The Chicago Bears opened the preseason with a 19-14 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday at Soldier Field. And it was thanks in large part to their rookies.
The Bears were held scoreless in the first half, but they rebounded to score 19 unanswered points in the second half. The Chiefs scored all 14 of their points in the first half.
While Bears starters saw action for a couple of series, fans got a look at the guys further down the depth chart. And there were some standout performances among them.
We’re taking a look at the studs and duds from Chicago’s preseason win over Kansas City, which included quite a few rookies.
Stud: LB Jack Sanborn
Undrafted rookie linebacker Jack Sanborn stole the show during Saturday’s preseason win, and he made quite a push for a roster spot. Sanborn was all over the field, where he made big plays on both defense and special teams. Sanborn’s stat line is impressive, which included two takeaways on the afternoon. He had an interception and fumble recovery in the second half that jumpstarted Chicago’s comeback. Sanborn led the Bears with 7 solo tackles and added 1 tackle-for-loss and 1 pass breakup.
Rookie LB Jack Sanborn with the INT 💪@ChicagoBears | @BadgerFootball
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📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/3mvoWh7UD3 pic.twitter.com/qxkPWUcOwQ— NFL (@NFL) August 13, 2022
Stud: DT Trevon Coley
Defensive tackle Trevon Coley just joined the Bears last week, but he’s already making a strong impression. There were some defensive standouts for Chicago, and Coley was definitely one of them. Coley had two sacks in the second half for the Bears, which stalled some drives by Kansas City’s backups. Overall, Coley had 2 tackles, 2 tackles-for-loss, 2 sacks, 3 QB hits and 1 pass breakup. For someone who just joined the team and is looking to push for a roster spot, that’s the kind of performance you need.
Stud: WR Tajae Sharpe
Tajae Sharpe has been stealing the show during training camp with injuries to some of Chicago’s top wideouts. Many were hoping it would translate to live action, and it most certainly did. Sharpe caught both passes thrown his way on Saturday for 44 yards, including an impressive sideline grab by quarterback Justin Fields. Sharpe made a nice adjustment on the ball and hauled it in down the right sideline for the 19-yard reception. It was one of those you-have-to-see-it-to-believe-it receptions.
Just an unbelievable catch from Tajae Sharpe 😳 #DaBears
📺: #KCvsCHI on @NFLNetwork
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/3mvoWh7UD3 pic.twitter.com/IOJLHvLfd6— NFL (@NFL) August 13, 2022
Stud: RB Trestan Ebner
Rookie running back Trestan Ebner has been flashing his impressive playmaking skills throughout training camp, and the NFL world finally caught a glimpse during Saturday’s preseason opener. Ebner was impressive both on the ground and out of the backfield. He had six carries for a team-high 31 yards (5.2 average) and added one catch for a 12-yard touchdown. Ebner also returned two kickoffs for 53 yards (26.5 average). Ebner continues to flash this summer, and he’s going to carve out a nice role for himself on this team.
Stud: S Jaquan Brisker
Rookie safety Jaquan Brisker has been one of the standouts since his arrival in Chicago, and he was itching to get to live action. Brisker had an impressive outing in his preseason debut, where he showed his ability as a physical, ballhawking safety. Brisker totaled 4 tackles, including 1 tackle-for-loss, as well as a pass breakup. Brisker has been making a name for himself taking the ball away this summer, and he nearly had an interception early in the first half that went just off his hands. But there’s little doubt that his turnover mindset will soon translate to results on the field.
Stud: P Trenton Gill
Rookie punter Trenton Gill was the busiest guy on the field for the Bears on Saturday, especially earlier in the first half. Gill showcased his strong leg and directional kicking. He had seven punts for 298 yards (averaging 42.6 yards per punt), including three punts downed inside the 20-yard line. Gill’s longest punt of the day was 53 yards. Players and coaches have raved about Gill stepping up as a rookie, and he’s showing that he has what it takes to handle the workload as the starting punter.
Stud: QB Trevor Siemian
Justin Fields was limited to three series in Chicago’s preseason opener, so Bears fans got plenty of Trevor Siemian and Nathan Peterman on Saturday. Siemian led the Bears to three scoring drives in the beginning of the second half, including two touchdowns and a field goal. He had a 12-yard touchdown pass to Ebner and 13-yard touchdown pass to Dazz Newsome. Siemian completed 7-of-13 passes for 89 yards and two touchdowns for a 115.1 passer rating.
Dud: CB Lamar Jackson
With a number of Bears cornerbacks sidelined with injuries, Lamar Jackson got an opportunity to play with the starters during Saturday’s game. While Jackson has impressed during training camp, he definitely had his share of struggles. Most notably when it comes to tackling. That was evident on Kansas City’s first offensive series, where Jackson failed to wrap up running back Isaih Pacheco on first-and-goal from the 10-yard line. As Jackson looks to make a push for one of those final cornerback spots, he’s going to need to make those kind of plays moving forward.
Dud: Soldier Field grounds crew
No doubt the biggest dud of the game was the Soldier Field turf, which was in rough shape for an NFL preseason game that left many furious and concerned for player safety. Elton John played at Soldier Field last week, and the fans did a number on the field. But a week after, it certainly didn’t look up to playing standards. While it was better than Tuesday when the Bears took the field for Family Fest, the field conditions remain a huge concern as the team looks to move to Arlington Heights.
