First impressions can make quite an impact if they go in the right direction. Chicago Bears linebacker Noah Sewell certainly knows how to do that for his new coaching staff.
Sewell went into training camp in a position battle to get into the starting lineup as one of the three starting linebackers. T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds already solidified their spots, but the third spot is between Sewell and rookie Ruben Hyppolite II .
Hyppolite had himself a good game in his NFL debut in the Bears' 24-24 tie against the Miami Dolphins at Soldier Field. He finished with six tackles and one tackle for loss.
It would be Sewell who would get the last laugh and cement his place in the starting lineup.
Sewell's stellar game against the Dolphins
Throughout the first two possessions on defense, Sewell was everywhere on the field. He was making all the tackles and made some big plays in the process.
One of his big plays was getting out of a mess at the line and running down the ball carrier on the sidelines, forcing a fumble before the Dolphins player could make the first down. His best play of the game was him shooting out like a bullet into Miami's backfield for a huge tackle for loss on fourth and goal to help the Bears make the goal line stand.
On the stat line, Sewell finished tied for the team lead in tackles with six (three of them were solo). He also had a forced fumble and a tackle for loss in the tie.
It's too bad that Bears defensive lineman Austin Booker overshadowed Sewell's performance after his three sacks, but Sewell's play can't be ignored. He made a convincing argument to be in the Bears' starting lineup.
His instincts for finding the ball carrier and identifying open holes to attack were impressive. He might not be as fast as Hyppolite is, but Sewell can get there fast enough to make a tackle or play when it is needed.
Read more: It took Bears one preseason game to realize one of their rookies should start
Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen has a good problem on his hands. Originally, there were concerns about the depth of the linebackers in Chicago. Sewell put those worries to rest as he continues to focus on stealing the starting job on defense.