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Find out why both Kevin Byard and Austin Booker were hit with fines after the Bears’ Week 10 win over the NY Giants.
The Bears came away with a late victory Week 10 against the New York Giants, but a few of Chicago’s starters got hit with hefty fines when all was said and done.
Per the NFL’s GameDay Accountability report, both edge Austin Booker and safety Kevin Byard were fined for helmet-use violations in the win over the Giants. Booker’s infraction cost him $5,818 for lowering the crown on a tackle in the first quarter, while Byard drew a far steeper $23,186 fine for a similar act midway through the third.
Booker was making his first start of the year in place of an injured Dayo Odeyingbo, and he’ll likely be starting more going forward.
Still on his $4.3 million rookie deal, the fine will likely hit Booker’s pocketbook harder than Byard’s, as the veteran safety makes just under $6 million this season.
More on Game Vs. NY Giants Where Bears DE Austin Booker & Safety Kevin Byard Were Fined
GettyBears free safety Kevin Byard and edge Austin Booker were fined for their antics Week 10 vs. the New York Giants.
The Bears eked out a 24–20 win at Soldier Field, but it took all 60 minutes. Chicago trailed by 10 points with 10:12 left, with the offense netting only 275 total yards through three quarters. But when the Bears needed a drive that mattered, Caleb Williams delivered one of his better stretches of the season. Williams finished 22-of-34 for 246 yards, two touchdowns, and no turnovers. He also added 63 rushing yards, including the game-winning TD scramble that put Chicago ahead for good with under two minutes to play.
The Bears were 7-of-14 on third down — their best conversion rate since Week 4 — and when they needed a play on defense, they got it.
The Bears gave up 431 yards, the second-highest total they’ve allowed this season, and they looked disoriented by New York’s tempo when QB Jaxson Dart was in the game. But after Dart exited with a concussion, the defense gave up only 4.8 yards per play over the Giants’ final four drives.
A Look at What’s Next for Chicago Week 11
Next up, the Bears have a Week 11 showdown in Minnesota against the rival Vikings. Chicago sits at 6-3, and the Vikings are 4-5. Currently tied for first in the NFC North, a win would keep the Bears atop the division.
Williams and the Bears offense will be under constant stress courtesy of Brian Flores’ defense. Minnesota has been stingy against explosive plays this year, particularly of late, allowing only six completions of 25-plus yards since Week 6. That said, they’ve struggled to finish. Opponents have scored touchdowns on 68% of their red zone trips during that same stretch.
For their part, Chicago has seven touchdowns in their last nine trips inside the 20. Williams’ pocket presence and overall control have improved markedly since these two teams met Week 1, and his decisiveness and clutch antics late in games are starting to look like the real thing.
The Vikings came from behind in the fourth quarter Week 1 to beat the Bears, 27-24. Chicago’s defense will have to keep J.J. McCarthy and company from doing it again.
“I still feel like we’re a growing defense,” Bears DC Dennis Allen said this week. “I don’t think we really have even scratched the surface of what I think we can be. I do know where we were in Week 1 to where we are now. I think there’s more of a belief in what we’re doing and a little bit more confidence in our squad.”
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