Jaquan Brisker fires back at Kevin Byard III disrespect after latest snub
Chicago Bears safety Jaquan Brisker certainly made his feelings known on social media regarding one of his teammates getting what he called "robbed."
On Wednesday, the NFL named each conference's offensive, defensive, and special teams players of the week. Defensive back Josh Blackwell did earn the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week after getting the game-sealing field goal block with less than a minute to go in the Bears' 25-24 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
It was a great moment to now have two Bears players who have earned players of the week, with Caleb Williams getting it for Week 3 as the NFC Offensive Player of the Week after the win over the Cowboys. Brisker believes one more Bear should have gotten recognized.
Brisker defends his teammate who should have been the top defensive player in the NFC
Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 4 after racking up five tackles and five pass deflections in their win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brisker disagreed with that decision as he thought it should have gone to his fellow safety, Kevin Byard III.
"The fact it should be two Bear players on here.. KB got robbed ! Go check out his stats"
The fact it should be two Bear players on here.. KB got robbed ! Go check out his stats
https://t.co/LMe6jVAiv1 — Quanny B. (@JaquanBrisker) October 1, 2025
How good were Byard's stats against the Raiders? He dominated with seven tackles, two pass deflections, two interceptions, and one tackle for loss. His coverage skills were so good that
What an overpowering performance by Byard.
Brisker is right, though. Mitchell was great against a good Buccaneers passing game, but Byard did more than Mitchell did. Byard's two interceptions were critical in stopping the Raiders' drives and made an impact in support of the running game. While the Bears allowed 240 rushing yards from Las Vegas, it could have been a lot worse if Byard wasn't there to help out.
Ben Johnson Fires Back: ‘We’re Just Getting Started—Prepare for a Shockwave!’
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Chicago Bears head coach Johnson is finally getting some good news as the team prepares for their game against the Washington Commanders.
The Chicago Bears squeaked by with a win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, September 28, and even though the game was too close for comfort at 25-24, as they often say, a win is a win. The Chicago Bears are now 2-2 for the season, which is looking a lot better than where they sat at the start of the season.
New head coach Ben Johnson is getting his feet wet with his first head coach position in the NFL, and he’s been working with both the Bears’ offense and defense to get them to a new level. His hard work is paying off, and that was easy to see in the team’s dramatic victory over the Raiders. It’s not easy to bring the Raiders down in Las Vegas with Maxx Crosby on defense, but they did it.
Now, Johnson is finally getting some props and good news as the team prepares for their Week 6 game against the Washington Commanders. Of course, the team is on a bye right now, so they have some extra time to prepare and, in this case, enjoy the props that they’re getting.
Ben Johnson’s Chicago Bears Players Get Props
Congratulations are in order for Johnson and his Bears, because not one but two players are getting recognized for their excellent efforts this week. The NFL has named cornerback Josh Blackwell of the Chicago Bears NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.
CB Speeding around the edge, Blackwell came up clutch to clinch the Bears’ 25-24 win on Sunday over the host Las Vegas Raiders,” Grant Gordon of the NFL’s website says of Blackwell. With 38 seconds to play and the Bears clinging to a one-point lead, Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson lined up for a 54-yard go-ahead field goal attempt. Blackwell had other ideas as he sprang onto the scene for an award-winning block.”
It doesn’t stop there. The PFF also gave the Bears some props this week and named safety Kevin Byard Defensive Player of the Week.
Kevin Byard came away with two interceptions off Geno Smith in the Bears’ win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, helping him earn a 94.4 PFF coverage grade,” they stated of his showing.
So, it’s great to see two Bears getting recognized in the NFL for their hard work and rocking it on the field. It should also help Johnson sleep better at night knowing that his team is getting attention in a good way.
Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears Also Gets Attention
Williams had a good game against the Raiders, and he’s also getting some props this week, following that Las Vegas win. As it turns out, what happens in a Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas, because the news is getting out.
Williams lands at No. 16 in CBS Sports’ quarterback tally, out Wednesday, October 2, with Cody Benjamin saying, “Like Nix, his 2024 NFL Draft classmate, Williams has been more mercurial than steady so far. His scrappy elusiveness and rocket arm have kept Chicago competitive under first-time coach Ben Johnson, however, and his arrow is still trending up.”
Trending up is a good thing for sports. Now, the Bears have some time to relax before they hit the field again, and hopefully they’ll use their off week wisely.
Texans' C.J. Stroud Not Overlooking Ravens Defense
The 1-3 Houston Texans are rolling into an intriguing Week 5 road matchup this weekend against the similarly 1-3 Baltimore Ravens, as both teams head into this one looking to rebound from their respective rocky starts to the season, and for the Texans' specifically, hoping to get a win and head into next week's bye on a positive note.
But in that matchup on the horizon for the Texans, there's a chance they may be up against a wildly beaten up Ravens roster.
Of course, Lamar Jackson is the name that jumps off the page on the offensive side of the ball, but defensively, a laundry list of guys were either DNPs or limited ahead of this weekend, including key playmakers like Kyle Hamilton, Nate Wiggins, Roquan Smith, etc. Obviously, some critical question marks for Baltimore.
But despite facing what could be a heavily limited Ravens unit, and a Baltimore defense that's faced their fair share of ups and downs as is through four weeks in terms of production, Texans' quarterback C.J. Stroud isn't discrediting any of their talent on that side of the ball before their Week 5 matchup.
"They're playing really good ball for the most part. Of course, they're giving up some explosives here and there, but they're always really good," Stroud said of the Ravens' before their Week 5 matchup. "Roquan's always great. Their d-line is always good. I know they're dealing with some injuries, but they always have good players, regardless of if it's ones, twos, threes."
"So, they'll be prepared. I know they'll be motivated. They're in a boat like we are; trying to find wins. It'll be a battle no matter who plays."
It's some considerable respect from the Texans quarterback placed on the Ravens' defense: whoever's out there, from starters to third-string, are bound to be a challenge, so it's a game that Houston's offense will need to keep all hands on deck for no matter what.
Stroud's wound up struggling a bit against the Ravens through the first couple of years of his career, rattling off an 0-2 overall record vs. Baltimore–– the first loss coming during the first start of his rookie season, and the second coming during Christmas Day of last season.
This year, Stroud will have the opportunity to reset the narrative in what would be his first-ever victory against Baltimore. Time will tell if he can get it done, but it's clear that no matter who's on the opposite side, the Texans quarterback will be prepared.
CJ Stroud, Texans looking to gain momentum in October
The Texans have lost three of their first four games of this season. However, none of these losses have been blowouts. In fact, all of their losses have come in one-score games. Their largest margin of defeat this year is seven points, which occurred in Week 3 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The defense has turned in some strong performances. Through Week 4, Houston’s defense ranks fifth in total yards allowed and average yards allowed per game, according to ESPN. Furthermore, their defense allows the fewest points per game in the league so far.
However, the offense has not held up its end of the bargain. The Texans have the eighth fewest total yards on offense. They are the 10th worst passing offense in the NFL. And they average the fourth fewest amount of points per game.
Stroud and the Texans need to figure things out. With the month turning to October, Houston could look at the new month as sort of a clean slate. It will certainly be interesting to see how they respond in Week 5 when they take on the Baltimore Ravens.
