Tyrique Stevenson of the Chicago Bears (Photo Credit: X).
All summer, leading up to the regular season, all the focus was on the Chicago Bears’ revamped offense, led by rookie quarterback Caleb Williams.
But the defense and special teams propelled Chicago to a stunning comeback win over the Tennessee Titans—just like old times.
Three signature plays by the Bears’ talented secondary turned the tide against the Titans. Jonathan Owens, more famously known as Simone Biles’ husband, scored on a blocked punt in the third quarter that led to his exhilarating 21-yard touchdown return.
His Olympic gold medal-winning better half was like the rest of Bears nation watching that play.
I ALMOST HAD A HEART ATTACK https://t.co/SmqPk06QCN
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) September 8, 2024
“It felt amazing,” Owens told the Associated Press. “Going back to the sideline, all the guys are excited for you. The defense is excited. The energy from the stadium is just rolling in. It didn’t feel like real life.”
Owens’ score made the game 17-10.
After two Cairos Santos’ second-half field goals made the game 17-16, another Bears’ defensive back made a game-changing play.
This time it was second-year cornerback Tyrique Stevenson. With less than eight minutes left in the game, Titans quarterback Will Levis, facing a 3rd down and 6, flings the ball in the air as defensive end DeMarcus Walker is, pun intended, bearing down on him.
That’s when Stevenson snatches the ball on a downward trajectory and returns it 43 yards for the go-ahead score.
.@dreamchaserTy10 JUST DID THAT 🫡
đź“ş: #TENvsCHI on FOX pic.twitter.com/oW5IzEYZbR
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) September 8, 2024
But the secondary was not done.
Jaylon Johnson, the team’s best defensive back, sealed the game by intercepting Will Levis with a minute left.
It’s worth mentioning that the Bears’ Darrell Taylor strip-sacked Levis, which allowed T.J. Edwards to recover the ball at the Titans’ 31-yard-line. That play ultimately set up Santos’ second field goal to pull Chicago within one.
As for Williams and his vaunted core of receivers, it was a struggle. Williams looked like a “rookie” on his first official day at work. The trio of said receivers —DJ Moore, Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze—managed just 76 yards of receptions combined.
“It was a frustrating game,” Williams told AP. “But the most important thing is that it shows a bunch of the personality of this team, I would say — the fight, the resiliency that we had.”
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