Grady Jarrett is heading into Week 6 with a quick turn and a familiar backdrop. After the Bears were routed 31-7 by the Packers in Week 5, the veteran defensive tackle said the loss did not shake his confidence and that he is already focused on the next chance to respond.
Jarrett said he is always determined to make a play, and he framed the Bears' response in simple terms: the defense has to get a stop no matter how the other side gets the ball. That is the mindset he carries into Atlanta, where he will face the Falcons for the first time since joining the Bears. He called the return interesting and said he is most excited about competing and helping get Chicago back on the right track.
The timing makes the trip even more noticeable. The Bears need a reset after being outplayed by the Packers, and Jarrett's voice matters in that room because he is one of the defenders expected to help steady it. He said losing by 24 points did not affect how he sees his work, and that the next opportunity is exactly what he wants after a rough Sunday.
There is also reason to think the Bears believe they are getting more from him now than they did last season. Ben Johnson said Jarrett has flashed the same tendencies he showed early with the Falcons, and that a knee injury kept him from getting back to that level last year. Johnson said he is playing at a higher level this season, a sign that the Bears see him as more than a veteran presence while they try to correct the issues that showed up in Week 5.
The open question is how much of that edge shows up in Atlanta. Jarrett has the matchup he wanted, the Bears need the response, and the next step is not complicated: win the down in front of them and turn a lopsided loss into something sturdier in Week 6.
