01-18-2007, 09:41 AM
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#1 (permalink)
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FBF Coach
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,549
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Bears unearthed hidden gems in Gould, Davis
Quote:
By Larry Mayer
LAKE FOREST, Ill. – The Bears take pride in leaving no stone unturned in their search for talent. They don’t hesitate to tap into the Arena Football League, the Canadian Football League or—in the case of All-Pro kicker Robbie Gould—even the construction industry.
That philosophy paid major dividends last Sunday against the Seahawks as Gould and Rashied Davis—two undrafted free agents the team signed in 2005—delivered in the clutch to lead the Bears to their first playoff victory in 12 seasons.
Robbie Gould had reason to celebrate last Sunday after kicking what may have been the biggest field goal in Bears history.
Davis’ 30-yard reception on third-and-10 set up Gould’s 49-yard field goal with 10:02 left in overtime, lifting the Bears to a thrilling 27-24 victory and propelling them into the NFC Championship Game for the first time since 1988.
Earlier in the game, Davis caught a 37-yard pass to set up Thomas Jones’ 9-yard touchdown run on the Bears’ opening possession and Gould hit a 41-yard field goal into the wind to tie the score 24-24 with 4:24 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Gould was working for a construction company owned by a family friend in Pennsylvania when the Bears summoned him for a tryout in October 2005. After outperforming a handful of other candidates on a Friday, he was on the team plane the next day and completed his whirlwind weekend by making his debut against the Browns in Cleveland on Sunday.
A year later, Gould set team records with 26 straight field goals, 32 field goals in a season, at least one field goal in 22 straight games and an 88.9 percent success rate. His 49-yarder in overtime against the Seahawks may have been the most important field goal in franchise history.
“What can I say? A year ago I’m pounding nails and now I’m hitting game-winning kicks and going to the NFC championship,” he said.
Davis’ journey has been just as inspiring and improbable. The 5-9, 183-pounder was signed by the Bears after starring for four seasons with the San Jose SaberCats in the Arena Football League. He lined up at cornerback in his first year in Chicago but was switched to receiver, his primary position at San Jose State University, during the offseason.
“It’s an amazing feeling to be told that you can’t do something for such a long time or that you’re maybe too small, not fast enough, not quick enough, whatever reason, and for someone to finally give you an opportunity to do something that you really want to do,” Davis said.
“I’ve always wanted to play receiver in the NFL. But it got to a point where I just wanted to be on a team, so I did everything and anything, and that’s probably why I’m so versatile. But to be able to play the position you want to play when a lot of people said that I couldn’t—you’re not big enough, you’re not fast enough—it’s a great feeling for me.”
Davis has made several huge plays for the Bears this season. He scored the game-winning touchdown on a 24-yard reception Sept. 24 in Minnesota, hauled in a 15-yard TD pass Oct. 8 in a rout over Buffalo and set up Gould's 25-yard field goal in overtime with a 28-yard catch Dec. 17 versus Tampa Bay.
Unlike more heralded players who typically receive the benefit of the doubt from coaches and management, Davis knew that he had little margin for error when he entered the NFL.
“The hungrier you are, the better you play,” he said. “You don’t feel like you have an opportunity to make a lot of mistakes. Granted, I don’t think about making mistakes. But I knew that if I made too many mistakes and I didn’t learn the stuff that I needed to know quickly that I would probably not be here very long.
“I don’t make a lot of mistakes because I practice hard and I work really hard at learning our plays and memorizing everything and making sure I know where I’m supposed to be in different situations and focused in on catching the ball on every play.”
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These two players have made key plays all year and have come a very long way since last year, they are definitely players to hold on to.
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Bears unearthed hidden gems in Gould, Davis
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