Chicago Bears linebacker Roquan Smith had his best game of the 2022 season in Week 3 against the Houston Texans. The All-Pro defender totaled 16 tackles, two tackles for loss, and a game-winning interception late in the fourth quarter. Yet, he wasn’t even the highest-graded linebacker on the Bears, according to Pro Football Focus.
PFF gave Smith a 78.4 grade, a mark that suffered a bit because of Smith’s low pass-rush score (51.5). Nicholas Morrow, meanwhile, earned an 80.4 in Week 3, thanks in large part to his near-elite 86.9 coverage grade.
Rookie safety Jaquan Brisker checked in just behind Smith with a 78.2, earning high marks (83.2) for his tackling.
The highest-graded defender who played the most snaps was edge rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad, who turned in his best game as a Bear with an 84.8. His 86.3 run-defense grade was second only behind Eddie Jackson among all of Chicago’s regular defenders.
Defensive tackle Justin Jones was on the other side of the spectrum, scoring a 48.3, which ranked worst of all Bears’ primary defensive players. Rookie Kyler Gordon’s 51.8 wasn’t far behind and continued his sluggish start as a pro. His 46.1 season grade ranks among the three worst players on the Bears’ defense that have been graded by PFF this year.