Despite only having a couple weeks of practice with his new team, Taylor played 59% of the defensive snaps Sunday, behind fellow defensive ends DeMarcus Walker (83%) and Montez Sweat (69%). Washington credited Taylor’s professionalism and skill level for his quick adjustment to the Bears scheme and personnel.
“He’s got length and quickness,” Washington said. “He has all the requisite tools that you need to be a really dynamic one-on-one pass rusher, but you have to do that in concert with the other three guys or the other four guys if we’re adding a person, so just a lot of credit to him and [assistant defensive line coach] Bryan Bing for really helping to accelerate his growth and knowledge of what we’re doing defensively.”
Other players that stood out to Washington included Walker and defensive tackle Andrew Billings — both in their second seasons with the Bears. Billings, who played 70% of the defensive snaps, recorded a pair of quarterback hits and a tackle-for-loss.
Billings’ most impressive play in Washington’s opinion came during the first Titans drive of the third quarter. Billings worked from the inside, got around the tackle and chased Levis down hit the quarterback as he released the ball, force and incompletion and bring up third-and-15.
“Just the effort — hot day, reps had started to accumulate, we need him to anchor the line of scrimmage,” Washington said. “The effort that he used to rush the quarterback I just thought was phenomenal. We have a saying in the room: ‘When you see big men running, whether its in pursuit or chasing the quarterback, that’s always a positive sign.’ It’s something that really energizes our entire defense.”
Walker tallied a team-high four hits on Levis, one of which resulted in cornerback Tyrique Stevenson’s 43-yard pick-six. Walker rushed off the right side, beat tackle JC Latham and wrapped his arms around Levis, who flipped the ball right into Stevenson’s hands.
“Doing his job with just unbelievable precision, accuracy and detail,” Washington said of Walker on the pick-six, “and to start where he started and to be in a position to hit the quarterback — he understood the assignment and he did a great job of executing, and not only that, but just following through as the play extended.”
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