Seconds after Justin Fields made his miraculous 22-yard scramble touchdown to cut the San Francisco 49ers’ lead to 23-22, Roquan Smith knew the situation. Their young quarterback had just handed the team a glorious opportunity to steal back momentum and win a pivotal game. It would’ve been the sort of magical victory that might define a season. All Akiem Hicks, Robert Quinn, and the rest of the defense needed was to get a stop and put the ball back in Fields’ hands.
“It’s on us.”
Those were Smith’s words as he found every defensive player on the sideline. The rookie had given them the opportunity. They just needed to do what they’d done so many times in the past. Get off the field. Sadly it didn’t happen. San Francisco needed just five plays to march 75 yards for a touchdown, completely silencing Soldier Field and stealing whatever juice Fields had given their chances of winning. It was a gut-wrenching feeling, especially for the defense.
Nobody embodied that frustration more than Hicks. As the 49ers were closing the game out, the defensive end was spotted after making a tackle screaming in clear frustration.
It is easy to understand how he feels.
This is not something he or any other veteran on that defense is used to. Sunday marked the second game in a row where the Bears allowed over 400 total yards to an opponent. The second game where they allowed at least 33 points too. After ranking 7th in the NFL just a few weeks ago, they now rank 20th. Their fall from grace has been abrupt and alarming. A sign that age and injuries might finally be catching up to them.
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That wasn’t the first time they’d failed to get a stop when they needed one either. Fields had made a clutch drive late against Green Bay too, making it 17-14. Then Aaron Rodgers promptly went right down the field and scored. It’s horribly fitting that both backbreaking drives ended with QB scrambles for touchdowns. Akiem Hicks has been integral to a great run for the Bears’ defense dating back to 2017.
This is not how he envisioned the season playing out. The same goes for his teammates.
