Usually, the quarterback, No. 1 receiver, or star pass-rusher is the best player in an NFL victory. But in the Chicago Bears’ 24-18 win over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, one could’ve easily argued that rookie punter Tory Taylor was the biggest reason the Bears climbed back to a 2-2 record.
Chicago superstar cornerback Jaylon Johnson seemed to allude to this as much.
After the game, Johnson effusively singed Tory’s praises, saying Sunday was the first time in a long time he was actually excited to watch someone punt. This sentiment makes sense when you note that Taylor averaged 55.4 yards per attempt and, at one point, even launched a booming 66-yarder (!) with the Bears protecting a fourth-quarter lead.
Talk about flipping a game on its head on special teams.
Jaylon Johnson said of Tory Taylor: “I haven’t been that pumped up for a punt in a long time. He’s definitely special, man. So, definitely giving us some punt-and-pins, giving them bad field position, giving us some good field position for us to be able to pin our ears back and…
— Chris Emma (@CEmma670) September 29, 2024
Tory Taylor is hyped after his incredible 66-yard punt! 👟
📺: #LARvsCHI on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/atY1V2zCpr— NFL (@NFL) September 29, 2024
As the Bears work through their current offensive issues and try to stack positive momentum, winning the field position battle will be huge for Caleb Williams and friends. From this respect, Taylor more than did his part to help his team get back to .500.
