There were numerous plays from the Chicago Bears’ 31-27 win over the Green Bay Packers that stood out to linebacker Tremaine Edmunds.
As a defensive guy, he highlighted defensive linemen Montez Sweat and Austin Booker for creating pressure on quarterback Jordan Love, but the veteran also mentioned that “everybody really had a big hand in” helping the Bears secure the comeback victory.
However, Edmunds did say that Caleb Williams' fourth-and-eight throw to Rome Odunze was “definitely a big-time play.” That throw and catch helped the Bears to continue an offensive drive that ended with an eight-yard touchdown throw to Olamide Zaccheaus.
That touchdown and the eventual game-deciding score to DJ Moore wouldn't have happened if Williams hadn't completed the fourth-down pass to Odunze. Edmunds was on the sideline when that play happened, and he provided his vantage point of what it was like watching that play unfold.
“I'm like, 'Yo, let me see what you’ve got here,’” Edmunds said. “They call him Ice Man. Let me see what you’ve got my boy. I mean, just seeing it and even looking at the replay, you really appreciate athletes like that, quarterbacks like that who is willing to lay his head on the line for his teammates. That's really what I thought about it. Going back, feet off the ground and I'm going to throw put this ball and Rome is going to make a play. …”
Tremaine Edmunds gives his praise to Caleb Williams and the Bears' offense
Edmunds also credited the offensive line for blocking on the play and Odunze running the proper route.
“That's the type of stuff that you want,” Edmunds said. “Particularly those young guys. Caleb had never played in the NFL playoff game and to be able to rise to the moment and put it on the line for his team, I’ve got a ton of respect for that. Guys in the locker room have a ton of respect. because he had that that fight in his eye, that killing his eye. I knew he wasn't going to be defeated.”
Edmunds and Williams have only been teammates for two seasons, but the veteran linebacker has full trust in the second-year quarterback. That's why when the Bears are in these crucial moments in games, Edmunds feels like he and his teammates are in a good place.
“To be honest, anytime you’ve got somebody like that (Williams) with the ball in their hands, it does give you a sigh of relief,” Edmunds said. “Not to the point that it's like, let's back off. It's like, let's get this guy the ball in his hand again. … We know once Caleb gets it, third, fourth quarter, the offense, those guys, they’re fiending for that. I think the message was like, let's figure out ways to get stops, get these boys the ball, let them do their thing. I think that's definitely what it is.”
Edmunds and the defense forced four-straight punts in the second half, which gave Williams and the offense more opportunities to get in rhythm. Then, like everybody else, Edmunds marveled at Williams’ playmaking ability.
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“We just sit back, we watch the show like everybody else because we’re on the bench at that time, there's nothing that we can do,” Edmunds said. “It's just putting trust in one another. They trust us to go out there and get a stop. We trust them to go out there and score touchdowns. That's what happened and we were able to get the win.”