The Chicago Bears needed a spark.
And veteran safety Kevin Byard III knew exactly how to get it.
The New York Giants had just kicked a field goal to open up the fourth quarter and take a 20-10 lead over the Bears.
[Bears report card: Team grades in Week 10 win over Giants]
To that point in the game, the Giants had gained 424 yards on 58 plays. That equaled a whopping 7.3 yards per play.
If the Bears’ defense couldn’t turn things around, it didn’t matter what the offense did — there was no way the team was going to erase a 10-point deficit and pull off another thrilling win.
Of course, that’s exactly what happened.
The Giants gained only seven yards total on their final three drives of the game, which resulted in a pair of punts and then a turnover on downs in the game’s final minute.
That afforded Caleb Williams and the Bears offense an opportunity to score two late touchdowns and secure a 24-20 victory.
“We knew, on defense, we had to figure out a way to get a stop,” Bears veteran linebacker Tremaine Edmunds told Marquee Sports Network’s Jeff Joniak. “The offense had momentum, and Caleb was doing his thing, and a lot of the other guys were stepping up and making big-time plays.
“But we knew the game was gonna come down to us. And we knew we had to get that last stop. Seeing guys sell out, seeing guys lock in on their responsibility, it freed up other guys to make plays. And that’s the good thing about football — all 11 guys accomplishing one mission, and that’s to win. That’s what we did.”
[Check out our complete Bears postgame coverage following the Week 10 win over the Giants on the Marquee Sports Network app]
But how did the Bears defense turn things around?
That’s where Byard’s contributions come in.
“It’s a culture change … I think it’s just everybody believing that no matter what it is we’re gonna find a way.”
Tremaine Edmunds on the Bears’ culture 👏 pic.twitter.com/5HHvxKmKae
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) November 9, 2025
As Joniak pointed out, Byard gathered the entire Bears defensive unit for a meeting.
Edmunds explained the impact of that discussion:
“That’s true veteran leadership,” Edmunds said. “We know some of the things that we were giving up; it wasn’t our style of ball. It wasn’t who we were as a defense. So it was really just holding everybody accountable and saying, ‘we’re not about to go out like this.’ Looking each other in the eyes and just being real with us.
“That’s what guys needed to hear, so definitely take my hat off to him.”
The result was another last-minute victory that pushed the Bears’ season record to 6-3 — and a spot in the NFC playoff picture.
The players are buying into what first-year head coach Ben Johnson has been preaching.
“It’s a culture change,” Edmunds said. “I think it’s just guys believing. Not just guys, but everybody believing that no matter what it is, we’re gonna find a way. Football is a game of ebbs and flows. We’re gonna have good moments and we’re gonna have bad moments.
“But really just keeping your head down, continuing to work, continuing to believe and guys are believing. If you’re not believing now, this is the time you gotta believe. It’s great energy, man. That’s really what’s happening. It’s the energy. Good energy around and people that want to win.”
