A week earlier versus the Packers, Odunze helped set up a potential game-winning field goal on the final play with catches of 16 yards on third-and-19 and 21 yards on fourth-and-3 on back-to-back snaps.
“It’s two games in a row with fourth-down calls and he’s made plays,” Brown said. “It’s been aggressive plays and never flinching with that mentality. But he does it every day in practice. To me, there’s a direct correlation between what you’re doing throughout the week and what happens on game day.”
The Bears’ recovery on an onside kick against the Vikings was years in the making. Cairo Santos’ spinning kick deflected off Minnesota’s Camryn Bynum and was recovered by Tarvarius Moore. There have now been 3 of 37 successful onside kicks (8.6%) in the NFL this season.
“I can’t speak to strategy, but it happened exactly how we wanted it to happen,” said special teams coordinator Richard Hightower. “We’ve been working on that kick for two-and-a-half years. For two days a week for two-and-a-half years, and that one time we got a chance to do it, I was proud of those guys in that moment because they executed it. They never complained about doing it twice a week for two-and-a-half years. It takes that time and commitment and effort in order to have one successful play.”