There are plenty of reasons to explain the Chicago Bears’ brutal loss in Washington to the Commanders. Their offense couldn’t score until the fourth quarter, and even then, they cost themselves points at the 1-yard line with a baffling handoff to a backup lineman. However,

most of the attention centers on how the game ended. The defense allowed Washington to drive into Hail Mary range with some questionable play calls, and then the true madness arrived with cornerback Tyrique Stevenson. He was so busy jawing with fans in the back of the end zone that he didn’t even know the play was in progress until five seconds into it.

By the time he realized his mistake, the guy he was supposed to cover had slipped into the end zone and ended up catching the winning score off a tip on the Hail Mary. It was a cataclysmic blunder by the second-year player. Many have called for him to get benched or suspended. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune spoke to a coach from another team. He urged the Bears to dump the cornerback outright. Why? Mainly because if players like that cost you a game once, they’ll do it again.

“That will leave a bruise and a hangover,” one defensive coordinator texted Sunday night. “Guys like that stay and he’ll get coaches fired.”

In asking former players who spent a long time in the NFL, they could not recall a teammate or opponent doing something so foolish on the field during a play that would equal Stevenson getting caught up in the moment and interacting with the crowd at Northwest Stadium while the final play was going on.

Tyrique Stevenson is a good player.

He has been a big part of the defense’s success over the past two years, showcasing his versatility and nose for the football. However, he is also undisciplined at times. Last Sunday was probably the most glaring example. Yet abandoning him after one bad game feels like a horrible knee-jerk reaction. Cutting or trading him doesn’t feel like the right approach. A more sensible one would be to bench him for a game or two, sending a clear message that such irresponsibility won’t be tolerated.

It sounds like that is the plan this Sunday. Tyrique Stevenson will be on the sideline while somebody else starts in his place. Most likely fellow 2023 draft classmate Terrell Smith, who recently returned from injury. Once the message gets across, Stevenson will return to the lineup. The Bears will need him once the schedule gets tougher in a few weeks. Hopefully, he will be more disciplined and focused by that point.

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