The Chicago Bears left Week 2 with a frustrating 9-3 loss to the division rival Minnesota Vikings, but if not for the defense, the loss could’ve been much worse. Chicago held Minnesota to just 11 first downs and 246 yards of total offense. But the defeat is extra bitter for one of the team’s key defensive playmakers who was punished for a brutal hit on Vikings running back Aaron Jones.
Bears defensive back Tyrique Stevenson came up with one of the more memorable plays of the game in the fourth quarter when he burst through the line and met Jones in the backfield with a bone-crunching hit that sent his helmet flying. After reviewing the play during the week, the NFL deemed that Stevenson’s hit was pretty egregious, and the league fined him $22,342 for unnecessary roughness (use of the helmet) — the largest fine of the week. Stevenson finished the game with five tackles, a tackle for loss, one pass defended, but he ultimately left the game later in the quarter with a hamstring injury.
Though he appeared on the injury report every day throughout the week, Stevenson is expected to play against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 3 on “Monday Night Football” after being a full participant in practice on Saturday. The NFL saw a massive surge in plays resulting in fines from Week 1 to Week 2, nearly doubling the number from 20 to 38. There was also a 119% increase in fine money collected from Week 1 ($245,294) to Week 2 ($538,207).
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