FLOYD’S A PACKER SACKER
OLB excels vs. G.B., not so much against other teams
Bears outside linebacker Leonard Floyd seems to be in a perpetual quest for sacks to justify his status as the ninth pick of the 2016 draft. But to Aaron Rodgers, he must look like Lawrence Taylor.
The Packers and Rodgers seem to bring out the best in Floyd. He had two sacks of Rodgers in the Bears’ 10-3 loss in the season opener at Soldier Field. He has had one sack in 12 games since.
In fact, Floyd has 7½ sacks and 10 quarterback hits in seven career games against Green Bay. In 44 games against the rest of the league, he has 11 sacks.
It has been that way since his rookie season. In his first game against the Packers, a Thursday night game on national TV at Lambeau Field, Floyd sacked Rodgers, forced a fumble and recovered the fumble in the end zone for a touchdown that gave the Bears a 10-6 lead early in the third quarter. He has had at least a halfsack in five of seven games against the Packers.
“It’s a division game against our rivals, so I don’t know, man,’’ Floyd said, trying to explain his success against the Packers. ‘‘It just happens that I get home against them more than I do against other teams.
“Getting those sacks against a great player like Aaron Rodgers, I guess I can be excited about that. But I take the same approach into every game. I get so close so many times. It just so happens when it’s Green Bay, I always get home.”
Against the rest of the teams, though, Floyd’s impact is harder to quantify. His only other sack this season came in a 22-14 loss to the Eagles in Week 9. In 13 games, Floyd has 33 tackles, three sacks, 11 quarterback hits, no forced fumbles, no fumble recoveries and no interceptions.
It’s a familiar debate when it comes to Floyd’s production. He’s an effective player on a defense that ranks seventh in the NFL in yards allowed per play, third in yards per carry, sixth in passing yards per attempt and seventh in thirddown efficiency.
But the Bears also are tied for 27th in interceptions and are 25th in sacks per pass play, and that’s where Floyd becomes the focus of criticism. He’s expected to be a difference-maker — and takeaways are where that’s at.
In the context of their defense — with a true game-wrecker in Khalil Mack on the other side — the Bears like what Floyd brings as a strongside linebacker.
“There’s only one guy in our building that can do the job that Leonard is asked to do, and that’s Leonard Floyd,” outside linebackers coach Ted Monachino said. “He’s playing at as high a level as I’ve ever had a ‘Sam’ [linebacker] play. I couldn’t ask any more of him.
“He wears a lot of hats throughout the game. He’s in coverage in base. He’s in coverage in sub. He’s a rusher in base. He’s a rusher in sub. He does it all for us. I do wish for him, and I think it would help all of us if he got some sacks, and we didn’t have to answer the same question once a month [that position coaches are available to the media]. But I do believe he’s playing at as high a level as any ‘Sam’ in our league.”
Floyd, in the fourth year of his five-year rookie contract, would love to have more sacks, as well. But he’s happy with his role and his production in Chuck Pagano’s defense.
“I had to learn a new defense,’’ Floyd said. ‘‘I had a lot more put on me . . . our defense still ranks in the top 10. I feel great in the position I’m in. I’m playing for a great organization. I got a lot more left in me.”