There's no way around the fact that the Bears have been hit hard in the secondary.
Both Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon -- their top two cover men -- find themselves on injured reserve, leaving second-year corner Tyrique Stevenson as the top dog on the perimeter heading into Week 9.
And for Stevenson, the challenge ahead doesn’t get much bigger.
Stevenson faces his toughest task of the season against the Bengals
On the road in Cincinnati, the Bears will face one of the league’s most dangerous receiving tandems in Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Even with Joe Burrow sidelined and the Bengals turning to either veteran Joe Flacco or Jake Browning under center, the weapons on the outside remain elite.
For the third-year corner in Stevenson, Chicago will need its young corner to be at his absolute best -- not to shut them down completely, because almost no one can, but to limit them, to frustrate them, to make every yard earned.
Taking the layers back on his tape, it's where Stevenson has quietly taken a step forward in 2025.
After ranking near the bottom of the league last year in receiving yards allowed as the primary man in coverage, he's shown progress this season, flashing the blend of ball skills, physicality, and fluidity in space that made him a second-round pick.
When he’s in phase, few receivers can separate cleanly against him. The confidence he plays with at the line of scrimmage has started to set the tone for Chicago’s defense -- one that’s had to adjust to injuries and reshuffled roles on the fly.
The numbers tell the story of a corner growing into its own. Through eight weeks, Stevenson had allowed just one touchdown, which came back in Week 2 against Detroit when he was targeted five times and allowed a total of 97 yards. Since then, he’s settled in.
Against Vegas in Week 4, he gave up just one catch for seven yards while also recording an interception and a pass breakup. Overall, he’s collected five PBUs on the year, and opposing quarterbacks are throwing his way far less frequently than they did during his rookie campaign.
That’s the kind of respect you earn when you consistently compete and finish plays.
This week, the challenge is more about containment than dominance. The Bengals’ wideouts thrive on explosive plays and yards after the catch. Stevenson’s task will be to keep everything in front of him, stay disciplined in his leverage, and trust his technique.
He’s at his best when he plays patient football -- pressing at the line, staying square, and forcing receivers to work through his frame. Against Chase and Higgins, that patience and physicality will be tested every snap.
For Chicago, Week 9 represents more than just another week. At 4-3, they’re hovering near the edge of playoff contention, trying to keep their season alive in the NFL’s most balanced conference.
If the Bears can create early stops, force turnovers, and prevent Cincinnati’s weapons from finding rhythm, they could control the tempo and potentially put the game away before the fourth quarter.
That hinges largely on Stevenson.
His ability to erase space and disrupt timing routes on the outside is crucial to how the Bears want to play defensively. Coordinator Dennis Allen has leaned more on zone looks in recent weeks to help protect a banged-up secondary. Still, Stevenson’s ability in the press allows Chicago to disguise coverages and roll safety help away from his side when needed.
That flexibility will remain vital against a Bengals team still dangerous, even without Burrow.
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If Stevenson can carry over the confidence and consistency he’s shown over the last few weeks, Chicago will have a real shot to leave Cincinnati with a win. For a defense missing two of its best corners, Stevenson has rapidly become the anchor -- the one player they can trust to battle the league’s best and give them a fighting chance.