Bears rookie receiver Luther Burden III made the most of expanded playing time in last Sunday's 24-20 win over the Giants, catching three passes for 51 yards.
Burden's 27-yard reception from Caleb Williams to the New York 19 with 2:00 remaining set up Williams' go-ahead 17-yard touchdown run two plays later.
"This goes to all the hard work I put in and the coaches and everybody believing in me stepping up to the plate and doing my job," Burden told ChicagoBears.com. "That's all I'm trying to do—do my job, help the team win and make plays when it's my turn."
After missing the Bears' previous game in Cincinnati with a concussion, Burden played a season-high 33 snaps against the Giants. The second-round pick from Missouri had been on the field for 11-19 plays in each of the first seven games this year.
"It's a trust level between the coaches and the player," said coach Ben Johnson. "It's a trust level between the quarterback and a receiver. It continues to ascend. He has been very productive when he's about to get the ball in his hands, and there's a strong argument that we should get it to him more."
Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle lauded Burden for the extra time he spends honing his techniques and fundamentals with receivers coach Antwaan Randle El.
"I've seen a guy that comes to work every day," Doyle said. "I've seen a guy that has taken advantage of the times where the ball may find him, and he's gotten better without the ball in his hands as well. That's really the area you like to highlight and that's the biggest area of growth."
Good addition
Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen is not surprised that nickel back C.J. Gardner-Johnson has been such a great fit with the Bears on and off the field.
Gardner-Johnson, who signed with the Bears Oct. 29, spent his first three NFL seasons with the Saints from 2019-22 when Allen was New Orleans' defensive coordinator.
"I've been with him and my experience with him was really positive, and so we felt like it would be really positive," Allen said Thursday. "He's come in and been exactly what we thought he would be and been a good addition for us."
In two games with the Bears, Gardner-Johnson has recorded 15 tackles, 3.0 sacks and one forced fumble. He was instrumental in last Sunday's win over the Giants, registering 2.0 sacks and forcing a fumble that led to a momentum-swinging takeaway when New York was in position to extend its 17-7 lead.
"He understands how to play the game," Allen said. "When you play the game of football, there are certain rules and certain things that you're supposed to do within each call on the defense and yet football players have to make decisions on the football field, and that's an instinctual thing and he does a really good job of that."
While Allen and Gardner-Johnson have much different personalities, the two possess a strong bond that began during their time with the Saints.
"I think there's a trust level on both sides," Allen said. "I know exactly what we're getting in the player and it's positive, and he understands how we're going to operate and how we're going to do things and really can appreciate that.
"Really as with every relationship that anybody's ever in, it starts with building trust, and then from there it goes with communication and having open dialogue in terms of what's expected in all different situations, and I think he trusts what we're asking him to do and what we're telling him to do is the right thing to do."
Escape artist
Count Allen among those who marvel at Williams' remarkable elusiveness. The Bears quarterback has regularly escaped from defenders on plays that looked like sure sacks, turning potential negative plays into huge gains. The past two weeks, Williams has rushed for 116 yards in back-to-back comeback wins over the Bengals and Giants while being sacked only twice.
"He's always had that athleticism," said Allen who's in his 24th season as an NFL defensive assistant or head coach. "He's always had that ability to get himself out of trouble. When you see that happen, first thing I'm thinking is, 'I'm glad he's on our side,' because it's a pain when you see guys that can create with their feet. It creates a whole lot of problems for the defense in terms of how you want to rush him … The mobile quarterback is a huge challenge defensively."
Evolve and change
The Bears lead the NFL with 20 takeaways and 13 interceptions despite missing four defensive starters due to injuries: Linebacker T.J. Edwards, cornerback Jaylon Johnson, nickel back Kyler Gordon and defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo.
"That's the nature of the game that we play," Allen said. "You have to constantly be able to evolve and change. You get into trouble when you just say, 'This is who we are, this is what we do, and we're just going to go do that.' Well, that may not be what the guys that we have out there playing, that may not be what suits them the best.
"Each and every week, each and every game plan, you're looking at, 'OK, what do our guys do well,' and then, 'how do we put them in those positions based on what we're seeing offensively, how do we put them in positions to have success?'"
Injury update
Receivers Rome Odunze (ankle) and DJ Moore (shoulder) both returned to practice on a limited basis Thursday after sitting out Wednesday's workout.
Running back D'Andre Swift (hip), tight end Cole Kmet (back), defensive end Dominique Robinson (ankle) and cornerback Tyrique Stevenson (shoulder) were full participants Thursday after being limited Wednesday.
Edwards (hand/hamstring), safety Jaquan Brisker (back) and receiver Jahdae Walker (concussion) did not practice for the second straight day.
