Game balls: 5 standouts from the Bears' Week 1 win over Titans

The Chicago Bears defeated the Tennessee Titans, 24-17, with an impressive second-half comeback led by the defense and special teams.

The first half was a disaster for the Bears, where everything that could've went wrong did. Caleb Williams had a rocky debut, but we knew there were going to be growing pains with a rookie quarterback. Luckily, he had something he didn't at USC: A dominant defense and special teams that managed to pick up the slack and led Chicago to an impressive comeback victory.

There were plenty of standout performances on defense and special teams -- too many to even fit on this list -- that carried the load for an unimpressive offense. Here is who earned game balls from the Week 1 win over the Titans:

1. CB Tyrique Stevenson

Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson kicked off his second season with one heck of a statement against the Titans, where he played a significant role in Chicago's comeback win in the second half. Stevenson totaled four tackles, two pass breakups and recorded an interception, which he returned 43 yards for a touchdown to put Chicago up by seven points with seven minutes remaining. Stevenson had the play of the game with his game-changing touchdown, with an assist from defensive end DeMarcus Walker, who recorded one of his four QB hits on Will Levis that forced the ill-advised throwaway that Stevenson took to the house.

2. DE Darrell Taylor

One of the Bears' newest additions is already paying off for their defense as newcomer Darrell Taylor had a monster game against the Titans in his debut. Taylor, acquired in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks last month, totaled eight tackles, two tackles-for-loss, 2.0 sacks and two QB hits. He was present on some of the biggest defensive plays of the game, and he made a strong impression in the rotation off the edge opposite Montez Sweat, who commanded most of the attention. Taylor certainly benefitted from Sweat's presence, and that's exactly what should happen as a result.

3. S Jonathan Owens/DE Daniel Hardy

This one is a joint effort on special teams with safety Jonathan Owens and defensive end Daniel Hardy, who jumpstarted the Bears' second-half comeback. With the Titans backed up on their own 33-yard line after struggling to move the ball against Chicago's defense, Hardy blocked a Ryan Stonehouse punt, which was then recovered by Owens and returned 21 yards for the score. It was the beginning of the end for Tennessee, who didn't score a single point -- nor cross midfield -- for the entire second half.

4. CB Jaylon Johnson

All-Pro cornerback Jaylon Johnson is someone opposing offenses tend to stay away from, and it's his performance in the season opener that shows exactly why. Johnson had three tackles, including two tackles-for-loss, as well as two pass breakups. That included saving a touchdown against Titans receiver Calvin Ridley. Johnson also had the game-sealing interception on a pass intended for receiver Tyler Boyd.

5. LB T.J. Edwards

Linebacker T.J. Edwards remains a core piece of this Bears front seven, and he had another impressive outing in Sunday's opener against the Titans. Edwards led Chicago -- and the entire NFL -- with 15 total tackles, including two tackles-for-loss. But arguably his biggest play came after Taylor recorded a strip-sack on Levis, and Edwards recovered the fumble that ultimately led to a Cairo Santos field goal to bring the Bears to within one point. While he did have a couple of missed tackles in the game, he continues to serve a key role in the success of this defense.

This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Game balls: 5 standouts from the Bears' Week 1 win over Titans