Bears rookie diaries with Tory Taylor, Austin Booker | Week 4
As told to Gabby Hajduk

Bears fourth-round pick Tory Taylor—a punter from Iowa—and fifth-round pick Austin Booker—a defensive end from Kansas—share their training camp experiences exclusively on ChicagoBears.com. This series will feature both players giving first-person accounts once a week throughout training camp.

Our trip to Buffalo Saturday was definitely a fun time. I hit my first couple NFL punts and I was happy with my performance. It was just nice to get a couple good balls out there and get some punts under my belt.

It was really windy out there, so I made sure to start my pregame routine early just to feel it out. I hit a lot more balls in warmup than I usually do, but I liked going into the game with a full head of steam and confidence in how I'm punting.

The wind was going in every direction, so it made it one of the tougher games I've played in my entire football career. Even the Buffalo guys, who are 10-year vets, said it was quite difficult. Having that one practice last week where the wind was blowing and it was cooler definitely helped prepare me for Buffalo, but it still didn't really compare.

It's one of those things that is nice to experience in the preseason, just to know you can do it. This was my first time in Buffalo, but I definitely have some experience with different climates from playing in the Big Ten.

One Saturday it would be 35 degrees and 20 mile-per-hour winds, and then the next weekend you're playing in 80-degree weather and there's not a breath of wind. I always thought if you can do it in the Big Ten, especially Iowa, you can do it wherever.

I do think even with some things out of my control, it was a positive game for me. It's one of those things where you can always be better. I hit two good balls, but I want those to be great.

My main focus is limiting returns, so it would've been nice for the first one to be a fair catch, but the coverage got down there and did a good job anyways, so it was cool. The first punt didn't have the greatest hang time, but it was still a solid ball, and it was difficult to judge the wind. But it's something I can learn from and take with me to the next situation.

While I only got to hit the ball twice, that's something that doesn't bother me at all. It's different for punters because you don't really have a choice when it comes to how much you can contribute. It really comes down to how the game is unfolding. But I love winning games. I like winning games more than I like punting, so I'm good with one punts, eight punts or zero punts. I'll go out and do my thing regardless.

The game as a whole was a cool experience, just getting to see the entire team play. Usually when we're on offense I'm locked in, just going through my mental checks, and then on defense, I get to watch, walk around the sideline and talk to the guys to see how they're doing.

But on the first series, I remember standing by the net and glancing at the field because our offense was driving. I saw the screen play to Swift where Caleb just threw the ball over the O-line. I just thought that was absolutely amazing. I remember just going "oh my god, did that really just happen?"

Caleb is really a special player. He's talented. And he's a real good leader and person as well, so we're certainly lucky to have him.

On the defensive side, it was cool to see Booker get a couple sacks. He had an amazing game. You kind of just know what you're gonna get with "Book." He's someone that just goes after it.

Aside from my punts in the game, I got to keep working on my holds with Cairo. Those are definitely fun to be a part of as well. Even in practice Tuesday, Cairo made a 56-yard field goal and we were all hyped for that. It means a ton to the whole group because a lot of work goes into one kick.

Like I've said before, those will never be perfect. It will always be a work in progress between the long-snapper, the holder and the kicker. But I'm really happy with where we are at the moment.

I feel like I've really made progress in terms of just moving my hands quicker and putting the ball down quicker so he can see it sooner. It's Cairo, though, he's one of the best in the business, so he just does his thing. It's more so about me and the long-snapper doing a good job of presenting the ball for him in a way where he can make good contact and put it through the sticks.

Now I'm just getting ready for our joint practice with the Bengals and our first game at Soldier Field this weekend. I actually know one of Cincinnati's punt returners, Charlie Jones, really well. I lived with him in college for a few years so it'll be cool to see him out there. He better look out though, because we'll be coming for him.

Our game Saturday should be an awesome experience as well. I know Bears fans are crazy and there were already a couple thousand of them in Buffalo, just for an away preseason game, which is crazy. I'm excited to experience that and I know it'll be a good atmosphere for sure.

Saturday's game in Buffalo was honestly just fun. I hadn't felt that good and had a vibe like that since my last college game with Kansas when we beat Cincinnati.

I played about half of the defensive snaps against the Bills like I did last week, but I was definitely flowing way better. I had a better mix of power and speed moves this week, used my outside spin a bit and just opened up my bag more. And, it finally showed on the stat sheet.

I said last week I wanted another shot at a sack. I made it happen and ended up with 2.5 sacks. Honestly though, I was still kind of pissed about my first sack. I secured the tackle but didn't get blocked, so it didn't really feel like my first sack.

Really my best plays were two where I didn't record a sack. The first one, I set the defender up inside, spun back out then hit the quarterback right after he threw it. The second one, I got into the A gap, threw the guard backwards which caused a sack, which Hardy got, but I wish I had that one, too.

It honestly still meant a lot, though. I was just excited and happy to finally put some of my work on paper. I kind of realized that I had a big day after the game when I was the last one off the field from doing interviews. Once you have that, you know you did something.

I was just having a fun time out there. It was cool being able to play a little against Buffalo's first team and then playing periodically throughout the entire game. We were going just as hard in the fourth quarter, too. It was just fun. We wanted to go out there and do it again and again. You would see someone else get a stat and then you want to go get one and everybody just follows behind. It felt like we were all moving at the same pace.

Playing a full game just felt good, too. It had been about nine months since I did that last. Obviously, we've been practicing a ton, but it's different because you're moving from period to period, going from special teams to 11-on-11 with no breaks. So to be able to get to a game feeling fresh and do exactly what you wanted to do, it feels good.

Hearing from my teammates after the game was nice, too. They were hyping me up and just showing that they trust me and know I can go out there and play well. That's such a big part of being able to make plays because you need personal confidence, but also confidence from the guys that you can do it.

I really am just trying to show my teammates and coaches that I'm accountable and consistent. I feel like those things can hold rookies back, even when you're naturally talented, because we can all go out there and play football. But it's different to have all the plays down and know all the checks. So, I just want to keep showing the team I can do that every day.

It was cool to hear from my friends and family after the game, too. I know my family was just super proud and everyone was excited. I still have 130 unread texts from Saturday, but I promise I'll respond at some point.

It's definitely exciting to have a good game, but I'm really staying focused on doing it again. I feel like I already do a good job of staying locked in and focused on my work, so it's just normal for me. Watching film after the game, I know there's things I could've done 10 times better — even on the good plays.

Like I said, two of my best moves didn't result in sacks, so I want those plays back. It's really just about staying hungry and knowing I have to do it again this week and the week after. It's not just a one-time thing.

This should be another fun weekend with the Bengals coming in Thursday for practice and then our third preseason game. The joint practice will be cool just to see some different looks and work against new guys.

I'm definitely excited for our first game at Soldier Field, though. It better be lit. Hopefully because we played well last week, we'll have a good showing from the fans and they'll be excited.

I just can't wait to feel the atmosphere at Soldier Field that we'll consistently have this season. Obviously we'll be on the road too, but having that one consistent place where my routine won't change and the vibe is the same will be cool.

Us rookies took a trip to the stadium after the draft, but I know it'll be different on gameday. I'm just excited to see what it's like and get going at our home away from home.