington, Ill.

Forgive me for sounding dramatic, but after all the heartbreak from past Bears regimes, I couldn’t help but smile watching the locker room after that nail-biting win. Seeing Kevin Warren and Coach Johnson embrace felt like a real moment, like the whole organization and fans are finally on the same page.

That kind of connection between ownership and coaching isn’t something you see every day; it gives me hope.

How important is that chemistry when building a winning team?

Bair: In short, it’s vital. Williams called Sunday’s win “a culture builder and a confidence builder.” It also brings a new team together. That shared experience is a bonding moment that makes it easier to work through adversity. The Bears were terrible at that last season, and therefore played far below expectation. The Washington game tanked their season. To be honest, the 2024 Bears probably would lose that game in Las Vegas.

This year’s group found a way. That’s a hallmark of good teams, and a proof of concept in what Johnson is doing as a head coach. Bears fans should enjoy moments like this, especially after so much heartbreak in recent memory.

Submit your questions below for inclusion in the next Bears mailbag!! 👇