Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields informed reporters after a 21-20 preseason victory over the Cleveland Browns that he “for sure” was desirous about his first journey to FirstEnergy Stadium final season — and the way significantly better Saturday’s outing went.
“I was of course thinking about that,” Fields stated with a smile. “I am glad 95 (Myles Garrett) wasn’t playing today. But I’m glad we came out with a (win) today for sure.”
Fields’ reply supplied a very good abstract of easy methods to really feel concerning the Bears’ third straight preseason victory — satisfaction with a dose of actuality.
It was a pleasant, confidence-building win for Fields, who threw three landing passes in 5 drives and wasn’t sacked.
But it wasn’t in opposition to the full-strength Browns protection, which sat — amongst others — Garrett, the monster move rusher who had 4½ of the Browns’ 9 sacks in Fields’ first profession begin in 2021 beneath earlier Bears coach Matt Nagy.
With that in thoughts, right here’s our three-phase assessment of Saturday’s win.
Offense
Reason for optimism: Entering Saturday, the one factors the first-team offense put up in 4 drives in opposition to the Kansas City Chiefs and Seattle Seahawks was a Cairo Santos subject objective.
So for Fields to steer three landing drives whereas finishing 14 of 16 passes for 156 yards was a giant growth. After a 22-yard scoring move to Ryan Griffin and a 12-yarder to Dante Pettis, the spotlight was a 24-yarder to a wide-open Cole Kmet as Fields rolled to his proper and patiently waited for the correct second.
Notably on the primary scoring drive, the Bears didn’t enable themselves to get derailed by Griffin’s holding penalty, which set them again to first-and-20 on the Browns 49-yard line. Fields shortly made up the yardage, hitting Pettis for 14 yards and Kmet for 8 earlier than the landing move to Griffin.
Running again David Montgomery additionally acquired his first preseason motion, which included a bruising end to a 13-yard run on the second landing drive.
Afterward, a number of gamers — from Fields to Kmet to left guard Cody Whitehair — talked about how they will carry the momentum into the season.
“It is just execution on all parts,” Fields stated. “The O-line did a great job protecting today. I told them that multiple times. The receivers did a great job with scramble drill, just running the right routes at the right depth and stuff like that. Just protection-wise, run the football and that will open everything up with play action and our bootlegs.”
Reason for concern: This is extra of a motive for warning than concern, however the aforementioned absences on the Browns protection had been noteworthy. In addition to Garrett, move rusher Jadeveon Clowney and cornerbacks Denzel Ward and Greg Newsome II sat out.
Garrett and Clowney mixed for 25 sacks final season. So the Bears offensive line, which has been beneath a lot scrutiny this preseason because the group tries to seek out the correct mixture, didn’t face the Browns’ most potent move rushers.
And the primary collection, a three-and-out, wasn’t good. Fields needed to throw the ball away beneath strain on third-and-11.
“We have to come out better, faster and come out swinging,” Montgomery stated. “I did not come out hot on the first drive, but we all picked it up and managed to come together and put some drives together.”
While the first-team offense didn’t have any turnovers, the second group had ball-security points, with quarterback Trevor Siemian and operating again De’Montre Tuggle every shedding fumbles.
Worth noting: On the Bears’ second drive, Fields scrambled 9 yards for a primary down and slid to get down with Browns defenders closing in. As Fields was on the bottom, linebacker Jacob Phillips dived in with a tough hit to the quarterback’s head, prompting Bears offensive linemen Whitehair and Sam Mustipher to leap to Fields’ protection.
Phillips was known as for pointless roughness, a 15-yard penalty that helped the Bears on their first landing drive. Fields has lamented not getting such calls prior to now, together with on a late hit by Chiefs security Juan Thornhill within the first preseason sport, so he was glad it was known as Saturday.
“Hopefully it does not have to be that egregious next time for them to call it,” Fields stated.
Defense
Reason for optimism: The Bears had been lacking 5 defensive starters however held the Browns to 6 first-half factors.
Even although beginning cornerback Jaylon Johnson was out, Bears corners made a number of key performs to stifle the Browns and quarterback Jacoby Brissett, together with on back-to-back performs within the second quarter.
On second-and-1, Kindle Vildor tackled D’Ernest Johnson for a 3-yard loss. On the subsequent play, rookie Kyler Gordon, taking part in in his second sport, dived to interrupt up a move to David Njoku and drive the Browns to punt.
On the Browns’ subsequent drive, Greg Stroman Jr., who has been attempting to earn a roster spot, intercepted Brissett’s move to Anthony Schwartz.
Vildor later broke up a deep third-and-11 move to former Bears large receiver Javon Wims, whereas Stroman knocked down a move to Wims on a two-point conversion try that will have given the Browns the lead within the fourth quarter.
Reason for concern: Saturday’s sport was purported to be weak-side linebacker Roquan Smith’s preseason debut after he missed 3½ weeks of coaching camp whereas conducting a “hold-in” ready for a brand new contract that by no means materialized. But Bears coach Matt Eberflus stated Smith skilled “tightness” earlier than the sport.
Smith’s absence wasn’t best because the Bears hoped to get him some sport expertise at his new place subsequent to center linebacker Nicholas Morrow. But so long as Smith will get wholesome within the subsequent two weeks for the season opener — and common supervisor Ryan Poles informed the published group he thought every part could be all proper — the Bears don’t appear too involved about him not taking part in within the preseason.
“This guy is a good player — a really good player — and he’s played a lot of football,” Eberflus stated. “He’s got a lot of snaps under his belt. Just like (Robert Quinn), they have a lot of snaps and they’ll be ready to go.”
The Bears sat a wholesome Quinn as a result of they didn’t see a must play the veteran. Eberflus was imprecise on the absences of Johnson and security Eddie Jackson. The Bears gained’t launch an harm report till subsequent week, so it’s price watching who practices this week.
Worth noting: As NFL cutdown day approaches Tuesday, a number of fringe defensive gamers had been working for ultimate roster spots.
Stroman and Lamar Jackson had been amongst these seeking to make one ultimate impression as backup cornerbacks. Stroman had the interception, two passes defended and 4 tackles. Jackson, who obtained the beginning rather than Johnson, had 5 tackles and a move defended.
Defensive lineman Trevon Coley, who has performed 4 seasons within the NFL, joined the Bears originally of August and completed the preseason with a team-high three sacks and 6 quarterback hits together with two passes defended. He had two of the Bears’ three quarterback hits Saturday.
Will any of these performances be sufficient to make it previous cuts Tuesday?
Special groups
Reason for optimism: After the Bears’ first drive stalled at their 19-yard line after three performs, rookie Trenton Gill punted 58 yards and the Bears acquired the Browns down on the Cleveland 32.
Gill averaged 48.6 yards on 5 punts with a internet common of 42.6 and one contained in the 20. He additionally rotated kickoff duties with Santos.
Reason for concern: Santos was excellent in his first two preseason video games on 4 subject objectives and 4 additional factors.
But his solely field-goal try Saturday — a 48-yarder within the fourth quarter — hit the left upright. He made three additional factors earlier than that.
Worth noting: With Velus Jones Jr. out with an harm and Dazz Newsome lower, Pettis had two punt returns for 17 yards. It shall be fascinating to see whether or not the Bears’ belief in him as a returner — coupled with a strong exhibiting on offense Saturday — will earn him a roster spot in a large receivers room that has many accidents.
Pettis had three catches for 37 yards, and Fields praised him for his play on his landing catch.
“Pretty much one-on-one, little bit of inside leverage, so just stayed patient on his route and of course he ran a good route,” Fields stated. “He is a great route runner, probably one of the best ones we have on the team. He executed the route perfectly and I threw the ball to him.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com