The Arizona Cardinals’ speeding protection stats this season foretold what sort of recreation it is perhaps for the Chicago Bears on Sunday at Soldier Field, and the primary offensive play confirmed it.
Bears quarterback Justin Fields handed off the ball to Khalil Herbert, who shot by way of an enormous gap up the left hash for a 13-yard acquire, his longest since earlier than he suffered an ankle damage in early October.
“After I tossed the ball or handed the ball off, Khalil had a lot of space to run,” Fields stated. “There were like highways out there.”
Herbert rushed for a season-high 112 yards and the Bears totaled 250 on the bottom to gas a 27-16 victory over the Cardinals, who entered the sport with the Thirty first-ranked run protection. Fields added 97 yards on 9 carries, together with a 3-yard landing run, to assist the Bears bounce again from a second-half collapse towards the Cleveland Browns in Week 15.
It was a giant day for Herbert, who hadn’t totaled greater than 35 speeding yards in a recreation since getting back from a sprained ankle Nov. 19. Bears coach Matt Eberflus stated Friday that he had seen Herbert’s burst return in follow, and he anticipated greater issues from him towards the Cardinals.
Herbert delivered, together with breaking towards the left sideline and beating 4 Cardinals defenders to the tip zone on an 11-yard landing run — and a 14-0 lead within the second quarter.
Herbert stated the Bears had been motivated by a tough offensive efficiency towards the Browns.
“The big boys did a great job up front today opening up some holes,” Herbert stated. “Last week we took it personally not being able to run the ball. We came in this week focused on the details and were able to capitalize.”
Herbert credited the offensive line a number of instances, saying, “They made it easy for me.”
“It was just communication, talk to each other, be on the same page. And just playing hard,” proper guard Nate Davis stated. “We definitely took the right step to get to where we want to be as an O-line. Today was a good day for us.”
Herbert and Roschon Johnson acquired the work at operating again Sunday with D’Onta Foreman out for private causes.
Meanwhile, Fields indicated he figured he may have a greater day on the bottom than he did towards the Browns, when he rushed for 30 yards.
“(The Cardinals) don’t have the fastest D-linemen, so I knew I would be able to extend plays and stuff like that,” Fields stated. “I told the O-line, we don’t have to hold them. If they break free, they’re not as fast as Myles Garrett, the guys we played last week.”
In the continuing debate about whether or not Fields is the Bears’ quarterback of the longer term, Fields possible didn’t sway both facet that already has its place set.
While enjoying many of the recreation along with his high two targets harm, Fields accomplished 15 of 27 passes for 170 yards and a 1-yard landing move to tight finish Marcedes Lewis.
Tight finish Cole Kmet had 4 catches for 107 yards earlier than lacking the second half with a knee damage. Wide receiver DJ Moore had three catches for 18 yards after tweaking a previous proper ankle damage however nonetheless performed many of the recreation.
“You just play to play. You can’t let who’s out there affect you,” Fields stated of Kmet and Moore getting harm. “You just have to go through your reads — boom, boom, boom — and if it’s not there, it’s not there. Scramble around and make a play. I would love to have those guys out there, but it’s football. You’re probably going to get hurt at one point.”
Fields additionally had a fourth-quarter interception that put the Cardinals in place to begin a comeback down 24-10. Safety Jalen Thompson noticed the move to Herbert in the long run zone coming and dropped off to seize the soccer excessive out of the air.
The Cardinals capitalized with Kyler Murray’s 38-yard landing move to Greg Dortch, which after the two-point conversion failed lower the Bears’ result in 24-16.
The Bears went three-and-out on their subsequent drive, giving the Cardinals a chance to tie the sport. But the protection got here up with a cease when Murray’s move to Dortch fell incomplete on fourth-and-6.
Bears kicker Cairo Santos, who signed a four-year, $16 million contract extension Saturday, made a 29-yard subject purpose with 1 minute, 2 seconds to play to seal the win.
Fields was requested whether or not the kind of recreation he had — throwing for practically 200 yards, speeding for nearly 100 — was sustainable for a successful crew.
“I’m cool with whatever as long as we win the game,” Fields stated. “So shoot, if I have 100 passing yards with zero touchdowns and we get the win, I’m cool with that. People love stats and say, “He only did dah, dah, dah, dah, dah,’ I don’t care, we won the game. As long as we win, I’m not really a numbers guy. All I know is one went up in the win column today, and that’s all I care about.”
However, Fields did say he needed the Bears to supply extra within the second half, when the Cardinals held them to 2 Santos subject targets. That lull made the sport really feel nearer than it ought to have been.
Fields stated he thought the Bears may have scored 35 or 40 factors.
“It’s not more about (offensive coordinator Luke Getsy) or the play-calling,” Fields stated. “It’s about us bringing the plays to life and us executing the plays we get. We have them in there for a reason. We trust our coaches, and we trust each other. It’s about us taking each play at a time and really just executing. 21-0, you’ve got to have that mindset that it’s 0-0 at the start of the game.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com