This Chicago Bears player stepped up Sunday

Kindle Vildor has not been a fan favorite with the Chicago Bears. Many fans assumed the team would be moving on from Vildor after they asked him to start last season, but through three games he has been the third cornerback.

The Bears trust him to man the outside when they push Kyler Gordon into the slot. With the injury to Jaylon Johnson, all of a sudden Kindle Vildor was thrust into the role as a full-time player, and top outside option.

With Brandin Cooks in town, it was clear that the Texans were going to match him up against Vildor often. Early into the game Cooks had a catch, Phillip Dorsett added one, and Vildor gave up a touchdown to Jordan Akins.

From there, fans were calling to bench Vildor and noting that it was about to be a long day. However, Vildor stepped up after that point.

Davis Mills tried to attack Vildor in the end zone on the next drive but Vildor crashed on the football, broke it up, and the deflection wound up in the hands of Eddie Jackson. Vildor caused the pick and saved the team three points, and possibly six.

From there, we hardly heard from Brandin Cooks. Cooks finished with 22 yards receiving, and only 15 coming against Vildor, despite those two being lined up against each other most often.

Davis Mills and the Texans helped by not being sharp, but Vildor finished with two pass breakups, both of them coming on Brandin Cooks.

No one is asking Vildor to shut down Brandin Cooks every week, and as noted, when he got matched up with a tight end it did not go well.

Still, with Jaylon Johnson across from him, Vildor just has to play well enough to strike some doubt in quarterbacks’ minds so that they are not so hellbent on testing him.

For what he was asked to do, Kindle Vildor stepped up and played well.