The Chicago Bears decided to play their starters for the first half of Saturday's preseason finale against the Cleveland Browns with the hope they'd build momentum for Week 1's regular-season opener against the San Francisco 49ers.
Mission accomplished.
Quarterback Justin Fields was the star of the first 30 minutes. After not throwing a touchdown pass in his previous two summer scrimmages, Fields was nearly perfect in Cleveland. He completed 14-of-16 passes for 156 yards and three touchdowns in what was by far his most impressive outing since joining the Bears as a first-round pick in 2021.
Fields connected with three different receivers on his touchdown passes. The first went to tight end Ryan Griffin. The second was caught by wide receiver Dante Pettis. And the last went to starting tight end Cole Kmet.
.@ChicagoBears fans are hoping to see a lot more of this from this duo. 🔥@justnfields ➡️ @ColeKmet for 6.
— NFL (@NFL) August 28, 2022
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One of the most promising aspects of Saturday's game was the playcalling by offensive coordinator Luke Getsy. He put Fields on the move and allowed him to use the threat of his legs to create easier throws and scoring opportunities. It was a stark contrast to 2021 when former coach Matt Nagy refused to call plays tailored for the Chicago Bears' prized quarterback.
Bears starters exited late in the second quarter and ended the first half with a commanding 21-6 lead over the Browns.