Jaylon Johnson Makes His Case for a Big Contract as Bears Snap 10-Game Home Skid

Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson had a lot to celebrate Sunday, and he made sure everyone knew what he wanted next. His interception return for a touchdown helped power Chicago to a 30-12 victory over the Raiders at Soldier Field, ending a 10-game losing streak at home.

Johnson stepped in front of Raiders star receiver Davante Adams to pick off the pass and took it 39 yards for the score, which capped the rout. He then broke out a "pay me" celebration. Asked whether it was a message, Johnson did not hedge. "You're damn right," he said. "A hundred percent."

The timing is notable. The trade deadline is nine days away, and Johnson is looking for a contract extension. He also intercepted a second pass on the Raiders' next drive, giving him two in one game after he had managed only one in his first 43 NFL games.

Johnson said he is ready to negotiate and believes his play warrants top pay. "I've been wanting to get to the [bargaining] table," he said. "I know who I am. I know I can play this game at a high level. And I feel like I deserve to be paid like that." He added that the message applies to any team in the league, whether that is the Bears or someone else.

Whether the Bears value him as highly as he values himself is still unknown. Johnson acknowledged his day was uneven. He was flagged twice, though neither penalty came while covering Adams. In the first quarter, an illegal contact call against him on Jakobi Meyers kept a Raiders drive alive on third down.

The more costly flag came late in the third quarter, when Johnson was called for a 46-yard pass interference penalty against Tre Tucker. It gave Las Vegas a first down at the Chicago 15-yard line, though the Raiders settled for a field goal that made it 21-6. Johnson said he needs to read receivers' body language better and was too focused on getting back into position. Had he read Tucker correctly, he said, he could have had three interceptions. "Definitely a play I want back," he said.

The interceptions capped another strong outing for the Bears defense against a Raiders offense that features Adams but was playing without injured starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Veteran Brian Hoyer and rookie Aidan O'Connell handled the quarterback duties instead.

Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds also intercepted a pass, and defensive tackle Justin Jones tipped the ball on that play and added a sack. Rookie Tyrique Stevenson broke up three passes, two of them targeting Adams, who finished with seven catches for 57 yards, or 8.1 yards per reception, on 12 targets. Chicago limited Las Vegas to 235 total yards, 3.9 per play, and 39 rushing yards on 14 carries, a 2.8-yard average.

Johnson said the victory was not only about him. He credited the home crowd for sticking with the team through the long drought. "I know it's been a long time coming," he said. "They show up every game and give us energy. It's only right to give them a 'W.'"