Bears general manager Ryan Pace appeared on the WBBM 780 AM and 105.9 FM pre-game show in advance of Sunday's home game against the Carolina Panthers. Here's a transcript of that interview:
On the Bears overcoming adversity to beat the Ravens:
"I think adversity is going to come at different points within a game and different points within a season. I think it's about how you respond in those moments. We had some things not go our way late in that game, but I really like how our guys responded. I like how our guys finished. It's really a credit to the character of our team right now."
On running the ball 50 times against the Ravens:
"Whatever it takes to win, and that's really the approach. Every matchup, every opponent is different. Our approach can obviously change. I think it's a credit, too, to our coaches to stay disciplined with the game plan, and that's what it took to win that game."
On staying with the game plan:
"I think when you stick to it, especially in a game like that, you can feel it wear on the defense throughout the game and you kind of see the point of attack getting moved further and further as the game goes on, and I think that's what occurred."
On Jordan Howard rushing for 167 yards on 36 carries in Baltimore:
"His performance didn't really surprise us. We've always had a lot of appreciation for him and just how hard and physical he plays. He's got a lot of good traits that make him a productive NFL running back and I thought you saw those traits showcased throughout that game."
On Mitchell Trubisky showing growth in his second start despite throwing only 16 passes in the game:
"The first thing that comes to mind is decision-making. We all thought he did a good job of knowing when to throw the ball away and just playing overall smart football. But when the time came and we needed him to step up and make big plays, he did just that."
On how the Bears defense has performed:
"I think for the most part the entire defense has been playing well this season. What was really encouraging against the Ravens was the takeaways, and that's something we've stressed, I know [defensive coordinator] Vic [Fangio] has stressed and you saw it come to fruition. You can just feel the entire unit gelling together; the front seven, the secondary. But we've got a huge test today against a good Carolina offense, so it doesn't stop."
On facing the Panthers:
"They're 4-2 right now. They're one of the better teams in the league, and offensively it starts with Cam Newton. They probably have one of the biggest receiver duos in the league with [Kelvin] Benjamin and [Devin] Funchess. They're a team that wants to run the ball. They have the weapons to do it with [Jonathan] Stewart and [Christian] McCaffrey. And then defensively they're solid throughout. They're fourth overall, they're fifth versus the run. They have the second most sacks in the NFL. They're just a very good overall team and we have a lot of respect for them."
On McCaffrey:
"He's a player we liked a lot in the draft. He's a weapon that brings a lot of versatility to their offense. They can move him all over to create mismatches in the passing game. You see him in the slot. He's just a real sudden player that can be extremely difficult to cover."
