As a mass of gamers leaped into the air to catch Justin Fields’ go Sunday afternoon at Cleveland Browns Stadium, Chicago Bears broad receiver Darnell Mooney discovered himself on the entrance of the pack, tumbling to the grass ultimately zone with the soccer in his fingers.
And then instantly the soccer — and the upset win — acquired away. Bounced off Mooney’s chest. Rolled up his leg. Popped into the fingers of Browns security D’Anthony Bell.
Fields’ 45-yard Hail Mary go to win the sport with no time left on the clock as an alternative was a Browns interception to seal a 20-17 comeback victory over the Bears.
Afterward, Mooney laid again in his locker his cellphone. He had already watched the replay and skim the feedback on social media decrying the missed alternative for the Bears, who might have prolonged their profitable streak to 3 video games for the primary time since December 2020.
“Everybody is killing me right now,” Mooney mentioned. “But it’s a difficult catch, a hard catch.”
Mooney mentioned Bears gamers have been alleged to attempt to field out defenders to provide 6-foot-6 tight finish Cole Kmet the very best likelihood to catch that go.
Kmet was within the crowd that knocked the soccer ahead towards Mooney, who has confronted questions all season concerning the causes — some on him, many not — he hasn’t had higher manufacturing.
“It just ricocheted and I happened to be the guy in the position right there to try to get the ball,” Mooney mentioned. “It’s a wow play. It could have been crazy. I wish I wasn’t falling. It would have been easier to catch it. It’s unfortunate.”
If Mooney had made the catch, it could have put make-up on a recreation that, on the Bears offensive aspect, was lined in blemishes.
The Bears had simply 236 internet yards and one offensive landing, totaled 12 first downs and went three-and-out eight occasions. They have been 4-for-18 on third down and 0-for-2 on fourth down. With left guard Teven Jenkins in concussion protocol for the second half, the Bears averaged 3.3 yards per play on the bottom for the sport.
Fields accomplished 19 of 40 passes for 166 yards, a landing, two interceptions on Hail Mary performs to finish every half and a 46.5 passer score.
Fields, who was sacked 9 occasions in his first profession begin two years in the past in Cleveland, was sacked thrice and hit seven. But he mentioned the disruption the formidable Browns defensive position had on his recreation went past that.
Next Gen Stats mentioned defensive finish Myles Garrett generated seven pressures, with six of them coming in lower than 2.5 seconds.
“That front makes their defense go,” Fields mentioned. “I had some receivers downfield, and I’m trying to anticipate where they’re going to be, but I can’t see the guys. Just because they’re not sacking me doesn’t mean that they’re not affecting me in the play. They did a good job and props to them. I just need to do better.”
As the Bears inch towards January, when normal supervisor Ryan Poles must make choices about his teaching employees and his quarterback, this recreation received’t go on the prime of Fields’ highlights checklist.
There have been extra memorable unhealthy performs than good ones within the recreation, however Mooney and broad receiver DJ Moore each supported Fields when requested whether or not he must be the staff’s quarterback past this season.
“Justin is the quarterback of the future,” mentioned Mooney, who had two catches on eight targets for 14 yards. “He’s this franchise’s quarterback. He’s been balling. I don’t understand why there’s any more questions of that. Obviously we have the first-round pick because of Carolina right now. But Justin’s a dog. If he’s not here, he’ll be somewhere else balling.”
The solely offensive landing drive began on the Browns 1-yard line after security Eddie Jackson intercepted Browns quarterback Joe Flacco and returned it 27 yards within the second quarter. It took eight snaps earlier than Fields hit Kmet for a 5-yard landing go. The Browns twice dedicated penalties for too many males on the sector and one other one for go interference. Kmet was flagged for a false begin.
But ultimately, Fields’ playmaking capacity on third-and-5 kicked in. He averted a Garrett sack, breaking left after which proper earlier than hitting Kmet whereas on the run. He mentioned his first learn was to Mooney, who was lined properly.
“Cole did a great job getting open,” Fields mentioned. “We talked this week about the scramble drill and how that was going to be big for us.”
Beyond that landing, the Bears offense solely managed a Cairo Santos 41-yard subject purpose within the third quarter. After Tremaine Edmunds’ decide six towards Flacco and the sector purpose, the Bears had a 17-7 lead with 7 minutes, 7 seconds to play within the third quarter.
The 10-point, fourth-quarter collapse — which is simply the third-worst by the Bears this yr behind losses to the Denver Broncos and Detroit Lions — included Fields getting tripped up whereas attempting to run for the primary down on fourth-and-1 on the Browns 33-yard line to open the fourth quarter.
Mooney mentioned he thought the Bears gamers grew too complacent with the lead within the third. Three of the three-and-outs got here after the Bears’ last rating.
“I didn’t like how we felt comfortable in the third quarter, just lackadaisical and conservative,” Mooney mentioned. “Everybody was just happy we were winning. We’ve got to be aggressive and continue to put the foot on the pedal. … That’s what bit us. We tried to switch gears in the fourth quarter once they scored, and it’s hard to do that.”
Fields mentioned he didn’t really feel too comfy, however Moore echoed Mooney.
“We didn’t have explosive plays or I don’t even think we had more than four first downs,” Moore mentioned. “It was a little lull, and we can’t be like that against a defense like that.”
The Bears’ longest play got here with 25 seconds remaining, after the Browns took the lead. Fields hit rookie Tyler Scott, who tiptoed down the suitable sideline for a 30-yard acquire.
Two incompletions later, Fields let the Hail Mary fly.
“How many times do you see a Hail Mary working and actually fall to be able to make a catch?” Mooney mentioned. “It’s tough. I wish I could have had it.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com