The Chicago Bears' defense might not look drastically different on paper from last season - at least not when you’re scanning the usual markers like yards allowed or points per game. But dig a little deeper, and there’s a clear shift in how this group is impacting games. And it starts with one word: takeaways.
Through 13 weeks of the 2025 season, the Bears lead the NFL with 26 takeaways - already surpassing their total from all of last year (24). That’s not a small bump. That’s a defense flipping the script in a major way, and at the heart of it is safety Kevin Byard, who’s having a resurgent year that’s turning heads across the league.
Byard currently leads the NFL with six interceptions - a huge jump from last season, when he finished with just one pick. He’s also already matched his pass breakup total from 2024, and while he’s not leading the team in tackles like he did last year (he had 130 total), he’s still second on the team with 65. In other words, he’s not just around the ball - he’s making plays on it.
So what’s changed?
Former NFL safety and current ESPN analyst Matt Bowen offered some insight this week during an appearance on 670 The Score’s “Spiegel and Holmes.” Bowen, who knows a thing or two about playing on the back end, pointed to one key difference in Byard’s game this year: speed. Not the kind you measure at the combine - the kind that shows up when a player sees the field clearly and reacts without hesitation.
“He’s playing faster than he did last year,” Bowen said. “You don’t see that with players later in their career. But what that tells you is it’s someone who trusts the scheme… that’s coaching with Dennis Allen, putting him in position to be around the football.”
That trust is translating into game-changing moments. Bowen highlighted two recent examples that show just how locked in Byard is right now.
In Week 11 against the Vikings, Byard baited rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy into thinking he had a clean window. What looked like an open throw quickly turned into a trap, as Byard closed in and picked it off - the kind of play that comes from a blend of film study, instincts, and veteran savvy.
Then in Week 13 against the Eagles, Byard showed off his range, tracking Jalen Hurts’ deep sideline throw and making a highlight-reel interception. That one was less about baiting and more about raw athleticism and anticipation - reading the quarterback on the move, breaking on the ball, and finishing the play.
These aren’t just nice stats padding a résumé. These are momentum-turning plays that swing games.
And they’re emblematic of a defense that’s finding its identity under Dennis Allen. While Allen’s unit may not be suffocating opponents in terms of yardage, it’s opportunistic - and in today’s NFL, that’s often the difference between winning and losing.
Bowen was quick to clarify that his comments weren’t a shot at former head coach Matt Eberflus. But the contrast is hard to ignore. Under Allen, Byard looks like a player reborn - more confident, more decisive, and more dangerous.
When a safety starts “playing faster,” it usually means he’s thinking less and trusting more. That’s when instincts take over. And when a player like Kevin Byard - with his experience and skill set - starts playing on instinct, the results can be special.
The Bears' defense still has work to do if they want to be considered among the league’s elite. But with playmakers like Byard leading the charge and a scheme that’s putting them in position to succeed, they’ve become a group that can tilt the field - one takeaway at a time.