Defence pushes Bears past Seattle
CHICAGO — Khalil Mack had one of six sacks against Russell Wilson, Prince Amukamara returned an interception 49 yards for a touchdown and the Chicago Bears beat the Seattle Seahawks 24-17 Monday night to give coach Matt Nagy his first career victory.
Mack sprinted out of the tunnel to a neat ovation prior to his first appearance at Soldier Field since a blockbuster trade from Oakland just over two weeks ago. That deal happened after he held out the entire off-season and preseason seeking a contract extension from the Raiders rather than play under the final year of his rookie contract. Chicago gave him a six-year, $141 million extension that guarantees $90 million – the richest deal ever for an NFL defensive player.
Mack also had the crowd roaring with a strip sack in the first half, smacking the ball out of Wilson’s hand as he wound up to pass, and he consistently pressured the quarterback. It was more of the same from last week, when he had a strip-sack and interception return for a TD at Green Bay, except there was one key difference.
The Bears came out on top after blowing a 20-point lead against a hobbled Aaron Rodgers in a loss to the Packers. “That’s a great feeling,” Mack said. “We took it over the top.”
Amukamara jumped the route on a pass intended for Rashaad Penny near midfield for his first career touchdown, making it 24-10 with 6:37 left. It was his first interception since 2015 with the New York Giants.
Danny Trevathan then stripped Wilson with his second sack of the game. The Bears’ Leonard Floyd recovered the fumble, and Chicago hung on after blowing a 20-point lead in a season-opening loss to a hobbled Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.
The Seahawks (0-2) lost for just the second time in nine Monday night games under coach Pete Carroll. “We’re still a work in progress,” he said. Wilson has been sacked six times in each game this season. With the Bears applying constant pressure and his receivers struggling to get open, the four-time Pro Bowl quarterback completed 22 of 36 passes for 226 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
Chicago’s Mitchell Trubisky was 25 of 34 for 200 yards. The No. 2 overall pick in last year’s draft, Trubisky threw touchdown passes to Trey Burton on Chicago’s first possession and rookie Anthony Miller early in the fourth quarter. But he was also intercepted two times by Shaquill Griffin – on a deep ball that was under-thrown and on another throw tipped at the line.
“I’m really proud with how he handled himself from Play 1 until the end of that fourth quarter,” Nagy said. “His attitude was great. He didn’t worry about anything. And so that’s growth right there.”
The Bears presented longtime linebacker Brian Urlacher with his Ring of Excellence for being inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The ceremony came after an ugly first half that saw Trubisky get picked off twice and Wilson get sacked five times. But the Bears managed to take a 10-3 lead to the locker room. Trubisky gave them a 7-0 lead when he shovelled to Trey Burton from the 3 on Chicago’s first possession, finishing a 96-yard drive. He also led a drive to the Seattle seven, only to throw two incomplete passes – one that should have been picked off by Justin Coleman – before Cody Parkey kicked a 25-yard field goal to make it 10-0 with just over a minute left in the half.