Brad Biggs: No one cares about the Bears' problems -- but CB Jaylon Johnson's injury is a big one

CHICAGO — Philosophically discussing the art of roster building, former Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said with all factors equal, his preference would be for an elite cornerback over an elite pass rusher.

Fangio wanted both — for sure — and to construct a defense that can carry a team in the playoffs, the depth chart has to be stocked with talent at all levels.

His point that a premier cornerback was more valuable than a game wrecker capable of hunting the quarterback was based on the reality that it’s easier for a good offensive coach to game plan around a defensive end. The offense can double team a pass rusher, slide protect, chip, use a quick game and direct run plays in the opposite direction, among other strategies.

Assuming the cornerback is willing and able in run support, there’s a lot less an offense can do to remove that player from the equation. An elite cornerback can erase one side of the field.

It’s notable for Sunday when the Bears play host to the Dallas Cowboys at Soldier Field in a matchup between teams with defensive units that have gotten off to inauspicious starts.

The Bears are without their eraser, Jaylon Johnson — one of the best cornerbacks in the league — and it’s possible he will miss the remainder of the season. A case can be made Johnson is the player the team could least afford to lose, which creates a conundrum for coach Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. Nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon and linebacker T.J. Edwards, both dealing with hamstring injuries, also are unlikely to play Sunday.

The Cowboys traded defensive end Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers just before the start of the season, leaving the Cowboys and ex-Bears coach Matt Eberflus, their defensive coordinator, without a closer to help them get off the field. The two first-round picks the Cowboys received aren’t going to help Sunday.

Both defenses are reeling. The Bears have allowed a league-high seven touchdown passes, a figure they didn’t reach last season until Week 11. It’s tied for the most TD passes they’ve surrendered in the first two weeks all time. The opponent passer rating against the Bears is an unsightly 136.9. Opponents are averaging 9.31 yards per play on first down. The NFL average is 5.15.

The Cowboys, without top cornerback DaRon Bland, were so bad last week they put New York Giants quarterback Russell Wilson in a time machine that made the 36-year-old look like he was in his mid-20s as he threw for 450 yards and three touchdowns. The Cowboys are ranked in the bottom five in a host of key defensive metrics and also have been woeful on first down, allowing 7.13 yards per play.

Bland suffered a foot injury during practice in Week 2 and shortly after signing a $92 million contract extension. At least he’s expected back in the near future. Cornerback Reddy Steward made his first NFL start in the 40-36 shootout victory against the Giants. He spent most of last season on the Bears practice squad after going undrafted.

The last time the Bears lost their best defensive player early in the season was 2009, when Hall of Fame middle linebacker Brian Urlacher suffered a dislocated right wrist in the opener in Green Bay. He missed the remainder of the season, and the Bears finished 7-9. At least that team had some depth around Lance Briggs with Hunter Hillenmeyer sliding to middle linebacker and Nick Road starting on the strong side.

How the Bears adjust to their current predicament will be interesting. Allen always has been very multiple in what he does from a scheme standpoint on a week-to-week basis. He likes to play physical man-to-man coverage on the outside, and the Bears might have to dial that back considering injuries and the lack of a pass rush.

With two-high safeties, Allen can dabble in quarters coverage or maybe play Cover-2 man, especially considering Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott isn’t the mobile threat he was earlier in his career. That can prevent explosive plays over the top and allow defensive backs underneath to be aggressive with their hands and leverage and perhaps force Prescott to throw the ball into smaller windows.

But it’s going to be a matchup problem for the Bears to contain wide receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens and tight end Jake Ferguson. The Cowboys have no problem slinging the ball all over the place, and if they get down to the red zone, the Bears need answers and fast. Opponents have scored eight touchdowns on 10 red-zone trips.

It’s not just the pass defense. The Bears couldn’t set an edge in the red zone to slow the Lions running game last week, and it’s worth wondering if this is one area Ben Johnson was referencing when he discussed his team’s intensity not matching that of the Lions.

“When you don’t perform well and you lose a game like that, there’s a lot of issues that went on and so there’s a lot of dirty hands in that,” Allen said. “We all accept responsibility, coaches and players alike.”

The Bears can play better on defense and they will this season. Whether that happens against the Cowboys, who knows? There are a lot of missing parts to overcome at this early juncture, and the Cowboys are very much in a similar situation.

“When you have significant players that are missing time, it’s challenging,” Allen said. “And yet, that’s why we do what we do and that’s why we’re at the highest level of this profession is to figure out solutions and figure out ways to get the job done.

“Really, 90 percent of the world doesn’t give a … care about your problems. The other 10 percent are glad you got ’em.”

Allen borrowed that last line from legendary college coach Lou Holtz, and he’s right. The Bears have problems and their upcoming opponents are delighted. There might not be a bigger challenge for a defense to face than being without a legitimate star cornerback. At least the Cowboys have a slew of their own issues.