The Chicago Bears‘ defense was one of the main reasons Caleb Williams began his career with a tally in the win column in Week 1 against Tennessee.
And as the dust settled from Week 1’s action across the league, second-year CB Tyrique Stevenson earned recognition as the top defensive player in the conference.
Stevenson’s Week 1 performance earned him NFC Defensive Player of the Week, following four tackles, two passes defended, one interception, and one touchdown against Tennessee.
Chicago Bears Remain a Top-10 Defense, Led By NFC Defensive Player of the Week Tyrique Stevenson
Bears’ Defense Ranks Within Top 10 in PFN Defense Ranking
Chicago remains in the No. 10 spot in PFN’s NFL Defense Rankings after a strong performance against the Titans.
One reason the Bears didn’t rank higher, considering how well their defense played this weekend, was due to Tennessee’s lower-ranking offensive attack.
Defensively, Chicago ranked in the top 10 in yards per play, defensive success rate, and third-down conversions, which all point to how well of a game that unit played on Sunday.
And while some could argue the Bears should’ve been ranked higher, they’ll have a chance to prove the naysayers wrong against the Houston Texans this week.
‘No Drop-Off’ In Stevenson’s Game From Year 1 To Year 2
One of the strongest aspects of the Bears’ defense is the secondary. And with Stevenson earning his second Defensive Player of the Week Award in three games, he’s showing that people shouldn’t expect a drop off from him from Year 1 to Year 2.
“For me, I already knew there was no drop-off,” said Stevenson. “I knew I wanted to come back in and show what I showed last season but times 10 because I put in the work and everything like that. The guys on this team and the guys in our locker room know it ain’t no drop-off from me.”
Stevenson earned this award for the first time in his career last season against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 17 following a performance similar to the one he had on Sunday.
In a snowy game at Soldier Field, Stevenson hauled in two interceptions and made five tackles, earning Week 17 NFC Defensive Player of the Week.
And while Stevenson lines up on the opposite side of Jaylon Johnson, he doesn’t see himself as an easier target than the All-Pro.
Stevenson Not a ‘Weak Link’ In Bears’ Secondary
After his season last year, teams that faced Chicago knew not to throw it Johnson’s way. If they did, there was an understanding that bad things could happen.
“We all know the ball ain’t going to Jaylon,” said Stevenson. “This defense just looks at me to be the guy that I am in practice. I ain’t no weak link just because there’s an All-Pro corner over there. That don’t mean you can just up and throw it over as you feel like it.”
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Last season, Johnson was named a second-team All-Pro after playing in 14 games and totaling four interceptions, 10 passes defended, and 36 tackles.
However, in the final stretch of the 2023 season, Stevenson emerged as one of the league’s top young corners, showing that the Bears could have one of the best 1-2 cornerback tandems in the league.
Stevenson ended with an impressive stat sheet during his rookie year last season. Through 16 games in 2023, Stevenson was one of the top rookie corners in the league, tying with Seattle’s Devon Witherspoon for most passes defensed by a rookie (16).
Stevenson also added four interceptions to his total, tying for the team lead.
Through just one game in Year 2, Stevenson is picking up where he left off, forcing quarterbacks to pick their poison when deciding to target him or Johnson.
If both continue to play at the level they’ve shown through four quarters, the Bears could end the season as one of the top secondaries in the entire NFL.