Tyrique Stevenson Making Good Use of Rookie Education

The lot in the life of a rookie cornerback is usually getting beat by receivers.

It's going to happen and they have to live with it until they've gained experience.

Bears rookie cornerback Tyrique Stevenson endured his share of embarrassments earlier this season but he and coaches now see him emerging better for it.

"At the beginning of the year, I know I'm a rookie so I know I was going to go through a lot of ups and downs," Stevenson said. "So just being able to showcase my talent is pretty much good just knowing that I’m putting in the hard work and it’s paying off.”

Stevenson has been targeted by quarterbacks more times than all but three other defensive players, 93 times according to Sportradar. He has been beaten for eight touchdowns, and only one player in the league, Philadelphia cornerback James Bradberry, has been beaten for more (11). His philosophy has been to roll with the punches and learn.

However, Stevenson had bounced back with two interceptions in three games and his passer rating against when targeted has gone from 141 earlier this year to 104.3

"Really just take it on the chin," Stevenson said. "There's no goods, no bads, stay the same, no highs, no lows, just keep my head down, come here and just get embraced by the guys in this locker room to be the best version of myself."

Stevenson's diving interception saved punt returner Trent Taylor the embarrassment of a muff costing the team points, as he returned the turnover by picking off a pass at the goal line by diving and returning it 35 yards.

"That was a heck of a play," cornerbacks coach/defensive passing game coordinator Jon Hoke said. "I mean it really, really was. Two guys running vertical like that and just being instinctive enough to go break on the ball and then go ahead and finish it with catching the ball. Then actually, ACTUALLY making a solid return. I didn't know he had it in him. But he followed his blockers and did a good job of getting to the nearest numbers and then did a good job."

Coach Matt Eberflus also enjoyed the return.

"If you watch that play, instantaneous reactions and jumping on the offense in terms of setting the wall on the return," Eberflus said. "He did a really good, what we call 'hip-by.' He was in position there. He could've blocked the guy in the back, so he really 'hip-byed' him in terms of scraping the paint with that defender to not foul on that return. He did a really nice job."

It wasn't all good at game's end. Stevenson had two pass breakups on the day but one of those was a certain pick Joe Flacco threw on the Browns' drive to the winning field goal. It hit Stevenson in the facemask as he turned in coverage and he couldn't hang onto it.

A pick there, especially with a big return in the open field, would have given the Bears the chance at the win in the closing seconds. Two downs later the Browns veteran QB found David Njoku on the third-and-15 pass behind Bears defensive lineman Justin Jones for the big gain to set up the winning field goal.

Stevenson isn't surprised play has slowed for him, so to speak, and is making plays now that he couldn't earlier.

"When I'm out there on the field, I don’t feel like I'm a rookie because the guys hold me to a high standard and I'm out there playing to the standards," he said.

For comparison's sake, Stevenson has a better passer rating against than teammate Jaylon Johnson did as a rookie (107.5), although he has given up three more TD passes. He credits the progress, in part, to how the secondary has meshed to this point.

"I feel like I've been with these guys for years, just the chemistry that we're building together in this locker room," Stevenson said. "When I'm out there on the field, I don't feel like I'm a rookie because the guys hold me to a high standard and I'm out there playing to the standards."