Is there a more Bernsteinian take than "Buddy Ryan left and the defense got better?"

Mc Doink tried to come to his rescue with the typically pedantic qualification that "they were statistically better."

Dan lived through that era. He knows that on paper they were better (as we were told ad nauseum at the time) but the reality was they were not a better defense. They were no longer feared nor respected like they were under Buddy. It would be like comparing Lovie's very good defenses to the 2018 defense. While the point is statistically supportable it reveals absolutely no sophistication with the subject matter.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

They were only "better" if you use yardage against as the criterion. They certainly weren't better and bernstein is well aware. I have to start spelling his name without a capital again if he's going to try stupid "hot takes" like that.

You know, you hear a lot of stupid shit about the "greatest of all time" or the GOAT as the kids like to say. The truth is, it's something that doesn't really exist. And the dumbest is that slogan on Jordan's statue, "The best that ever was. The best that ever will be." Just idiotic. There is one exception to that rule- the '85 Bears defense.

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His mind is not for rent to any God or government.

am i to infer from GD's post that these idiots are telling us that fangio leaving is not a big deal? i wonder if at the time when Nagy was hired and news broke fangio would be staying if they had the same take?

He said he had no fear or Fangio leaving.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

i bet we can hire mel tucker away from UGA and he'll be able to run the same system
edit: i see mel got the head job at colorado

The proper statistic for a defense is opposing quarterbacks knocked out of the game, preferably in the first half.

Danny White. Joe Ferguson.

End of discussion.

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"When people want their version of the truth, they go find it, no matter how baseless their beliefs." -- Ken Rosenthal

You know, you hear fans all the time talking about guys "instilling fear" in opponents, e.g. Bob Gibson. I saw Gibson pitch. Nobody was afraid of him. Nobody was afraid of Nolan Ryan. Nobody is afraid of Chris Sale. The guys they face are all professionals too and they didn't get to that level by being afraid. Randy Johnson was an outlier. A lot of lefties definitely were afraid of him. Some to the point where they wouldn't face him. But that's a rarity. The same thing at the top level of any sport. Guys don't get there by being afraid. But quarterbacks were terrified of the '85 Bears defense. And that ain't no fuckin' myth.

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His mind is not for rent to any God or government.

The Doberman defense the early 90's Bulls instilled fear as well. Especially in halftime locker rooms where they knew it was coming.

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

Knocking out QBs isn't fear. It is efficiency, as the backup QB is generally much worse.

Does Nate Sudfeld strike fear in the hearts of Bears fans?

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"When people want their version of the truth, they go find it, no matter how baseless their beliefs." -- Ken Rosenthal

He's gonna wish he was back at IU after Sunday.

Prediction?........PAIN

The rules changes have guaranteed that no defense will ever be as feared as the '85 team's defense was. You simply can't hit QBs like that anymore.

That's the thing about the '85 Bears though. It didn't matter who was in the game. Eason, White, and Ferguson, etc. weren't effective anyway because they were dropping loads in their pants while Marshall, Wilson, Hampton, Dent et al came flying at them with fury in a manner that isn't even allowed in today's game.

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His mind is not for rent to any God or government.

I was 5 and 6 years old at the time, what was the major difference between 85 and 86 Defenses?

I think Tobin didnt play as much 46, so they were a bit more passive.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

Ah, ok.

I was thinking they got rid of Marshall after 85-86 but he was still there. So basically the same personnel.

Also, I think the offenses adjusted a bit. The Bear defense was still great, they actually allowed less yardage, they just weren't quite as fearsome as they were in 1985, especially in the second half of the season.

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His mind is not for rent to any God or government.

86 Defense allowed fewer points as I remember. 85 Defense played against better offenses though. 85 was much more feared. Tobin played a lot of zone defense.

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Took the soul out of that unit.

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

Killer part was that he had Todd Bell (pro bowler in 84 who held out in 85) and Al Harris also a holdoutin 85 back. Still was less feared.

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To JORR's point... A couple years ago I saw a documentary about the '85 Bears. Honestly don't remember which one, there were several out at the same time within a couple months of each other.

Anyway, they were interviewing Danny White and a clip ran of him being injured by a a Bears blitz. I think it was Otis Wilson who hit him and knocked White out of the game. White commented that he just had a recent surgery of many due to that hit/injury over the years.

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"This is Chicago, my friend. Anything can happen."

I don't want to lose the point thought that Bernstein knows all this but he had to throw in a gratuitous point that he does not even believe just to piss people off on his first show of the year

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.