Fields throws for TD and rushes for another in preseason debut

The first big boost to Justin Fields mania didn’t arrive until the third quarter Saturday afternoon at Soldier Field.

The Chicago Bears rookie quarterback evaded a Miami Dolphins defender near the 15-yard line, sprinted to his left and then kept going to the end zone for an 8-yard touchdown run.

Bears fans who likely had been taking deep, calming breaths and reminding themselves it was only the preseason opener for most of the first half let loose with excitement.

Fields’ NFL preseason debut didn’t get off to a pretty start, but the No. 11 draft pick did enough by the time he left the game in the Bears’ 20-13 victory over the Dolphins to keep the hype train rolling.

In about two quarters of work, Fields completed 14 of 20 passes for 142 yards and a 30-yard touchdown to Jesse James and rushed for 33 yards and a touchdown on five carries.

The Bears offense was playing without wide receivers Allen Robinson and Marquise Goodwin, and running back David Montgomery had one carry before leaving the game. Fields was throwing to mostly second stringers rather than Darnell Mooney, Jimmy Graham and Cole Kmet, though he did play several of his series behind the starting offensive line. Such absences didn’t help Fields early.

He had taken the field a quarter before his rushing touchdown to a roaring welcome from Bears fans, but the offense didn’t get a first down on his first three drives and didn’t reach the end zone in the first half.

They finally got past the first-down marker with 27 seconds to play in the second quarter when Fields completed back-to-back 7-yard passes to Chris Lacy and Khalil Herbert. Fields had two more completions on the drive — a 15-yarder to Justin Hardy and an 8-yarder to James to set up Cairo Santos’ 53-yard field goal.

Fields set the tone coming out of halftime with a 17-yard pass to Riley Ridley to open a 77-yard touchdown drive. He also hit Rodney Adams with passes of 25 and 13 yards, while Herbert had a 16-yard run before Fields scrambled to the end zone to cut the Dolphins’ lead to 13-10.

Fields also led a 70-yard touchdown drive in the third quarter that included a 21-yard scramble and the touchdown pass to a wide-open James.

Bears safety DeAndre Houston Carson intercepted Tua Tagovailoa in the end zone on a pass intended for Adam Shaheen early in the second quarter, and that set up Fields to take over for Andy Dalton at the Bears 13-yard line.

His first drive quickly stalled after false-start penalties on wide receiver Javon Wims and tackle Elijah Wilkinson pushed the Bears to third-and-18 from the 5. On the second drive, Christian Wilkins batted down Fields’ first pass. Nik Needham broke up Fields’ second pass intended for Lacy. And Fields’ deep pass fell incomplete in front of Adams, who was covered well by Noah Igbinoghene.

Fields’ third series was no better with a Sam Mustipher fumble on first down, a near-interception on a pass to James on second down and a Fields fumble after a scramble on third down. He recovered the fumble, and the Bears punted.

The Bears went threeand-out on Dalton’s two series, and Dalton completed 2 of 4 passes for 18 yards.

Third-string quarterback Nick Foles replaced Fields in the fourth quarter. Bears backup kicker Brian Johnson made a 44-yard field goal in the fourth.