HOT IN CLEVELAND? BEARS HOPE SO
Fields can show how much he has improved since miserable starting debut in ’21
The Bears’ defense passed a major test Sunday in the rematch with Jared Goff and the Lions’ offense. Now it’s the offense’s turn to show where it is and where it’s headed.
With the Bears futures of quarterback Justin Fields and offensive coordinator Luke Getsy in doubt with four weeks to go in the regular season, Sunday’s game against the Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium is a veritable litmus test. The Browns’ defense is ranked first in the NFL in yards allowed, first in passing yards allowed, third in opponent’s passer rating, second in sacks and first in third-down conversions.
But the Browns also are close to the middle of the pack in the most important defensive statistic of all — tied for 14th in points allowed. The Browns, in fact, have allowed an average of 24.4 points in their last five games — against the Jaguars (27), Rams (34), Broncos (27) and Ravens (24).
For a Bears offense that scored 12 points and no touchdowns against the Vikings’ blitzing pass rush, then scored 28 points Sunday against the Lions’ more standard defensive approach, facing the Browns’ defense, led by All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett, is both a great challenge and a great opportunity.
“It is every week,” Bears coach Matt Eberflus said. “You’re facing another good defense. And this is no different. They play a similar style to what we play. They’re a four-down group, and they mix their coverages. And obviously they’ve got a great pass rusher [Garrett], and they’ve got a lot of guys that play with great energy. It’s gonna be a big challenge for our offense, for sure.”
It will be an appropriate opponent and venue for Fields and Getsy to make a statement. Fields made his first NFL start against the Browns at Browns Stadium as a rookie in 2021, and it was an absolute disaster.
Fields was under siege from start to finish in the 26-6 loss. He was sacked nine times, took 15 hits and completed six of 20 passes for 68 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions for a 41.2 passer rating. With 67 yards lost on the sacks, the Bears had a net of one passing yard.
It was an inauspicious debut for Fields, but it reflected more poorly on Matt Nagy and the Bears’ coaching staff for subjecting a rookie quarterback in his first NFL start to that abuse.
This will be a good opportunity to see just how far Fields and the coaching staff have come in two-plus seasons. Fields now has made 36 NFL starts. The Bears’ offensive
line is at full strength, with left tackle Braxton Jones, left guard Teven Jenkins, center Lucas Patrick, right guard Nate Davis and right tackle Darnell Wright making their fourth consecutive start together.
Fields is in a good groove as a running/ passing threat. He threw for 223 yards and one touchdown and added 58 yards rushing on 12 carries in a 28-13 victory over the Lions on Sunday at Soldier Field.
But it could go either way against a Browns defense led by Garrett, who has 13 sacks and four forced fumbles this season. The Ravens’ Lamar Jackson was a model of efficiency against the Browns in Week 4 at Browns Stadium. He completed 15 of 19 passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns for a 142.5 passer rating — the highest against the Browns this season. He also rushed for 27 yards and two touchdowns in a 28-3 victory.
But in the rematch at home Nov. 12, Jackson was intercepted twice — including Greg Newsome’s 34-yard pick-six — and had a 67.8 passer rating in a 33-31 loss to the Browns and Deshaun Watson.
With a Bears defense on a roll — and not having to face Watson — the challenge facing Fields and Getsy is substantial, but not daunting. At this point, it will be a statement game one way or another.