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LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Jaylon Johnson doesn’t get targeted much. Such is life for an All-Pro cornerback.

Passes have to go somewhere, so they often head to the other side of the field, with Tyrique Stevenson in coverage.

The second-year pro doesn’t take it as an insult. He has another stance toward throwing his way.

Bring it on.

“I look at it as an opportunity waiting for me,” Stevenson said. “We all know the ball ain’t going to Jaylon, so the defense looks to me to be the guy I am in practice. I need to make the plays that come to me, to catch the balls that come to me and make sure that I can funnel everything back into this defense.

“I ain’t no weak link. Just because there’s an All-Pro corner over there, that doesn’t mean you can throw it over here just because you feel like it.”

Stevenson made the Titans pay dearly for a bad decision his way, intercepting Will Levis’ attempted throw away and then returning it 43 yards for a touchdown that was the deciding factor in a 24-17 Week 1 victory at Soldier Field. He ended up with four tackles, two passes defensed and the aforementioned pick six against Tennessee, which earned NFC defensive player of the week honors.

Stevenson enjoyed the heck out of his big moment – his first pick six at any level — celebrating with his teammates in the end zone and again in the locker room. Stevenson loves the game, loves the moments and loves being in position to make plays.

It’s very clear that he’s no afraid of the moment and loves a direct challenge.

“I like the way he tackles. I like the way he hits. I like the way he plays,” head coach Matt Eberflus said. “And that’s why he’s here. He’s a guy that loves football. And to me, it’s like just an honor to be able to coach him and work with him, because I do like that — his inside’s got a … he’s got a fire that burns hot. I like that.”

Competitive fire is an essential trait for someone who gets targeted a decent amount. As an example, Johnson got targeted three times against the Titans, per Pro Football Focus. Stevenson got targeted nine times and allowed three catches for 42 yards, including a touchdown and a pick. While coverage stats aren’t super reliable – we don’t know who was responsible for what in a coverage scheme – they illustrate a larger point about target distribution.

Stevenson stepped in and started as a rookie second-round pick, playing well from the jump. He also believes that was a starting point, not a standard.

“I knew I wanted to come back in and show what I showed last season times 10, because I put in the work and everything like that,” Stevenson said. “For the outside people who pull up the stats, they (might) see a drop off, but, for the guys on this team, they know there’s no drop off with me.”

It’s clear that Eberflus likes the young cornerback’s play and his demeanor. You need a certain amount of unshakable confidence and a bit of swagger to play the position well and deal with its inevitable failures. Stevenson has the mental fortitude and skill to play the position well, with the drive to search for continued improvement as his career progresses.

“He’s very competitive and he’s a very physical corner,” Eberflus said. “He loves to compete. And you can see that, how fiery he is on the field. He welcomes that. It gives him joy to be able to go out there and compete. You can see that every day.”  

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