Bears Playmaker ‘Hoping I Don’t Get Fined’ After Questionable Penalty vs. Saints
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Kyler Gordon of the Chicago Bears.
The Chicago Bears selected Kyler Gordon with the 39th overall pick in the 2022 draft, and he has become an invaluable member of their secondary in the years since.
The slot cornerback’s 2025 season has been delayed slightly, as he missed the first four games with a hamstring injury. He returned Week 6, and his presence has given a definite jolt to the entire defense.
Week 6 against the New Orleans Saints, he played lights out, finishing with four total tackles (one for loss), a QB hit and his first sack of the year.
Late in the second quarter of that October 19 matchup, Gordon was flagged for unnecessary roughness after a jarring hit on running back Alvin Kamara — a call that drew immediate frustration from Gordon and the entire Bears’ sideline. The play wiped out what would’ve been a key third-down stop, and drawing the flag was something that stayed with Gordon after the final whistle blew.
Kyler Gordon on Unnecessary Roughness Penalty vs. Saints: ‘Hoping I Don’t Get Fined’
GettyCB Kyler Gordon of the Chicago Bears hopes he doesn’t get fined for his unnecessary roughness penalty called against him Week 7 vs. the Saints.
“Gordon was still in disbelief after the game,” Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune wrote on October 20. “He clearly hit Kamara on the shoulder. Gordon’s left hand contacted the helmet when Kamara was going to the turf, but it sure didn’t look worthy of a penalty. Fortunately for the Bears, the Saints drive quickly stalled out after the penalty.”
“Blew him up,” Gordon said about the play, via Biggs. “Did my job and they didn’t like it. I don’t know what to say. You can review the film and I’m hoping I don’t get fined. I’m not trying to get fined. I think I did the right thing. We’ll review it.”
If anything, the Bears should ask the league to review the play, as it sure looked like Gordon did everything right only to get penalized for it.
Bears Defense Looking Dominant in Recent Weeks
Gordon’s return to the lineup has undeniably given Dennis Allen’s defense a ton of juice. In their win over the Saints, the Bears held Kamara and company to just 44 rushing yards, their lowest total of the year by far.
Chicago’s defense had nine takeaways over its first four games. The unit has forced seven turnovers over the last two games since Gordon returned to the lineup. With Gordon in the mix, Chicago can mix up looks, blitz more frequently and trust the secondary to hold its own.
Gordon’s return also carries a broader ripple effect — the defense has more options. They can stay in nickel without sacrificing coverage quality. They can shuffle Gordon between slot and outside. Pressure packages become more feasible because the secondary isn’t having to double-up on every dangerous receiver. That flexibility is exactly what Allen covets.
Return of LB T.J. Edwards Has Also Given Bears Defense a Boost
The return of linebacker T.J. Edwards has been just as impactful.
Edwards stepping back into the middle of the field means the defense isn’t just better on the edge and in the secondary — they’re stronger in the second level too. His run-stuffing prowess is a huge reason the team’s defense played so well against Kamara and the Saints.
Taken together, Gordon and Edwards both returning gives the Bears’ defense a far better shot at being more than just average. Weeks 6 and 7 offered a glimpse of what this unit can be. If this continues — if Gordon remains healthy and Allen keeps calling the aggressive stuff — the Bears will be a genuine menace on that side of the ball.
Browns Insider Gives Blunt Take on Future of Dillon Gabriel
The Cleveland Browns could soon make a quarterback change, according to one insider.
Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com believes the team needs more from rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel. Gabriel has been managing the game well, but he hasn’t been taking many risks, as he has failed to throw for a touchdown in back-to-back games.
Ahead of Cleveland’s Week 8 road game against the New England Patriots, Cabot believes Gabriel needs to show something.
“But what they have going on right now. It is not working. It’s unsustainable and must change,” Cabot said on the Orange and Brown Talk podcast.
In the Browns’ 31-6 win over the Miami Dolphins, Gabriel went 13-for-18 for 116 yards. Although the weather was bad, Cabot wanted to see more from the rookie quarterback.
Cabot believes Gabriel’s play of no turnovers and trying to play it safe isn’t sustainable and isn’t a way to win games, which is why she believes it could lead to a quarterback change in the future.
Browns Coach Pleased With Gabriel’s ‘Clean’ Play
Although Cabot wasn’t thrilled with Gabriel’s play, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski did like his play.
Gabriel played well in the weather as he took care of the football, which Stefanski is pleased about. On Monday, he spoke to reporters and reflected on Gabriel’s game, and was pleased about it.
“Yeah, I think with all of our young players, we’re learning about them every day they’re in the building,” Stefanski said on Monday. “Obviously, these games are important for them and putting them in different situations.
“So obviously, Dillon’s only three games into his career, and it’s had some unique challenges, but to be able to play clean and take care of the football for this football team and obviously get his first win as a starting quarterback yesterday, I thought was, you know, good for him. Obviously, that’s something that you always remember.”
Gabriel will remain the Browns’ starting quarterback on Sunday against the Patriots. The rookie will continue to take care of the football and help manage Cleveland’s offense.
Insider Claims Shedeur Sanders Will Start Soon
The Browns selected Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders in the 2025 NFL Draft, and Cleveland is likely to start both of them at some point.
Gabriel has started three games and will start a fourth this week. Yet, NFL insider Tony Rizzo reported this week that Cleveland plans to start Sanders in the near future.
“I need to see Shedeur when they are going to give him a chance,” Rizzo said on ESPN Cleveland. “And, by that, I mean they have to tell him he’s starting on Monday. It’s not going to happen anytime soon, I get it. But you have the Patriots and then the bye week. I was told by two different sources yesterday at the stadium, one said Shedeur will start the last four games of the season, no matter what.
“Unless the Browns win every game through the Titans week, Shedeur will play the Bears, Bills, Steelers, and Bengals; they want to see what he’s got. Another said he could be in play earlier than that.”
The Browns are off to a 2-5 start.
