If there was a face that could be put onto the Chicago Bears’ heartbreaking loss last week in Washington, it would be Tyrique Stevenson. The cornerback not only gave up 142 yards to Commanders receivers, but he also made things worse with his antics. He was constantly jawing with receiver Terry McLaurin. Then, on the game’s most important play, with the Bears leading 15-12, he was so busy getting into it with fans that he had his back to the action for a full five seconds. When he finally realized his mistake, he was out of position and ended up deflecting the pass right to the guy he was supposed to be covering.
It was a brutal way to lose, especially knowing the touchdown never would’ve happened if Stevenson had done his job. Teammates did their best to insist they didn’t hold it against him, but they also made it crystal clear that his antics were a key reason for the loss. While head coach Matt Eberflus didn’t offer any details about a possible punishment, Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune is hearing one is coming.
There were concerns even coming out of the draft that the young cornerback had a bad habit of losing focus at times. He’d get so caught up in certain matchups that he’d shirk his other responsibilities. He may have gotten away with it in college, but there was no way something like that would slide in this locker room. Benching him for the upcoming game against the Arizona Cardinals makes too much sense. They have Terrell Smith back from injury. He has played well whenever given the opportunity. Letting him start opposite Jaylon Johnson might send Tyrique Stevenson a clear message that these jobs are earned, not given. If you’re going to actively hurt the team with dumb mistakes, don’t expect to get snaps much longer.
