Despite the 27-10 win over the Miami Dolphins, the first look at a Chicago Bears defense moving to a 3-4 defense with a bevy of 4-3 players was about what you'd expect: uninspiring.
Most of the first-team defensive unit played only the first series or two and were gouged by Ryan Tannehill (6-of-7 passing) and the rest of the Dolphins offense on an opening 14-play, 85-yard touchdown drive. The lack of speed on defense -- especially the front seven -- was evident.
Veteran Jared Allen moved from defensive end to outside linebacker and looked wonky in his first game at the position. The normally determined pass rusher seemed like a player thinking his way through each snap.
"It's a good little slice of humility and it lets you know where you are at and things you can work on," Allen said of the opening series, via ESPN.
The Bears are trying to fit a round pegs into square holes. If Allen, Lamarr Houston and Willie Young can't make the conversion, it's going to be a long, long year for defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.
Still, coach John Fox cautioned that it was just one preseason game.
"We misplayed our linebacker alignment on a Lamar Miller 27-yard run," Fox said. "We weren't very crisp on third down. So it wasn't as clean as we like but first preseason games with a new staff usually aren't.
"We're not a well-oiled-machine by any stretch, but it's the first preseason game."
This Bears D needs a whole lot of oil.
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