When the Chicago Bears took the field in Week 1 on Monday Night Football, it was all about quarterback Caleb Williams and head coach Ben Johnson. And, as only Bears fans would have it, Williams came out and went 6-for-6 on the first drive that ended with a touchdown run by no. 18 himself.
But, it wasn't just Williams who started out hot. That Bears defense forced the Vikings to punt on back-to-back drives to start the game. Both of those drives included a sack, too. On the first drive, it was Gervon Dexter Sr.
On the Vikings' second offensive drive, though, it was big free agent signing Dayo Odeyingbo to trip up JJ McCarthy and bring him to the ground.
Dayo Odeyingbo wasted no time making Ryan Poles look like a genius vs. the Vikings
The Bears' defense entered this game without three of their top players starting with cornerback Jaylon Johnson who was out due to calf and groin injuries. Starting nickel Kyler Gordon was also out with an injury, as was linebacker TJ Edwards.
Needless to say, the Bears needed to generate a pass rush without a few of their top players at the other two levels. And, from the jump, Odeyingbo answered the call.
The best part about not only Odeyingbo's sack, but also Dexter's, was that both of them came on third down. The Bears knew Minnesota was most likely going to pass on both of those third downs, and each time they saw their front four get pressure.
Odeyingbo signed a three-year contract worth $48 million when free agency opened back in March. He's also been somewhat questioned by many since the signing, due to the fact that he only finished last season with 3.0 sacks. To say it was a risky signing by Poles is an understatement.
But, right out of the gate. Odeyingbo showed he was well-worth the chunk of change.