Star search: Bears WR Anthony Miller honors Steve Smith with his TD celebration

Row, row, row your boat.

Anthony Miller ran down the seam.

Merrily, merrily, merrily.

He scored for his team.

The rookie receiver made a highlight-reel touchdown catch in the second quarter of the Bears’ 25-20 victory against the Vikings on Sunday night at Soldier Field. Miller then led a celebration in which he and his teammates sat in the end zone and mimicked rowing a boat.

It wasn’t a choreographed celebration, but rather Miller’s salute to his idol, former NFL receiver Steve Smith.

“I know you’ve all seen that,” Miller said. “I knew [my teammates] would join in.”

Miller was one-on-one against rookie defensive back Holton Hill in the near right slot. He ran down the seam before cutting to his right in the end zone to create separation.

Quarterback Mitch Trubisky rolled to his right and delivered a low throw. Miller made a diving catch. He got his arms underneath the ball and corralled it between his legs to complete the catch for an 18-yard touchdown.

“I just rolled over and squeezed [my legs] as tight as I could,” Miller said.

For the Bears, it was an example of how well they spread the ball around in coach Matt Nagy’s offense. Trubisky completed 12 of 14 passes in the first half against the Vikings, and that was Miller’s only catch of the half.

For Miller, it was another example of why the Bears were right in trading up in the second round in this year’s draft to select him with the 51st overall pick.

The Bears liked Miller so much that they drafted him after selecting guard James Daniels at No. 39

but also after signing receivers Taylor Gabriel (four years, $26 million) and Allen Robinson (three years, $42 million) in free agency.

“It was a movement [play] for us, getting out of the pocket,” Nagy said. “Mitch made a great throw on the run. It’s a strength of his. And for the Anthony, you can see once that he went down for the catch. I was just making sure that he didn’t bobble it, but he secured it and rolled over. Just again, it was players making plays.”

Miller actually has been doing that a lot lately. His row-the-boat score was his fifth touchdown catch this season. In the past four games, Miller has 15 catches for 233 yards and two touchdowns in the Bears’ four-game winning streak.

“Anthony makes great catches all the time,” running back Tarik Cohen said. “[His touchdown against the Vikings] was a great contested catch, and he always makes those. We have tremendous faith in him.”

Trubisky obviously trusted Miller to make a play for him. Miller was a mismatch for Hill in the end zone.

“We’ve been practicing that play all week,” Miller said.

Miller’s touchdown catch was a bright spot for the Bears’ two young players during what proved to be a tough night against a stingy defense.

RELATED

• Parkey hits 3 FGs, Defense stout in 25-20 win

• Great night for Bears, not-so-great for Trubisky

“That was a heck of a catch on his part,” Trubisky said. “I just have a lot of faith in him.”

Another one came in the fourth quarter when Miller made a seven-yard catch over the middle before getting hit hard by linebacker Eric Kendricks. Miller celebrated after that catch, too. He pretended to eat.

“I was just showing that he ain’t hit me hard enough,” Miller said. “That’s all. Hype the fans up a little bit, and it did.”