ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – Kyle Fuller was credited with one interception in Sunday's 41-9 rout of the Buffalo Bills, but the box score doesn't tell the whole story.
The Bears cornerback set up two other interceptions by teammates Adrian Amos Jr. and Leonard Floyd with well-timed hits on receivers that led to deflected picks.
"We've been really talking to our guys about we want to be able to challenge people and [Fuller] stepped up to the challenge and made some great plays," said coach Matt Nagy.
Fuller's hits on receivers Terrelle Pryor and Zay Jones about three minutes apart in the second quarter resulted in interceptions by Amos and Floyd. The latter returned his first career pick 19 yards for a touchdown, giving the Bears a 21-0 lead with 3:32 left in the first half.
"Kyle Fuller is a great teammate," Floyd said. "He's just an overall great person. You love to see his hard work pay off when it pays off on the field because he's a hard-working person."
The four takeaways the Bears produced Sunday increased their season total to 21.
"This isn't something that they just come out here and do and they're lucky," Nagy said. "They preach it, they teach it, and then those guys when it happens they get to see what happens when you do that."
Impact play: Floyd still has yet to record a sack this season, but he produced a huge play Sunday with his second NFL touchdown and first since his rookie year in 2016 in Green Bay.
"We all know he wants to be able to get after that quarterback," Nagy said, "and then for him to have the touchdown, [I'm] just so happy for him individually and then for our defense and for our team."
Floyd's TD was the second of the game and the fourth of the season for the Bears defense. About four minutes earlier, Eddie Jackson stripped the ball from tight end Jason Croom after a 1-yard reception, scooped up the ball and returned it 65 yards for a score.
The defense's other touchdowns this season came in the first two games—on interception returns of 27 yards by Khalil Mack in a Week 1 loss to the Packers and 49 yards by Prince Amukamara in a Week 2 win over the Seahawks.
Personnel matters: The Bears played without Mack (ankle) and receiver Allen Robinson II (groin) for the second straight week. They were also without right guard Kyle Long, who was placed on injured reserve Saturday with a right foot injury he suffered last Sunday against the Jets.
After sitting out last weekend's game with a neck injury, Eric Kush started at right guard Sunday, but he split time with fellow veteran Bryan Witzmann.
"[Offensive line coach] Harry [Hiestand] and I talk about which direction we want to go with those guys," Nagy said, "how they're feeling, how they're playing. He does a great job of monitoring that and that's just the way we went today."
Running back Taquan Mizzell Sr., who was promoted from the practice squad Saturday to fill Long's roster spot, caught one pass for five yards and lined up as the kickoff returner, though both Bills kickoffs in the game resulted in touchbacks.
"He's able to do some things from the backfield and from split out wide," Nagy said. "He's done a great job in practice all season long. He's very talented and he's a good fit for us. Anytime you can have that player like him, you want to be able to try to use him."
Plugging away: Receiver Kevin White was a healthy scratch Sunday for the first time in his career. The 2015 first-round draft pick has caught three passes for 70 yards this season, with 54 yards coming on a Hail Mary pass against the Patriots.
"Kevin and our coaching staff, myself, we've had some talks, and it's just the direction we decided to go for this game," Nagy said. "Nothing by any means is permanent. He's going to continue to just keep working hard. Kevin's in a good place and I appreciate him being that way and we're just going to keep plugging away."
Pedal to the metal: Leading 28-3, Mitchell Trubisky threw a deep pass intended for receiver Taylor Gabriel on the Bears' first play of the third quarter. Cornerback Phillip Gaines drew a 47-yard pass interference penalty on the play, resulting in a first down at the Buffalo 28. The penalty set up Cody Parkey's 23-yard field goal.
"The mindset at halftime was, 'We're not done. We need to be able to stay aggressive. We need to have the finish mentality. We've been in this before. Don't take the foot off the pedal,'" Nagy said.
