09-05-2021 Ravens Preview - Flipbook - Page 34
NFL2021
CHICAGO
BEARS
COACH
Matt Nagy (4th season with team, 28-22)
LAST SEASON
8-8 (2nd in NFC North; lost in wild card round)
Record since 2011: 73-87 (0-2 in playoffs)
34
2020 TEAM STATISTICAL LEAGUE RANKINGS
2020 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICAL LEADERS
SCORING OFFENSE
22nd of 32 (23.3 ppg)
RUSHING
David Montgomery: 247 carries, 1,070 yards, 8 TDs, 71.3 ypg
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SCORING DEFENSE
14th of 32 (23.1 ppg)
●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●
●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●
RUSHING OFFENSE
25th of 32 (102.9 ypg)
●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●
●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●
PASSING OFFENSE
22nd of 32 (228.4 ypg)
●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●
●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●
PASSING
Mitchell Trubisky: 199-297, 2,055 yards, 16 TDs, 8 ints, 225.0 ypg
SCORING
Cairo Santos, PK: 126 points (30 FGs, 36 PAT, 7.9 ppg)
Stats from pro-football-reference.com
Man in the middle
Dalton dealing with hype surrounding rookie QB
By Gene Chamberlain
Associated Press
Q
uarterback Andy Dalton has the
support of Chicago Bears coach
Matt Nagy even if it’s apparent the
allegiance of fans at Soldier Field rests
elsewhere.
The Bears have a unique quarterback situation with popular rookie Justin Fields not
expected to win the starting spot away from
Dalton for opening day despite eye-opening
play in the first preseason game, a 20-13 win
over the Miami Dolphins on Aug. 14.
At least judging from fan reaction against
Miami, it could be Dalton fighting an uphill
battle even though he owns the job.
“That’s not easy being on that sideline for
that game and hearing when Justin runs out,
all the cheers,” Nagy said. “I mean, let’s just
face it, if that was any of us, that’s not easy.”
It’s not as if Dalton is being booed —
although No. 3 quarterback Nick Foles was
when he replaced Fields.
Booing this week likely will be reserved for
former Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky
when he returns Saturday to play for Buffalo
in a preseason game at Soldier Field.
Dalton merely shrugs off the Fields
mania and maintains his focus on the Sept.
12 opener against the Los Angeles Rams, all
while also helping Fields to learn the ways
of the NFL.
He’s heard fans cheering and shouting
Fields’ name at Halas Hall practices and seen
the No. 1 jerseys each day.
“Andy is great,” Nagy said. “I mean, you
know, this is such a unique situation. For a
guy like Andy, where I feel really comfortable is knowing that he’s comfortable in
his own skin, he believes in himself and he
knows that we believe in him.”
Dalton knows Fields is the future, but
is trying to make it a more distant future.
Fields’ 10-for-14 effort for 142 yards against
Miami was solid, but Dalton might be most
impressed with Fields’ speed.
“I think when he first got here, I asked
him, ‘What is it like to run 4.4?,’ ” Dalton said
of Fields’ 40-yard time. “He’s special.
“If he’s got that room in front of him, that’s
a part of his game that he can definitely use.
With his speed that he’s got, definitely a
thing that he can use in his game.”
With the Bears offensive line an issue —
neither starting tackle has practiced and
guard James Daniels is sidelined with a groin
injury — it might require a quarterback who
can run out of a collapsing pocket.
Nagy is resisting this temptation and will
stickbyhispromisetoDaltonabouttheopener,
even though Fields gets an occasional snap at
practicewithfirst-teamplayers.Thewinover
the Dolphins didn’t change this approach.
“He’s a true pro,” Nagy said of Dalton.
“He’s doing everything we’re asking him
to do. And I think that’s the only thing that
we can worry about right now is just, again,
coming out here and practice hard, man, do
everything you can.”
Bears quarterback Justin Fields throws during the second half of a preseason game against the
Dolphins on Aug. 14 in Chicago. KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AP
2021 SCHEDULE WEEK 10 BYE
WEEK 1
Sept. 12
WEEK 2
Sept. 19
WEEK 3
Sept. 26
WEEK 4
Oct. 3
WEEK 5
Oct. 10
WEEK 6
Oct. 17
WEEK 7
Oct. 24
WEEK 8
Oct. 31
WEEK 9
Nov. 8
WEEK 11
Nov. 21
WEEK 12
Nov. 25
WEEK 13
Dec. 5
WEEK 14
Dec. 12
WEEK 15
Dec. 20
WEEK 16
Dec. 26
WEEK 17
Jan. 2
WEEK 18
Jan. 9
@LAR
8:20 p.m.
NBC
CIN
1 p.m.
FOX
@CLE
1 p.m.
FOX
DET
1 p.m.
FOX
@LVR
4:05 p.m.
CBS
GB
1 p.m.
FOX
@TB
4:25 p.m.
CBS
49ers
1 p.m.
FOX
@PIT
8:15 p.m.
ESPN
BAL
1 p.m.
CBS
@DET
12:30 p.m.
FOX
ARI
1 p.m.
FOX
@GB
8:20 p.m.
NBC
MIN
8:15 p.m.
ESPN
@SEA
4:05 p.m.
NBC
NYG
1 p.m.
NBC
@MIN
1 p.m.
NBC
Note: This section was printed before final roster cuts, so personnel are subject to change; all times are Eastern and subject to change