Despite evidence to the contrary Sunday, Bears defensive coordinator Eric Washington said Thursday that cornerback Tyrique Stevenson doesn’t have big-picture problems with his focus.
Stevenson famously gestured toward fans Sunday while the Commanders were snapping the ball to start a Hail Mary pass as time expired. Stevenson was supposed to be guarding receiver Noah Brown, who caught the tipped pass for a 52-yard touchdown to win the game. Rather than boxing out Brown, Stevenson mistakenly leaped for the ball.
Stevenson also had an unnecessary roughness penalty Sunday when he shoved his finger into Commanders guard Sam Cosmi’s facemask after a play ended at the end of the third quarter. Commanders receiver Terry McLaurin yelled an expletive — “You ain’t [bleep],” he said — toward Stevenson after the flag was thrown.
“I have complete confidence in Tyrique Stevenson,” Washington said Thursday. “I have complete confidence in his position coach, Jon Hoke. We just need to continue to work, continue to grow. I know Tyrique — and I know everybody on our defense — beyond that particular moment. That’s the advantage I have that maybe others don’t.”
The most concerning part of the Bears’ “Fail Mary” wasn’t how Stevenson’s veteran teammates reacted to him as much as how unafraid they were to publicly question coaching strategy after the game — be it the decision to hand the ball off to guard Doug Kramer at the goal line, concede a 13-yard out route on the game’s penultimate play or fail to call a timeout before the Hail Mary.
Washington, though, said he didn’t see Stevenson jumping around with his back turned as the Commanders snapped the ball. He said he was watching the Bears’ defensive line as well as how the Commanders lined up.
“My expectation for every player on the field is to be in the right position and to do exactly what they’re supposed to be doing at that particular point,” Washington said.
Wednesday, coach Matt Eberflus declined to say whether Stevenson would be benched for Sunday’s game at the Cardinals. Washington shared a similar tone, sounding as though Stevenson would be in his usual post. He practiced Thursday and is ”locked in” this week, Washington said.
Asked whether Stevenson should be disciplined, Washington demurred..
“My focus is moving forward and making sure that we get the defense ready for the Arizona Cardinals,” he said. “That’s where I am.
“I’m not as much interested in consequences as I am making sure we grow from every situation that we’re involved in.”
Stevenson stood up in a Monday morning team meeting to apologize, a gesture that his teammates seem to have appreciated, even as they acknowledge that his actions before the snap were unacceptable.
“He knows that the guys in this locker room have got his back,” linebacker Jack Sanborn said. “Whatever happened last week happened last week.”
It would be naïve, though, to think Stevenson’s actions haven’t had a direct impact on the Bears’ preparation for the Cardinals. Players admitted that the sting of the loss was hard to shake early in the week.
“He took accountability as a man _— you can’t argue with that,” defensive end Darrell Taylor said. “You just be there for him and let him know what the deal was. Let him know what the situation was supposed to be.”
After a week in which their franchise received attention for all the wrong reasons, Bears players insist they’ll be able to focus on the Cardinals on Sunday.
“That’s what we’re paid to do,” Sanborn said. “It’s our job.”