Three Bears takeaways from win vs. Panthers

Three takeaways from the Bears’ win Sunday against the Panthers:

Cole under pressure

Rookie tight end Cole Kmet, who had one catch on three targets entering Sunday’s game, caught his first NFL touchdown in the first quarter. Kmet wasn’t the first option on the nine-yard pass but Nick Foles threw to him, covered, on a post route.

“It was just an awesome feeling,” Kmet, a Notre Dame and St. Viator grad, said.

Someone was there to see it — his mom Kandace sat in Section 205 as one of the roughly 5,200 fans allowed inside.

“She was waving like a madwoman pregame,” he said. “I found her and gave a little wave. She was pumped up.”

DHC

Backup safety DeAndre Houston-Carson broke up Tom Brady’s pass to seal last week’s win and intercepted Teddy Bridgewater on Sunday to do the same. Houston-Carson, who was playing dime coverage only because Deon Bush is hurt, had never before intercepted a pass.

“He’s come up so big in these situations, and that’s what it’s all about,” coach Matt Nagy said.

Fuller throttle

Kyle Fuller was flagged for unnecessary roughness in the second quarter for hitting Keith Kirkwood and forcing an incompletion, even though replay showed the cornerback hitting the receiver’s shoulder with his own. Fuller has delivered bone-jarring hits all season — he was fined for one in the opener and forced a fumble against the Buccaneers.

“We love him making big plays like that,” inside linebacker Roquan Smith said. ‘Big hits. So that’s pretty awesome. I think we have an edge.”