Even if it was against a defense that makes everyone look good, Justin Fields was exceptional in the first half Sunday, posting the best 30-minute span of his passing career.
The Bears lead the Broncos 21-7 behind Fields’ perfect 158.3 passer rating. Until he threw an incompletion on a Hail Mary as the clock expired. Fields has completed all 16 passes for 231 yards and three touchdowns. Fields’ 231 yards are the second-most he’s posted in a full game dating to the start of last year.
It’s unclear what Fields’ performance might mean in the big picture — the Broncos, after all, allowed 70 points last week — but the quarterback has the Bears on track to break a 13-game losing streak, the longest in franchise history.
DJ Moore’s gorgeous 29-yard touchdown catch on the first play of the second quarter tied the game at seven. On the front right corner of the north end zone, Moore hauled in a pass, got his right foot down and kicked the pylon with his left foot for the score.
After the Broncos muffed the ensuing kickoff and eventually punted, it took the Bears just three plays to go 44 yards and score. Following a false start on rookie Tyler Scott, Fields rolled left and lofted a pretty 24-yard pass to DJ Moore on first-and-15. After a Roschon Johnson run, Fields found tight end Cole Kmet wide open up the right seam for a 22-yard touchdown and a 14-7 lead.
After forcing another punt — the Bears recorded just their second sack of the season on that drive — the Bears went 85 yards on five plays. The highlight was a flea flicker — after handing the ball off to Khalil Herbert, Fields took a pitch from his running back and threw left to Equanimeous St, Brown, who was running a crossing pattern. St. Brown bobbled the ball but then squeezed it as he fell out of bounds. The Broncos challenged the ruling of a catch, but it was confirmed by replay officials.
A pass interference flag three plays later on a throw to Kmet put the ball at the 3. On the next play, Fields scrambled right and threw back across the field — typically a no-no — to Kmet for a score.
The Bears’ first drive ended in a punt when coach Matt Eberfus decided to kick on fourth-and-2 from the 50. The Broncos marched 84 yards on 11 plays and scored when running back Jaleel McLaughlin took a screen pass 18 yards for a score on third down.
Eberflus had another chance to punt, but decided to go for it on fourth-and-1 from the Broncos’ 47. Kmet went in motion, settled under center and, after a hard count, took the snap and fell forward for the first down.
