For Eberflus of the Bears, the chance to work with Fields was a big draw.top story

LAKE FOREST, Illinois (AP) — Matt Everfuls sees tantalizing potential in Justin Fields. The chance to unlock was a big draw in accepting the job of coaching the Chicago Bears in January.

“When we’re looking for different types of places, we take places for that reason,” Eberflus said Monday. “The number one spot you look at is the quarterback. You study it and you look at it and I loved what I saw.

“The longer I’ve been here, the more I like what I see.”

What he’s witnessing appears to be the emergence of a franchise quarterback.

Fields sent another strong signal in Sunday’s latest stunning performance that he could be the man for the role. The Bears (3-7) lost 31-30 to the struggling Detroit Lions.he was also something to see.

Fields had 147 yards and two touchdowns. 67 yard dash to end zoneHe also threw two scores.

he did it all right after Breathtaking performance in loss to MiamiHe ran for 178 yards against the Dolphins. This was the highest total rushing number by an NFL quarterback, at least in a regular game of his season since 1940.

Fields had already stringed together some promising performances. But what he’s done in the last two weeks is just amazing.

Fields’ 325 yards rushing is the most by an NFL quarterback in two games. Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson hit a record-high 268 yards on Oct. 13, 2019 and he hit the 20th. Fields also recorded 555 yards in the last five weeks.

His speed and elusiveness make it difficult for opponents to replicate in practice.

“This play can last five, six seconds and it’s going to be exhausting,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “You want to lunge at him at some point because your legs are on fire. So you have to be very disciplined.”

what is working

run game. The Bears maintained his NFL lead with his 201.7 yards rushing per game, with Fields taking the lead. They also became the first team in the Super Bowl era to rush for at least 225 yards in five consecutive games after gaining his 258 yards against Detroit.

Clearly, Fields is a big part of that. He ranks his 6th in the NFL with his 749 rushing yards and his 7.2 yards per carry average, second only to Jackson.

But Khalil Herbert also plays a big role. A second-year pro, he ran for 57 yards in 10 tries against Detroit. He has his 643 yards and averages 6 yards per carry with 4 touchdowns on his runs.

nothing

defense. Rookie Jack Sanborn got his two sacks in the first, but the Bears couldn’t come up with a stop in the closing stages. Chicago gave up three touchdowns in the fourth quarter and the defense took charge of two touchdowns. The Bears allowed Jared Goff and the Lions to go 91 yards on eight plays for a go-ahead touchdown in the final minutes.

“They (the offense) gave us. Keep giving us everything they have,” said safety Eddie Jackson. Especially the kind the game doesn’t allow. You should get these stops. We have to get better on the third down. That’s it. ”

stock up

TE Cole Kumet. The Chicago-area product had one of the best games of his career with four catches for 74 yards and two touchdowns. rice field. Kmet has recorded 11 catches and his five TDs his receptions in his last three games. Considering he failed to catch a pass in the first two games of his third season, this is quite a turnaround.

stock down

CB Jaron Johnson. Johnson, who is dealing with an oblique injury, allowed Tom Kennedy to beat him with a 44-yard reception on the third-and-eight that set up Detroit’s winning touchdown. On a TD drive early in , he was flagged for illegal use of the hand, denying an interception by Sanborn deep in Chicago territory.

injury

Eberflus declined to provide an update on the injury to Herbert (hip) after returning the kickoff near the end of the game. … Kmet said Monday that he was fine after the Lions’ CB Jeff He limped off the field after colliding with Okder in the closing minutes of the game. He was hit near the thigh.

key number

9 — The Bears committed nine penalties for 86 yards.

next

The Bears traveled to Atlanta, where the Falcons lost to the Los Angeles Chargers and Carolina Panthers. This led to even more questions about quarterback Marcus Mariota.

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