Bear Digest

Tyrique Stevenson creates crazy fumble recovery and early lead for Bears over Cowboys

Known more for his negative plays, Chicago Bears' cornerback Tyrique Stevenson produced an incredible fumble early to energize an early lead over the Dallas Cowboys.
Richie Whitt|
Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze (15) catches a touchdown pass against the Cowboys in the first quarter.
Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze (15) catches a touchdown pass against the Cowboys in the first quarter. | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

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Chicago Bears

Tyrrique Stevenson has made his share of memorable plays as a member of the Chicago Bears. Most of them - Jayden Daniels ring a bell? - have been negative.

And, let's be honest, he hasn't been great this season. When throwing at Stevenson this season, opposing quarterbacks were 7 of 8 for 124 yards and a touchdown. But with top cornerback Jaylon Johnson out at least four weeks, the Bears have no choice but to count even more on Stevenson.

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Early Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys at Soldier Field, Stevenson reminded that his tenacity and athleticism is still enough to make positive plays.

Looking to avoid a death-knell 0-3 start, the Bears stumbled out of the gate with a three-and-out on offense. After only two snaps the Cowboys were in scoring territory as running back JaVonte Williams rumbled down the sideline for a 22-yard gain.

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But at the end of the run arrived Stevenon, chasing Williams down from behind and reaching from behing to deftly swipe the ball and gain possession before falling out of bounds at Chicago's 28-yard line. It's one of the sweetest forced-fumble/fumble recoveries we'll see all season.

Stevenson's play energized Soldier Field and the offense. Two plays later, quarterback Caleb Williams found seldom-used rookie tight end Colston Loveland for 31 yards. And on 3rd-and-8 he hit wide-open receiver Rome Odunze for a walk-in touchdown and a 7-0 Bears lead.

We wondered where the trick plays and tight ends were in Ben Johnson's offense through two weeks. First came the completion to Loveland. And on the second series, a flea-flicker from D'Andre Swift back to Willams, who hit Luther Burden for a 65-yard touchdown pass and a 14-3 lead.

Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) makes a reception defended by Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson (29) in Week 2.
Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) makes a reception defended by Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson (29) in Week 2. | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

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Richie Whitt
RICHIE WHITT

Richie Whitt has been a sports media fixture in Dallas-Fort Worth since graduating from UT-Arlington in 1986. His career is highlighted by successful stints in print (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), TV (NBC5) and radio (105.3 The Fan). During his almost 40-year tenure, he's blabbed and blogged on events ranging from Super Bowls to NBA Finals to World Series to Stanley Cups to Olympics to Wimbledons to World Cups. Whitt has been covering the NFL since 1989, and in 1993 authored The 'Boys Are Back, a book chronicling the Dallas Cowboys' run to Super Bowl XXVII.

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