There are three constants in this world: death, taxes, and Chicago Bears cornerback Josh Blackwell coming up big when no one saw it coming.
Over the last few years, Blackwell has solidified himself as one of the best special teams aces in the NFL. He hasn't played much defense in his career, but he's shown he can help the team however they need.
That evidence was proven again in the Bears' 31-23 win over the Atlanta Falcons, where Blackwell made the most of his limited opportunities. He may even have opened more doors for extra reps in the future.
Josh Blackwell has been stepping up for the Bears and showed it in Week 6
Not so surprisingly, Blackwell made one of the biggest plays of the game on special teams. Falcons wide receiver Zachariah Branch muffed a punt, and Blackwell recovered it, leading to a short, touchdown-leading drive that put the Falcons up 21-7. While Blackwell recovered a fumble on a layup, he still showed how good he is on kickoff and punt coverage by being the first guy downfield to reach the returners.
With injuries in the secondary, the Bears turned to Blackwell for reps at cornerback after Tyrique Stevenson was out for the Falcons game. In nine defensive snaps, Blackwell allowed only one four-yard reception.
Blackwell finished the game with four tackles, one pass deflection, and one fumble recovery. Pro Football Focus gave him an overall grade of 86.5 for the game, that's the third-highest among the Bears.
For the season, Blackwell has five tackles, one pass deflection, and one fumble recovery. He also has four kickoff returns for 85 yards. He's played 80% of the special teams snaps in all six games this year.
Many Bears fans already know the impact Blackwell has on special teams as a gunner and the other roles he's played this year. Two years ago, he returned a kickoff for a touchdown, and last year he blocked a game-winning field goal. When Blackwell is called upon on special teams, he delivers.
An interesting note from Week 6 is how good he was in coverage for the Bears. During the preseason, Blackwell struggled mightily in coverage, but it appears that when he's with the starters, that is a different story.
A lot has been said about the performance of cornerbacks Stevenson, Jaylon Johnson, and Malik Muhammad. While Muhammad has played well, Johnson and Stevenson have been inconsistent. Kyler Gordon's return was a massive upgrade at corner.
One interesting question is whether Blackwell's play against the Falcons has earned him more defensive reps. He proved to Bears defensive coordinator Dennis Allen that he can handle the job. This could be what Blackwell needed to get his foot in the door on defense.
Read more: Dennis Allen arguably coached one of his best games as Bears DC in Week 6
With Gordon potentially getting more reps and Stevenson getting healthy, Blackwell might have to wait again. Regardless, he showed the Bears he is ready to step up at any time, making him a dangerous weapon on the roster.
Add us as a preferred source on Google