Bears praise Tyrique Stevenson after marquee matchup vs. Davante Adams
Bears praise Tyrique Stevenson after marquee matchup vs. Davante Adams originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Coming into Sunday’s Bears - Raiders game at Soldier Field it seemed that rookie cornerback Tyrique Stevenson vs. elite wide receiver Davante Adams was going to be a matchup to watch. Opponents have tested Stevenson throughout the year, and understandably Stevenson has struggled against some of the best wide receivers in the league.
For instance, the Buccaneers dialed up shots to Mike Evans against Stevenson whenever they could in Week 2 en route to Evans’ massive six-catch, 171-yard performance. Even though Stevenson has been picked on a bit, it’s not really a slight on him. That’s just how life typically goes for rookie corners in the NFL.
So when Adams told Raiders reporters earlier this week that he was unhappy with his diminished role in the offense and wanted the ball thrown his way more often, it seemed like Stevenson was in line to get picked on, yet again. And over the Raiders’ first three offensive plays that’s exactly what happened.
Brian Hoyer opened the game with a quick pass to Adams with Stevenson in coverage. It turned into an 11-yard gain. Two plays later, Adams beat Stevenson off the line easily for a catch on a quick slant and gained another 15 yards. So when the Raiders faced their first third-down later in the drive, and it was once again Stevenson lined up across from Adams, everyone knew what was going to happen next.
“We were playing a lot of zone, but coach (Matt Eberflus) believes in us on third down to play man and I just knew where the ball was coming just hearing from the media and everything going on with him wanting the ball,” said Stevenson. “I just knew the ball was coming, so I knew I had to do my job the best way I can.”
Stevenson did. He covered Adams well and got a key pass break up to force a field goal attempt. One snap later Daniel Carlson missed his 41-yard try. Stevenson’s stop ended up keeping points off the board entirely.
“Gave me the confidence that I can go out there and play, I can go out there and cover a veteran like Davante,” said Stevenson. “It added to my confidence and I feel like it added to the team confidence.”
Stevenson’s teammates and coaches have always been confident in his ability to make big plays, even as a rookie.
“Just the type of guy he is, he’s a competitor, he’s a dog, he’s got a work ethic, he’s a competitive dude so he ain’t scared of nothing, and he’s got all the ability in the world,” said safety Elijah Hicks. “With all that combination of things, it’s just good for him to showcase his skillset.”
Stevenson didn’t cover Adams all day, but he settled in for a back and forth battle with the dynamic pass catcher from that point forward whenever they were matched up against each other. Sometimes Adams got the better of him. Sometimes Stevenson made a splashy play. Overall it was an impressive performance, but Stevenson wasn’t satisfied.
“Feel like I gave up some passes that I could’ve defended better and I could’ve played a lot more clean of a game, but I’m definitely happy that we won as a team and played together.”
Stevenson finished the game with three passes defended, with at least two of them coming against Adams. After the game, Eberflus said he liked what he saw from the rookie when he was covering the premiere receiver.
“He’s going to play against a lot of really good receivers this year, and the most important part for a rookie is to just keep learning,” Eberflus said. “Take that, put it in your file and learn for the next time you play that player, because it’s all about the one-on-ones.”
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