T.J. Edwards relishes return to field as Bears keep rolling

Ariana Pensy · Correspondent · 2 hours ago

CHICAGO - Linebacker T.J. Edwards has not missed very many games throughout his NFL career.

However, after missing the season opener and Chicago’s games against the Dallas Cowboys and Las Vegas Raiders, Edwards was able to return to the field in the Bears’ win against the Washington Commanders.

“It was good to get back out there. I missed it. I wasn’t used to missing time really at all and it was a different perspective for me,” Edwards said. “But, being able to just kind of help the guys any way that I could was good for me as well. It was a good perspective. But, I about had it. So, I was excited to get back out there and just go fly around.”

Chicago has won their last three games, with their previous two victories being by a margin of two points. Both games - against the Raiders and the Commanders - had a final score of 25-24 that came down to a last-minute field goal.

Against Las Vegas, the Bears blocked the Raiders’ kick, while they made a 38-yard field goal against Washington as time expired.

“Having back-to-back games where both really coming down to a field goal and the last play of the game and us coming out with a win, I think you got to do something for you to believe in it for sure,” Edwards said. “But, I think it just shows that it’s truly a week-to-week league and you got to go out there every week and find a way to get it done.”

Despite Chicago’s success the past few weeks, there are always the critics, including one of the announcers in the Bears’ game against the Commanders, former quarterback Troy Aikman. Aikman had a lot to say about the Bears and their quarterback, Caleb Williams.

However, Edwards and the rest of Chicago’s locker room do not care about the outside noise. They are more focused on showing what they are capable of on the field.

“You got to go out there and show what you can do every single week. You go out there and play really well, there’s going to be someone who’s going to find something wrong (and) said it wasn’t that good,” Edwards said. “I think as a unit and as a group, we’ve done a really good job of blocking all that stuff out and going out there and proving it on Sunday.”

Defensively, the Bears have come alive since their game against Dallas. In the past three games, Chicago’s defense has a total of 11 turnovers and are second in the league in total turnovers with 12.

Edwards said this success is the result of the players taking advantage of the opportunities the coaching staff is giving them.

“I think we’re doing a good job of executing our jobs and taking advantage of the opportunities when they come,” Edwards said. “I think it is an emphasis every week. We start every week of practice with some type of takeaway drill, which is common in the league. But, I think it’s something (we) do (with) such intent that it’s a focus for sure.”

Now, they face a 1-5 team in the New Orleans Saints this coming Sunday (Noon / FOX). New Orleans has struggled to win games, but not because of turnovers. In fact, they have only turned the ball over four times this season and have yet to have multiple turnovers in a game.

For Chicago to get their fourth straight win, they will probably have to force more turnovers out of the Saints.