LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Jayden Daniels botched a handoff exchange at the best possible time from a Bears perspective. The Washington Commanders QB didn’t land his handoff to Jacory Croskey-Merritt, and the ball hit the ground.

Bears cornerback Nahshon Wright fell on top of it in what appeared to be a moment of good fortune that led to a 25-24 victory over the Commanders at Northwest Stadium.

That’s not how linebacker T.J. Edwards viewed it.

“’Without ‘Shonny’ coming off the edge and being right there to go try to make a (tackle for loss), I don’t think we get that ball,” the veteran interior linebacker said. “I think it’s everyone getting to the ball. And that’s, again, a point of emphasis.”

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That’s the case in the classroom and on the practice field. The Bears are fighting for the ball at all times, which has resulted in 12 takeaways over five games and a league-high 2.4 takeaways per game.

The Bears have taken the ball away a ton, especially over the last three games. They have 11 in that span, which is no coincidence.

Wright crashing against the run is an example of capitalizing on a mistake. There are some others that are earned.

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Take safety Kevin Byard III’s two interceptions in a Week 4 win over the Las Vegas Raiders as an example. He said he coaxed Geno Smith into both of those picks, by watching how the tight end behaved, which Raiders receivers would run certain routes and how the quarterback would respond to his movements.

“The two interceptions I had were plays where, I knew if I got a certain look, that I was going to be able to bait the quarterback into those kinds of passes,” Byard said after that 25-24 victory at Allegiant Stadium. “Those picks came from a lot of film study, a lot of preparation and knowing that, when you get the looks you want to get, trust yourself and go make that play based on the preparation and knowledge that you have.”

These takeaways come from smart players and coordinator Dennis Allen’s emphasis upon them. Bears defenders have been ballhawks since the start of training camp, attacking takeaways and talking smack after they happen. That’s their style and point of emphasis, a major reason why the Bears have won three straight despite giving up yards aplenty.

“They’re very ball conscious, as you know,” head coach Ben Johnson said. “We’re looking to punch out in practice. We’re looking to do that in individual drills that’s carrying over to the team periods in practice and to the game as well. Same thing with the interceptions. Our scout-team quarterbacks aren’t trying to throw them, and yet, it’s happening almost every single day.

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“We continue to not only get our hands on those balls and be able to return them, but we’re turning them into big plays with the returns as well and setting up good field position for the offense. I think when you emphasize something and the guys take it to heart, I think that’s when good things happen. So it’s not luck. It’s by design.”

Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds had two interceptions in a Week 3 win over the Dallas Cowboys. They weren’t luck, either. He was in the right place at the right time due to athleticism and copious amounts of study individually and as a defensive group.

“Those moments come from the film study we put in throughout the week,” Edmunds said last week. “When we meet together as a back end or in defensive groups, we just study and discuss what we see. It’s starting to carry over into the game. When you put in the work in the classroom and everyone is really into what we’re doing and talking about how we all see it, that’s when good things happen.”