Jaylon Johnson jumped in entrance of Las Vegas Raiders huge receiver Davante Adams to seize the interception, raced 39 yards for a landing after which made a beeline for the FOX broadcast digicam.
As Johnson’s teammates gathered round to have a good time his second profession interception — and his first of two picks Sunday — Johnson smirked on the digicam and swiped one hand up over the opposite, raining imaginary cash over the Soldier Field finish zone.
Was he sending a message with that celebration within the Bears’ joy-filled 30-12 victory over the Raiders, you ask?
“You damn right,” Johnson mentioned. “100%.”
Johnson’s two interceptions — one off veteran quarterback Brian Hoyer and one off rookie Aidan O’Connell — had been a part of a banner day for the Bears protection in opposition to a Raiders workforce lacking starter Jimmy Garoppolo. Tremaine Edmunds additionally intercepted Hoyer. The Bears let the Raiders ultimately zone simply as soon as, held them to 39 yards speeding and allowed solely 2 of 9 third-down conversions as they halted a 10-game dwelling shedding streak.
Johnson’s picks got here within the fourth quarter, the primary with the Bears already holding a 24-6 lead, however they had been notable for plenty of causes.
Johnson, a 2020 Bears second-round draft decide, is within the ultimate 12 months of his rookie contract and might be seeking to signal a brand new deal within the months forward — both with the Bears or one other NFL workforce. Johnson mentioned Sunday he has “been wanting to get to the table” to work out such a contract, thus the cash celebration.
“I know who I am, and I know I can play this game at a high level,” Johnson mentioned. “And I feel like I deserve to be paid like that. I’m taking that attitude for any team, for any and everybody in the NFL. So I mean if it’s with the Bears, then I’ll do that.”
Entering Sunday, Johnson had began 43 video games in his Bears profession and had 32 passes defended. He prides himself on being sport to lock down one of the best receivers within the league. But previous to Sunday he had only one interception — on Sept. 19, 2021, in opposition to Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. Twenty-eight video games adopted with out a decide.
Johnson has spoken this season about wanting so as to add to that complete. But he stopped in need of saying the streak with out one weighed on him as a result of he additionally prides himself on being dependable.
“It’s only so much you can do when you don’t get too many opportunities,” he mentioned. “And you don’t want to force it and get too happy and start jumping routes and you get beat over the top. I’m definitely a sound player and want to do what I need to do to be in position to make plays on the ball. And if they give me an opportunity to catch the ball, I’m going to do it every time.”
That his first interception Sunday got here whereas defending Adams was becoming provided that Johnson has been requested a number of occasions about eager to defend the previous Green Bay Packers All-Pro receiver.
Johnson mentioned he might see Hoyer eyeing Adams and knew the soccer was coming his manner, so he broke earlier than Adams did. After Johnson grabbed the ball, Kyler Gordon stepped in entrance of Adams to dam, and Johnson knew he was attending to the top zone. The pick-six got here one drive after Johnson was referred to as for a 46-yard move interference penalty in opposition to Tre Tucker that he mentioned was a superb name and “not acceptable” on his half.
Later within the fourth quarter, Johnson jumped in entrance of O’Connell’s move to Jakobi Meyers for the opposite decide. Afterward, Johnson kneeled on the sideline as a result of “God has done so much for me, and I was just taking the time to give him the glory.”
“It meant the world to him,” cornerback Tyrique Stevenson mentioned. “After the second pick, I walked up to him and gave him a hug. You could feel the emotion. It’s something he’s been wanting, something we’ve been praying about, something we’ve talking about. Just for him to go out there and be a leader of the defense and take away two, it just added to the confidence of this defense.”
The Bears defensive effort clearly was far more than simply Johnson. Stevenson, usually defending Adams, had three passes defended. Defensive lineman Justin Jones had a sack. Edmunds grabbed an interception of Hoyer within the second quarter when it bounced off the hand of working again Josh Jacobs, and the takeaway led to the Bears’ second landing six performs later.
Edmunds and fellow linebacker T.J. Edwards, each new to the Bears this 12 months, talked concerning the confidence constructing within the protection as they develop extra snug with each other. And they talked concerning the good vibe that develops as they make extra game-changing performs.
“We have a lot of playmakers out there that can make those big-time plays,” mentioned Edmunds, who has two takeaways in two weeks. “Defense in general strives off that, just energy. What one person do, we all feel.”
In back-to-back dwelling video games, the Bears have held the Minnesota Vikings and Raiders offenses to only 12 factors. The Vikings had been with out star huge receiver Justin Jefferson and the Raiders had been with out Garoppolo.
But that doesn’t diminish the boldness rising within the unit. Or the satisfaction Johnson was certain he would really feel when he went dwelling Sunday evening.
“I get to go home and watch TV with a smile on my face and not want to turn the TV on,” Johnson mentioned. “Honestly, just going out here and getting the dub for the home crowd, for all of the city, I know it’s been a long time coming. It’s really just about giving them what they want. They come out and show up each and every game and give us energy, and it’s only right to give them a W.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com