Justin Fields Bears beat Leaders to end 14-game losing streak

LANDOVER, Md.– Justin Fields and the Chicago Bears placed on a first-half program versus the Washington Leaders in a 40-20 win at FedEx Field on Thursday.

Fields tossed for 3 goals in the opening 2 quarters– 2 to DJ Moore and one to Cole Kmet— to assist the Bears to a 27-3 lead at halftime.

The Leaders opened the 2nd half with a goal on their very first drive, however the deficit showed too huge as the Bears hung on to snap a franchise-worst 14-game losing streak that went back to last season.

The win moved Chicago to 1-4 on the season. Washington dropped to 2-3 with the loss.

Chicago Bears

The Bears had sufficient of the negativeness, of the outdoors sound, of the heartbreak they had actually sustained for 11 straight months. On a brief week without any time to squander on interruptions, Chicago ended its 14-game losing streak and beat the Leaders on the roadway.

Recently, Fields felt the Bears’ offense was lastly starting to reveal its identity. After a lightning-fast start and third-quarter lull, Chicago revealed it might lastly put away a challenger and leave absolutely nothing in doubt in the last minutes of the video game.

One week after quiting 21 points en path to a terrible loss, the Bears’ 20-point win is connected for the 4th biggest in NFL history by a group entering upon a double-digit losing streak.

Buy/sell a breakout efficiency: DJ Moore discovered completion zone on 2 of Chicago’s 5 scoring drives in the very first half. His Randy Moss-like catch over Leaders cornerback Kendall Fuller and first-half stat line (5 catches, 137 backyards, 2 TDs) assisted the Bears develop a 24-point lead entering into the half and even had LeBron James admiring the receiver’s volatility on X. Moore’s fourth-quarter goal– his 3rd of the video game– put the video game away for Chicago on a night when he notched the second-most getting backyards in a video game (230) by a Bears receiver.

Motivating pattern: The Bears sacked Commanders QB Sam Howell 5 times– which is excellent thinking about the group had just 2 sacks in its 4 previous video games– however 2 of those were created by linebacker T.J. Edwards and cornerback Greg Stroman Jr (who likewise taped the group’s very first interception of the season versus a beginning quarterback). Chicago stays dedicated to pushing with its 4 down linemen, however the line didn’t break through till Yannick Ngakoue lowered Howell on second-and-9 in the 4th quarter. DeMarcus Walker and Rasheem Green taped 2 more sacks late.

QB breakdown: Fields ended up being the very first Bears quarterback to toss for 3 goals in back-to-back video games because the 1970 merger. He built on his 3 great quarters versus the Denver Broncos and has actually finished 43 of 64 pass efforts for 617 backyards, 8 goals and one interception in his previous 2 video games, total with a 131.2 passer score. Most notably, Fields didn’t let a sluggish start to the 2nd half prevent him from putting the video game away when he discovered Moore for a 56-yard goal with 4:18 to play.

Next video game: vs. Minnesota Vikings (1 p.m. ET, Oct. 15)

Washington Leaders

The Leaders’ defense was expected to offer a structure while their offense developed. Rather, the defense screwed up yet another video game.

The Leaders permitted a minimum of 30 points for a 4th successive video game in losing to the Chicago Bears 40-20 on Thursday night. The Leaders (2-3) have actually lost 3 successive video games, including their previous 2 house video games by a combined 77-23 rating.

It’s something to lose in your home to Buffalo; it’s another to lose in your home to formerly winless Chicago. Thinking about the Commanders have a young quarterback in Howell, the defense required to offer a lot more. Rather, it quits huge plays and has actually not triggered a turnover in the previous 2 video games.

The defense talked all offseason and summertime about beginning quick, understanding that the system included just one brand-new starter in linebacker Cody Barton, in addition to including first-round corner Emmanuel Forbes However the Leaders have actually been bad. Thursday, they permitted an offense that ranked 21st getting in the video game in both points and backyards to score a season-high points and get 451 backyards. Washington requires to make it deal with this group. It had an opportunity to get momentum with upcoming video games at Atlanta and the New York City Giants Rather the group exits with numerous concerns about its defense– and its future.

Unpleasant pattern: Washington’s defense continues to permit a lot of huge plays. The Leaders got in having actually permitted 13 plays of 25 backyards or more, connected for worst in the NFL. Then they permitted 3 more in the very first half alone Thursday night en path to a 27-3 deficit. A big offender has actually been a secondary that has actually looked irregular – and novice Emmanuel Forbes, who was benched in the 2nd half, has actually had a hard time strongly enabling huge plays. There were, once again, huge spaces in protection that Fields made use of.

Unpleasant pattern, part 2: Poor pass security. This has actually been another season-long issue as Howell was sacked 5 more times, offering him 29 for the season. The Bears, who got in with 2 sacks in 4 video games, used constant pressure with four-man hurries and blitzes. A few of the issues originate from Howell requiring to advance through his checks out quicker. However the line has actually been too irregular in this location and requires to offer more assistance for a quarterback who now has 6 starts to his résumé.

QB breakdown: Howell’s development stays essential to the franchise’s future. Howell revealed, once again, that he’s a resistant and difficult quarterback. After a rough very first half– 9-for-13, 71 backyards and an interception– he tossed for 298 backyards in the 2nd half. He moved well in the pocket, was client with below tosses, and though the Commanders lost, he continued to reveal he can be established. Accelerating his developments and discovering to secure himself from hits must be points of focus moving forward.

Next video game: at Atlanta Falcons (1 p.m. ET, Oct. 15)