With 3:07 remaining Sunday at Soldier Field, the Bears trailed the Giants 20-17. And to even have a shot at fourth-quarter heroics for the second consecutive week, the Bears needed a defensive stop, and fast.

On the first two plays of New York's drive — following a 91-yard touchdown drive led by quarterback Caleb Williams — Dennis Allen's defense stepped up. Montez Sweat, who had already sacked Giants starting quarterback Jaxson Dart earlier in the game, brought down backup Russell Wilson for a 2-yard loss on first down then stopped running back Devin Singletary seven yards short of the sticks on second-and-12.

With third-and-7 up next, Allen, to no one's surprise, took an aggressive approach. And he employed NFL veteran and new Bears defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson to deliver.

"Coach DA said 'go get us, bring us home,'" Gardner-Johnson told ChicagoBears,com. "And I feel like I had to do it."

Lined up just outside Sweat, who rushed inside off the snap, Gardner-Johnson flew off the edge untouched and seemingly levitated while spinning Wilson down for an 11-yard loss and his third sack in two games as a Bear.

"It was the perfect call," cornerback Nahshon Wright said. "DA dialed up the perfect call, and C.J. was able to make the play."

Even those who missed seeing the moment Gardner-Johnson took down Wilson heard it, as a packed Soldier Field shook in applause.

"I was covering, so I actually had my back turned," safety Kevin Byard III said. "I just heard the crowd roar, and I saw him doing his little celebration."

That defensive stand led to a shanked punt by the Giants and eventually, a fourth game-winning drive for Williams and the Bears offense this season, culminating a 24-20 victory to bring them to 6-3.

"It's a blessing. It's God. I thank God for the situation," Gardner-Johnson added.

Johnson made his presence known in his Bears home debut. He finished the game with two sacks, a forced fumble and a team-high nine total tackles.

In the locker room after the game, Gardner-Johnson received his flowers from his new teammates and coaches.

"I mean, he's a heck of a player and we always knew that," Byard said. "So for him to come in and make those plays and help us win ball games, it's huge for us as team.

"I mean, player of the game on defense for sure."

"He's always been a big playmaker," defensive tackle Grady Jarrett added. "Always been on winning teams. A guy that elevates the people around them, however it may look."

Before the locker room opened to the media, Gardner-Johnson shared a special moment with the entire team as coach Ben Johnson awarded him one of two game balls from their sixth victory.

After being released from the Ravens practice squad Oct. 14, and not appearing in a game since Sept. 21 with the Texans, the veteran shared his appreciation for joining the Bears two weeks ago.

"I'm grateful for the group of guys that you guys are," Gardner-Johnson said. "I was home for almost two months, missing ball. And being around this group, y'all brought the love back for me."

Several people in the Bears locker room understood what that moment personally meant to Gardner-Johnson, who played under Allen for three years in New Orleans (2019-21) and played for the Lions in 2023 when Johnson was Detroit's offensive coordinator.

"I gave him one of the game balls and he kind of alluded to it — you get football taken away from you, which he felt like the last couple months, that's his story, and now he's here with a bunch of guys rooting for him," Johnson said. "He's grateful for the opportunity and it gives you just a greater sense of appreciation. He's always been a phenomenal football player and I think he's found a good home here in Chicago.

"Our guys are gravitating toward his swagger, his playmaking ability. I think he's quickly becoming one of us. Certainly not surprised by his performance — I've seen it for a long time now."

Gardner-Johnson's familiarity with the coaching staff, especially Allen as the defensive play caller, quickly became apparent to the rest of the defense.

"DA knows what he's good at," Wright said. "I think he allowed him to be himself today."

The chemistry between Allen and Gardner-Johnson has showed up on the field in big moments the past two weeks, and against the Giants, the production came early.

On second-and-10 during New York's second possession of the first quarter, Gardner-Johnson, like he did late in the game, blitzed off the edge and immediately took down Dart for a loss of eight yards.

He re-emerged midway through the third quarter as the Giants held a 17-7 lead and were once again driving into Chicago territory. From the 28, Dart took off on a designed run, gaining seven yards and a first down before Gardner-Johnson lunged at the rookie QB and punched the ball out, which Wright recovered.

At that point in the game, Dart had already rushed for 66 yards on six carries, including two TDs. Gardner-Johnson decided he had seen enough.

"Man, I got tired of him running the ball," Gardner-Johnson said. "No disrespect. It's just aggravating when he breaks for 20 yards and you're playing great coverage. Gotta find a way to get off the field and get the ball out of his hands."

The takeaway reinvigorated a Soldier Field crowd that had gone quiet and turned into three points for the Bears after kicker Cairo Santos made a 22-yard field goal.

Even while on the sideline, Gardner-Johnson made his presence felt throughout the game, constantly encouraging his teammates and keeping spirits up even when the Bears were trailing. Jarrett said Gardner-Johnson's "contagious energy" is "paying dividends" for the defense, and Wright described him as "an energy bug."

"He's consistently out there talking to guys," Wright said. "Even when we were down, he was keeping us going, like, 'come on, we gotta make this play, get a stop.'

"Just the energizer buddy."

In just two games with the Bears, Gardner-Johnson has proved to be a playmaker and has already etched his name in the NFL record books.

His 3.0 sacks in two games are the most by any defensive back in the NFL this season, and Sunday, he became just the second DB in NFL history to have three-plus sacks in his first two games with a new franchise since sacks became an official stat in 1982.

Most importantly to Gardner-Johnson, those splash plays led to a Bears victory. Along with helping his team continue to win, he is aiming to keep expanding his role as they enter the back half of the season.

"It's just a blessing to be here," Gardner-Johnson said. "I was home for a month and a half, the narratives, the scrutiny, but when you're around a great group of people, a great group of coaches, that believe in you, people that believe in you, I think all that goes out the window when they can see the person, and you come in and just adapt and adjust and make an impact on the team."