INDIANAPOLIS — When Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson was asked about his mixed bag of a game Sunday against the Colts, he didn’t mention his interception.
Instead, he was fixated on wide receiver Alec Pierce beating him for a 44-yard catch early in the second quarter.
‘‘Very uncharacteristic giving up a big play, but [stuff] happens playing the cornerback position,’’ Johnson said. ‘‘Just got to be more disciplined.
‘‘That’s not a receiver that should ever catch a pass on me. Just got to stay locked in. But he caught it. Props to him.’’
Johnson had his hands on Pierce at the line of scrimmage, but Pierce slipped by, got a couple of steps ahead up the left sideline and reached the Bears’ 4-yard line. Johnson attributed the error to overthinking as he tried to anticipate the route rather than simply reacting in real time.
Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds cleaned up the mistake a few plays later by intercepting a pass by quarterback Anthony Richardson in the end zone.
Pierce, who played high school ball at Glenbard West, topped 500 yards receiving in each of the last two seasons after the Colts drafted him in the second round out of Cincinnati. The play against Johnson, his only catch of the game, was his 19th career reception of 20 yards or longer.
Johnson spent much of the game covering Michael Pittman Jr., who finished with four catches for 36 yards. Richardson overthrew Pittman on the first play of the second half and sailed the ball right to Johnson. It was his second interception of the season and the sixth of his career.
‘‘The pick was solid; I expect to make those plays,’’ Johnson said. ‘‘But I don’t like giving up big plays. I can’t remember the last time I gave one up. I definitely don’t like the feeling. It won’t happen again.
‘‘I don’t get over it, but I keep playing. I know what the standard is for myself, and that’s not the standard.’’