Bears defeat Bills with help from only Canadian on team

The Buffalo Bills faced off against the Chicago Bears last Sunday in an away game that took place in Toronto's Rogers Centre. As the only Canadian in the only NFL game north of the border this season Chicago's defensive end Idonije figured to find the spotlight by default, but the 29-year-old from Brandon, Manitoba earned every ounce of attention he received Sunday in Chicago’s 22-19 win over the Buffalo Bills. Idonije made a clutch play when he blocked the point after a touchdown attempt that would have tied the game. Idonije and his parents left their native Nigeria to move to Canada. He had never played organized football until grade 12, when a coach at Neelin High School talked him into joining the school’s brand new football team. Idonije claimed a spot in Chicago’s lineup as a special teamer, where his unusual size-speed combo helped him cover kicks, and where his height and disproportionately long arms helped him become the team’s premier kick blocker. Entering Sunday Idonije had blocked six field goals, converts and punts in his career, and collected his seventh at a critical time. “It’s a part of what we do on this team – block kicks,” said Idonije, who turns 30 later this month. “(Julius Peppers), great push to my right. I had the easiest part of the job, just getting my hand up.”