But for Wright, who made arguably the most athletic play of the game Sunday, this is new territory. Before this year, he had recorded just one career interception through four NFL seasons. When he signed with the Bears April 8 after being cut by the Vikings the previous day, Wright was expected to fill a backup role until Pro Bowl corner Jaylon Johnson suffered a groin injury this summer and a different groin injury Week 2 in Detroit. On Sunday, he served as the Bears’ rotating game captain.
“He wasn’t slated to be a starter this year,” Byard said of Wright. “To come in and play as well as he has, that’s the beauty of this business. We always talk about next-man-up mentality.”
The Bears are now the first team since the 2011 Packers to have three players with at least four interceptions through their first 10 games. It also marks the first time the Bears have accomplished such a feat since Wilber Marshall, Gary Fencik and Dave Duerson did so for the Super Bowl XX champions in 1985.
Dating back to training camp this summer, coordinator Dennis Allen and the Bears defense have emphasized the value of takeaways, taking time each week to finetune their ballhawking skills in practice and dive deep into film study on their opponents’ tendencies. The group’s ability to preach and execute has led them to a league-leading 22 takeaways, 15 interceptions and +16 turnover differential — which also wouldn’t be possible without quarterback Caleb Williams and the offense protecting the ball as well as they have.
In what ended up being a close game Sunday in Minneapolis, the Bears’ +2 turnover differential was needed.
“We just noticed that when we win games, even close ones, it starts with us,” cornerback Tyrique Stevenson said. “Every [game] we come in [and our goal is] four, so the fact that we go out there and could get two … we left a couple out there, but when we take the ball away, I feel like this team gets the momentum to go out there and finish games like this.”
The Bears’ two interceptions at U.S. Bank Stadium occurred on back-to-back defensive possessions late in the first half and likely caused a 10-point swing.
With 3:45 on the clock in the second quarter, McCarthy faked a handoff and dropped back before stepping up in the pocket and firing a ball intended for All-Pro receiver Justin Jefferson. With Wright in tight coverage on Jefferson, Byard, who was in zone coverage on the play, read McCarthy’s eyes, drifted back and snagged the ball out of the air, returning it 23 yards to the Minnesota 25. Four players later, kicker Cairo Santos hit a 38-yard field goal to put the Bears up 10-3.