The Chicago Bears picked up an impressive 59-37 win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 1, but one defining moment helped spark the win.
Who created that play? Bears wide receiver Kaden Davis was called up from the practice squad as an emergency back in case Rome Odunze couldn't go with a calf injury. While Davis made zero impact on offense, boy, did he make one of the most criminally underrated plays of the early season.
In the second quarter, with the game tied 21-21, the Bears had just been forced into a three-and-out and had to punt. Panthers' return man, Jimmy Horn Jr., muffed the punt, and Davis recovered it. That one play might seem minor compared to how the rest of the game went, but it could have been the turning point.
Kaden Davis flipped the Bears-Panthers Week 1 game on its head
Because of Davis's heads-up play, the Bears turned it into points with a field goal and took the lead. While it took explosive plays in the third quarter for the Bears to pull away, Davis' recovery was the first step in turning the game around for Chicago.
The Bears would go on to outscore the Panthers 38-16 after the fumble recovery. That would make the difference in winning the game.
Davis deserves a ton of credit for the heads-up play that won him the ball and set his team up with great field position. Those are the kind of hustle plays that helped him make the practice squad and get a chance to play in the game.
During training camp, Davis was the biggest surprise and a training camp darling because of how he played. Many Bears reporters thought Davis would make the initial 53-man roster because of how he made highlight plays every day in camp. He finished the preseason with five catches for 93 yards, five kickoff returns for 95 yards, and three punt returns for 34 yards.
Making those kinds of impact plays on special teams is the best way to earn the favor of head coach Ben Johnson and the coaching staff. Davis now has a chance to be active for more game days and might even earn reps on offense down the road.
Read more: D'Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai made the loudest statement in Bears' Week 1 win
Davis remains the success story Bears fans have enjoyed following over the last month. He seems like the guy Chicago will have to get used to because his big plays will happen a lot for a long time.
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