Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze felt their performance in seeing off the New England Patriots 30-24 was reflective of who they are as a team after his fine fourth-quarter effort helped seal victory.
The Bears surged into a 10-0 lead in the first quarter and did not let that advantage slip. However, they faced a nervy moment with just over five minutes remaining in the game while nursing a 27-21 lead.
On their own 10-yard line on third down with nine yards to go to convert, the Bears risked giving the ball back to the Patriots with a chance to take the lead. However, quarterback Caleb Williams connected with Odunze, who made a superb adjustment to the ball to reel in a 21-yard reception.
He subsequently made another 21-yard grab later in the drive, helping set up a 58-yard field goal for Cairo Santos, whose kick proved decisive in improving the Bears’ record to 5-2.
“I mean, people were saying the catch was crazy,” Odunze, who was flagged for offensive pass interference in the endzone in the second quarter, told reporters. “I mean, it just felt like I needed to make a catch. And I made the catch.
“That was kind of me coming back to life there. I missed a play earlier in the game, so my mindset is just shake back, and that’s exactly what I did.
“For me, I’m always going to shake back, and that was my opportunity to do so. [Caleb] made a great play, and I was able to make a great play as well.
“I think it just speaks to us at the end of the day, who we are.
“We’re not going out there trying to prove any team wrong. We’re just trying to prove our team right. And we believe we’re a Super Bowl contender, can go out there and make a playoff appearance, and it takes these types of games and Ws to get that done.”
Bears signal-caller Williams successfully outdueled Patriots quarterback Drake Maye in a battle of the first and third picks in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Maye threw a costly interception in the second quarter as he was picked off in the endzone, surrendering a chance for the Patriots to take the lead after New England had driven to the Bears’ 15-yard line.
Still, Maye threw for 321 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a score, and head coach Mike Vrabel had praise for his quarterback despite the turnover proving costly as the Patriots dropped to 4-3.
“He gave us a chance. He competed, and I know he’d like to have that throw [the interception] back to Eli [Raridon], but I thought he really competed,” Vrabel said.
“Whether that was running around and scrambling or finding a good place to go with the football, he gave us a chance.
“I know he’d like to have that one back. He’ll learn from it like he always does. I’m glad he’s ours.”
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: 101greatgoals.com
