Sep 17, 2018; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears running back Jordan Howard (24) runs the ball against the Seattle Seahawks during the first half at Soldier Field. Photo Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports
Same first half of defensive dominance for the Chicago Bears.
This time, they all knew how to finish against the Seattle Seahawks.
The Chicago Bears dominated defensively with six sacks, and cornerback Prince Amukamara sealed a 24-17 victory at Soldier Field over the Seahawks with a pick-six as the Bears handed coach Matt Nagy his first NFL victory.
“We know we can get out and get on a (quarterback’s) head and play well during the first half,” defensive end Akiem Hicks said. “We’ve got to be able to finish those games and I think that we showed we can do that today.”
The Bears (1-1) had blown a 20-point lead against Green Bay in a Week 1 loss but Seattle (0-2) scored a touchdown for the second straight week on their first possession. They never trailed, and put it away on defense after Seattle drew within 17-10.
“That’s a great feeling,” Bears linebacker Khalil Mack said. “We took it over the top.”
Seattle had drawn within 17-10 in the fourth quarter, but Amukamara jumped a route and stepped in front of Rashaad Penny near the sideline to pick off a Russell Wilson pass for his first interception since 2015 with the Giants. He took it back 49 yards for his first career touchdown.
“I definitely feel great, excited that I could make a play for our team, especially in a clutch situation like that,” Amukamara said.
The Bears secondary has made it an emphasis to produce more interceptions after getting only eight each of the last eight years.
“I’ve been working all season at catch the ball and driving and it paid off tonight,” Amukamara said.
A strip-sack by Danny Trevathan led to Leonard Floyd’s fumble recovery to finish it, although Seattle made the score closer on a TD in the last 20 seconds.
“There’s not a lot of teams in the NFL that have that mentality of where our defense is playing right now,” Nagy said. “I thought it was pretty neat that after sudden change with two (Trubisky) interceptions, we got two three-and-outs by the defense. That’s awesome.”
The Bears led 10-0 late in the first quarter and had outgained Seattle 154 yards to 79.
Mack, Eddie Goldman, Aaron Lynch, Eddie Jackson and Trevathan each recorded a sack in the first half as the Bears took advantage of a Seattle offensive line that allowed six sacks in a Week 1 loss to Denver.
“You know, we’re young and we’re going to be able to figure it out,” Seattle’s Wilson said. “You’ve got to take some punches and you’ve got to be able to adjust through it all.”
Mitchell Trubisky went 25-of-34 for 200 yards with touchdown throws to Trey Burton and Anthony Miller, but he had two first-half interceptions to Shaquill Griffin. The defense bailed him out, and then he steadied himself and fired a 10-yard TD throw to Anthony Miller 45 seconds into the fourth quarter for a 17-3 lead.
“We wanted to step on it, not being conservative whenever we got the ball back, just march back down the field and score,” Trubisky said.
Wilson finished 22-of-36 for 226 yards and two touchdowns, but found himself running from Mack or Trevathan most of the night. Trevathan had two sacks.
For Seattle, it was a rare Monday Night Football loss — the Seahawks have lost twice in nine Monday night games during coach Pete Carroll’s nine years.
“You know, even in our successful, some of our best years, it didn’t all look great in the beginning,” Wilson said. “But it’s how you finish and how we can turn it around and just play the next game.”
Amukamara gave the game ball to Nagy afterward.
“I wanted to give it back to him,” Nagy said.
