The Chicago Bears (3-6) suffered a 35-32 loss to the Miami Dolphins (6-3), where quarterback Justin Fields had his breakout game in a record-setting performance.
Fields rushed for 178 yards, which is the most by a quarterback in the regular season in NFL history. That included an impressive 61-yard touchdown run that left people in awe. Fields also found success through the air, which included connecting with Darnell Mooney and Cole Kmet for touchdowns.
While the defense is trending in the wrong direction, it’s hard to be mad after a loss like this when Fields looks like he does in less-than-ideal circumstances. That, and the Bears are getting closer to a top draft pick.
There was plenty to break down following Chicago’s loss against Miami. Our Bears Wire staff is sharing their thoughts following the Week 9 game.
The Bears’ Week 9 loss vs. Dolphins
Alyssa Barbieri
I can’t believe I’m about to use this word again, but that was fun. I’m going to have to start getting used to the Bears losing (or possibly winning) in shootouts this season, and it’s an exciting thought. But, let’s be honest, this game was all about Justin Fields’ coming-out party, where he had a record-breaking performance. He rushed for 178 yards, the most ever by a quarterback in the regular season, and the Dolphins had no answer for him. And while the passing numbers aren’t flashy, we saw Fields do some nice things in the passing game, including tossing three touchdowns (one to Darnell Mooney and two to Cole Kmet).
We’re watching Fields develop into a star before our very eyes, and the future is incredibly bright. Watching him do what he did on Sunday — with an underwhelming roster — just made me think about what he can accomplish when Ryan Poles gets some talent around him. Now, every week, we get to watch Fields perform magic on the field in what would otherwise be a long, dragged out season where the offseason is the only thing in mind. I can’t believe Fields is our QB.
While the offense is trending up, the defense is trending down. I don’t think it came as a surprise that Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle carved up the Bears, but the fact that Chicago didn’t stop them until the 2:00 mark of the third quarter was pretty bad. Poles has his work cut out for him this season. Not only does he need to add more talent around Fields, but he needs to rebuild this broken defense. Roquan Smith and Robert Quinn’s absences were felt in Sunday’s loss, but it was a reminder that Matt Eberflus and Alan Williams are working with next to nothing.
Now, let’s talk about the blatant no-call pass interference against Chase Claypool, who already drew one earlier in the game. It was the worst call of the game — and worst I’ve seen from the officials in a while. I would’ve rather Chicago lose strictly because of a dropped pass, not be robbed of another chance, especially when Eddie Jackson had been called for a questionable PI earlier in the fourth quarter. But, at the same time, losing this game was always best-case scenario. Not only does Fields get his breakout game, but the Bears get closer to a top draft pick for 2023.
Brendan Sugrue
I can’t remember a time where the Chicago Bears offense was on the field, and I felt giddy inside. Not just happy or optimistic, but giddy knowing that the quarterback is borderline unstoppable when the ball is in his hands. The Bears may have lost a shootout to the Miami Dolphins, but for the third week in a row, Justin Fields took the offense to new heights. He broke the single-game rushing record for a quarterback, he accounted for all four touchdowns, and keeps improving in various areas of his game. Fields is turning heads and these performances from the offense aren’t outliers. They have turned a corner after a rough start to the year and aren’t looking back.
The defense might be a different story, though. After losing key veteran contributors in Robert Quinn and Roquan Smith in back-to-back weeks, they struggled to hold down Miami’s playmakers, both in the run and passing game. Tua Tagovailoa was masterful, throwing three touchdowns with a quarterback rating of 135.7 and the combination of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle combined for 12 catches for 228 yards and two touchdowns. But they did clamp down when it mattered most late in the game, which does say something. The Dolphins failed to convert on fourth down twice in the second half that would have effectively ended the game, giving the Bears life.
Unfortunately, that life was taken thanks to questionable officiating. It always feels like a lose-lose situation when criticizing the refs but they had multiple missed calls against the Bears that contributed to the loss. They didn’t lose because of the refs, but those calls factored into it.
The loss is disappointing, but how can you not feel good about the direction of the Bears? Justin Fields is the most exciting quarterback this team has ever had. It might be the start of the dark days of the year, but the future is as bright as ever for these Bears.
Ryan Fedrau
A great, record-breaking game by Justin Fields turns into a questionable loss over a missed called by the officials on a deep pass from Fields to Chase Claypool on the final drive of the game. Despite that, Chicago had other chances to make plays but couldn’t.
It was nice to see Claypool make his debut, Fields looked great, and the progression of this offense continues. This team is going to be very good in the near future. They have a lot of money to spend this offseason, along with good draft capital. At 3-6, the season isn’t over, but it’s a long-shot. Next season, though, things will be great.
