NEWSLETTER
After punting to end their first drive, I was fearing a punt-off in the preseason finale.
But then Justin Fields and the offense did some things:
And then they did some more:
In the end, Fields completed the first half completing 14 of 16 passes, throwing for 156 yards, and putting up 3 touchdowns. He didn’t throw any interceptions, wasn’t sacked, and came away with a 146.9 passer rating. It was a mix of passes, rollouts, and screens for Fields. He looked comfortable, efficient, and proficient in the first-half. And sure, it wasn’t the Browns’ best showing after that first drive. But that’s irrelevant for our conversation. We saw the Bears put together a cogent game plan and execute. That is a significant turnaround from where they were when they last played in Cleveland.
The Bears will take a 21-6 lead into the half. Fields and the first-teamers are done for the day. Now, it’s time for players on the bottom half of the roster to make their cases for inclusion on the season-opening 53-player roster. Cut downs are due by 3 p.m. CT on Tuesday. And the next two quarters of football will go a long way toward determining who will get to stick around.
