The first preseason game is in the books for the Chicago Bears and after falling behind early, they scored 19 unanswered points to defeat the Kansas City Chiefs 19-14. The Bears saw some flash plays from their starters such as quarterback Justin Fields and wide receiver Darnell Mooney, but were saved by their reserves.
Backup quarterback Trevor Siemian tossed two touchdowns in the second half to bring the Bears back and the defense came alive to create turnovers and stifle the Chiefs second and third stringers to steal the opener in head coach Matt Eberflus’ debut, albeit in a meaningless game.
Dissecting a preseason game is a bit different than the regular season, but here’s what we took away from the game on Saturday.
1
Justin Fields looked a bit too relaxed at times
My overall impression of Fields was that he looked very comfortable in the pocket during his three series of work. Perhaps a little too comfortable at times, though. Fields went 4-for-7 for 48 yards on the day, notably connecting with Mooney and wide receiver Tajae Sharpe on big plays, but he seemed a hair slow to react to certain situations.
For one, Fields didn’t see guard Michael Schofield get blown up at right guard, leading to a sack. He also was a tad slow on setting up a screen pass to Khalil Herbert, resulting in a batted pass on his second series that led to a punt. It wasn’t the end of the world and perhaps it’s a net positive that he looks very comfortable while playing in a new offense. There may need to be some minor tweaks, though, when it comes to speeding up the process.
2
Jaquan Brisker is going to make an immediate impact on defense
Rookie safety Jaquan Brisker was already my favorite to make an immediate impact when the season began and I may need to double down on that prediction. Brisker followed up his rave reviews from camp with an impressive performance against the Chiefs offense. He was coming off the line of scrimmage to drop the ball carrier for a loss, as well as flying in from the secondary to break up passes.
Brisker was made for the strong safety spot and the Bears are already having fun with his versatility, lining him up all over the field to make a play. He had the national media talking during Saturday’s game and may not only be one of the better Bears draft picks of the year, he could ultimately become one of the best steals in the 2022 NFL Draft.
3
Braxton Jones looks like a veteran at left tackle
Let’s stick with the rookies and sing the praises of fifth-round pick Braxton Jones, who looked like a savvy veteran in just his first game action in the pros. Jones held up well against Frank Clark and the Chiefs starting defensive line, containing his man and even switching from multiple defenders in the zone blocking scheme to buy Fields time in the pocket, or create running room.
Jones has received rave reviews in camp and those were justified after seeing what he can do in a live game. He looks extremely comfortable out there and barring injury, it would be a shock if he isn’t the starting left tackle come week one. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a great start for the rookie. General manager Ryan Poles may have found a steal with Jones in the fifth round of this year’s draft.
4
Teven Jenkins should get a shot at right guard
From one young offensive lineman to another, tackle Teven Jenkins finally was able to get reps in a live game, even if it was with the reserves. After his tumultuous offseason where he fell down the depth chart, dealt with injuries, and heard his name pop up in trade talks, Jenkins was finally able to show what he can do on the football field and it was certainly a mixed bag at times.
The former second-round pick started slow, picking up a penalty and was beat by a defender that nearly led to a sack on his first couple of series. But as the game wore on, Jenkins settled down and started mauling defenders like fans had seen during his days at Oklahoma State. Given the Bears haven’t solved their issues at right guard with Schofield having a tough game, why not give Jenkins a chance at that position? He could be a perfect fit at guard given his style of play and it’s a chance to resurrect his career. Either way, he’s better than the third stringers he’s playing against and deserves to move up the depth chart at the very least.
5
Trenton Gill won't be an issue at punter
Punters are people too and it looks like the Bears found a good one in this year’s NFL Draft. Rookie Trenton Gill saw plenty of work during Saturday’s game, punting seven times for an average of 42.6 yards. He pinned the Chiefs just outside their goal line a couple of times and should have had at least one more if the coverage team was able to keep the ball from bouncing into the endzone.
Punting at Soldier Field is not an easy task, even in the summer months. Kickers and punters often talk about the unique wind tunnels and field conditions that make kicking more difficult than in other stadiums. Gill had no trouble and that’s going to be valuable when fall and winter arrive later this year.
6
LB Jack Sanborn might do more than just earn a roster spot
It wasn’t just the Bears rookie draft class that was making noise during the game. Undrafted rookie Jack Sanborn was arguably the MVP on defense and helped sparked the team’s comeback win thanks to his stellar play. Sanborn, a local product from Lake Zurich, led the team with seven tackles, all of which were solo, including one for a loss and nabbed an interception and fumble recovery that led to 10 total points on the day.
Sanborn was the talk of the locker room following the game, with Fields even saying he deserves the game ball for what he did. The team rallied around him and while it was a nice story for the preseason, it could mean much more than him battling for a roster spot. Sanborn looked instinctive and comfortable in the new defense. He buys into what Eberflus is preaching and has that takeaway mentality. Sanborn might be playing for a roster spot right now but with another strong performance and the uncertainty at the linebacker position, he might have a shot at actual playing time when the regular season begins.
7
Soldier Field is an embarrassment
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from Saturday’s game had nothing to do with the play on the field, but rather the field itself. As players, media members, and fans filed into Soldier Field during the pregame festivities, everyone pointed out the numerous divots and sand areas on the field. For a stadium that hosts the charter franchise of the NFL, it was an absolute embarrassment and, more importantly, dangerous for the players.
There are about as many reasons for the Bears wanting to build their own stadium as there are seats in Soldier Field, but a big one is the ability to control the turf. The Chicago Park District manages the field and it’s rarely in perfect condition, even in favorable weather. But to have the field looking as beat up as it did for a game in August is unacceptable. Even NFLPA president and free agent center JC Tretter spoke out against the field, saying the league needs to step in and do better in evaluating playing conditions.
The NFL said that this field met minimum testing standards. We clearly need to re-evaluate what is an acceptable surface for players to compete on. We need new testing metrics looking at the performance and safety of every field. The NFL can and should do better. pic.twitter.com/Vh1NDgLQBk
— JC Tretter (@JCTretter) August 13, 2022
The City of Chicago has been trying to entice the Bears with fancy renderings of an upgrade Soldier Field recently, but nowhere on those renderings does the turf come into question. These issues have been going on for years and they never seem to get better.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot has said the Bears should focus more on winning than wanting a new stadium out in Arlington Heights. Perhaps the Bears would be winning more if they had field turf that didn’t slow players down or make them more susceptible to injuries. Thankfully, this won’t be a problem for much longer when the Bears eventually finalize their deal to move to Arlington Heights. It’s just a matter of time.
