In the all-or-nothing world of a field-goal kicker, Paul Edinger realizes that results, not effort, quantify his existence.
The recently maligned Bears kicker was a perfect 4-for-4 Sunday to help dispatch the Denver Broncos 19-10 at Invesco Field.
“You don’t want anybody talking bad about you,” said Edinger, who had missed three of his previous four attempts in the Bears’ consecutive two-point losses to Detroit and St. Louis.
“It’s gone now. I don’t think anybody is talking about a slump now.”
Edinger connected from 33, 23, 54 and 47 yards to improve his season mark to 21-of-25 as the Bears snapped a 12-game road losing streak. The 54-yarder at the end of the first half matched the longest of his career. The 47-yarder midway through the fourth quarter gave the Bears a comfortable nine-point lead.
“If I miss one of those kicks, then [the Broncos] have a whole different mind-set on their last drive,” Edinger said.
After making his first 14 to start the season, Edinger had missed a career-high three consecutive attempts, two of which were blocked, before Sunday’s resurgence.
“I never thought I was in a slump,” he said. “I just thought I missed a kick and I had to just bounce back from it.”
Sunday was the coldest November game in Broncos history. It was 18 degrees at kickoff, with a windchill of 8, and it got colder in the second half.
Edinger said the cold weather negated any benefit he might have received from the light air and lofty altitude in the Mile High City.
Denver kicker Jason Elam, who was wide on a 40-yarder in the first half Sunday, tied Tom Dempsey’s NFL record with a 63-yarder here on Oct. 25, 1998.
“I would like to come back here when it’s hot and see what I can do,” Edinger said with a smile.
All of the Bears’ special-teams units executed efficiently. That made a positive difference for an offense that has plodded all year.
Jerry Azumah returned three kickoffs for 116 yards–a 38.7-yard average–including a 51-yarder. Azumah’s success on special teams seemed to boost his confidence in the secondary.
“Without question, it helps your confidence,” Bears defensive coordinator Greg Blache said. “Just like with any of us. When you’re golfing and you hit a great shot, that makes your next shot easier. Or if you’re shooting free throws, whatever it is. When you have a degree of success, your confidence is going to skyrocket. I just think the success [Azumah] is having is helping his esteem and helping him realize the player he’s capable of being.”
The Bears’ offense was the beneficiary of excellent field position because of the performance of its special teams and defense. “I just think that `R-Dub’ [R.W. McQuarters] and `Zoom’ (Azumah) have been fantastic in the return game,” said offensive coordinator John Shoop.
“It was disappointing that we didn’t take advantage of all of them. I felt like we could have. One time we went three-and-out after a plus-50 [yard line] field position. But, philosophically, I think our entire team was on the same page. We need to take greater advantage of those plus-50 situations.”
