The Chicago Bears were successful in completing a fourth-quarter comeback to hand the New York Giants a 24–20 defeat in Week 10 at Soldier Field. While quarterback Caleb Williams’ late-game heroics stole the spotlight, safety CJ Gardner-Johnson also played a pivotal role in the victory.
Barely two weeks after signing on October 29, Gardner-Johnson has already become a defensive difference-maker. Over his first two appearances as a Bear, the veteran safety has totaled 15 tackles and three sacks.
In just his second game with Chicago, he finished with a team-high nine tackles, two sacks, two tackles for loss, and a crucial forced fumble. He became the first Bears defensive back since 2006 (Ricky Manning) to record two sacks in a single game, according to Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic.
The game-changing moment came midway through the third quarter, with New York leading 17–7 and threatening to widen their advantage. On second-and-6 from the Chicago 28-yard line, Gardner-Johnson drilled quarterback Jaxson Dart, knocking the ball loose. Cornerback Nahshon Wright pounced on the fumble, setting up a Cairo Santos 22-yard field goal that cut the deficit to 17–10. The hit not only halted a scoring drive but also removed Dart from the game with a concussion after a productive outing of 19-of-29 passing for 242 yards, a 91.5 passer rating, and two rushing touchdowns.
Gardner-Johnson struck again late in the fourth quarter, sacking backup quarterback Russell Wilson for an 11-yard loss on third-and-7. The play forced a punt that traveled only 26 yards, giving the Bears prime field position to mount their game-winning drive.
Two minutes later, Williams scrambled for a 17-yard touchdown, completing a 14-point fourth-quarter rally that carried Chicago through to their sixth victory over seven games. Williams finished with two total touchdowns, including a 2-yard scoring pass to Rome Odunze earlier in the quarter, while Odunze led all receivers with six catches for 86 yards.
The Bears improved to 6–3, their best stretch since 2018. Their next challenge will come against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 11.
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