Some Bears Benefited More in Win
The list of Bears winners and losers from Saturday's 21-20 win over Cleveland includes several players whose victories might mean keeping jobs on the 53-man roster.
At least it's certain one winner, Justin Fields, is feeling a little more confidence heading into the regular season after three TD passes on well-executed plays.
And there are several players who may have played them off the roster.
"We have a lot to learn from this game, we have a long way to go," coach Matt Eberflus said.
For some, the journey won't be so long or it will be elsewhere.
Here are the winners and losers from the 21-20 Bears win over Cleveland to close preseason.
Winners
CB Greg Stroman Jr.
He epitomized the last-ditch effort to save a job. The former Washington Football Team cornerback had done nothing in training camp to catch eyes and had spent much of the time injured, although he did put some nice practices together in the offseason. So with the Bears aching for someone to step up and claim what looks to be one or two open cornerback spots on the roster, Stroman delivered big time. He batted away the game-deciding pass on a two-point conversion from Josh Rosen to former Bears receiver Javon Wims. He also batted away a back-shoulder throw on fourth down at the goal line earlier to Wims.
Stroman made one other pass defense, and that was a first-half interception that the Bears offense turned into a touchdown drive. He finished with four tackles. After the way he produced in one-on-one battles with the game on the line, it would be difficult to see the Bears cutting him.
QB Justin Fields
He has rarely looked this sharp since coming to the team in the draft last year. Fields completed 14 of 16 for 156 yards and three TDs to three different receivers. That's a passer rating of 146.9 and 9.75 yards per pass attempt, both huge numbers. He also ran for 11 yards on two attempts and drew a roughing penalty from defenders for a cheap hit as he slid. Two of his TD passes came from the pocket, which had to please offensive coordinator Luke Getsy to no end.
TE Cole Kmet
After missing the first game, Kmet came on with three catches in each of the last two, Saturday's for 36 yards. It included a 24-yard TD pass on a naked bootleg by Fields. Kmet and all the tight ends could become real targets for Fields in this offense.
WR Dante Pettis
He caught a 12-yard TD pass from Fields, two other passes for 25 yards and also returned two punts for an 8.5-yard average. The punt returns are big because they need someone who can do it when Velus Jones Jr. is unavailable.
WR Isaiah Coulter
By catching a deep throw from the seat of his pants, Coulter clinched the game for the Bears but it's most likely not enough to clinch a roster spot. Neither was his total of three catches for 61 yards.
G Teven Jenkins
Not that he and the offensive line was spectacular, but he made no major gaffes, although he was among the linemen who nearly got a penalty for coming to the defense of Justin Fields on a cheap shot the Browns delivered. This presents an interesting dilemma. Would Eberflus count a penalty for coming to his quarterback's aid like that as a negative for his grading? Normally it would be but the Bears are trying to establish they have Fields' back.
Losers
CB Lamar Jackson
A couple of missed tackles in the second half didn't help but Jackson didn't just need a so-so effort to make the team with only a few roster spots open. He needed to show what he was capable of doing and really didn't get it done.
LB Roquan Smith
Not that he did anything on the field to hurt his cause for a contract extension, but he did come up with tightness prior to the game and couldn't play at all. The question is whether this is really a bad thing. After all, the 49ers now haven't seen how the Bears can use Smith as a weakside linebacker and they can spring a surprise.
K Cairo Santos
Santos had a bad practice on Thursday by missing a couple of field goal tries in the 43-yard range indoors at the Payton Center. Then he came out Saturday in the second half and missed a 48-yarder. Those three points loomed large. The Bears could have put away the win with a field goal then.
RB De'Montre Tuggle
Not that the Bears would have retained him for the roster as a fifth running back, but he lost a fumble at the 10-yard line that very nearly cost them the game. It's certain when Matt Eberflus talks about the need to take care of the ball, he didn't want to see Tuggle fumbling late in the game when they're trying to protect a lead.
Coach Matt Eberflus
All he did was tell people last week about the need to get a two-minute drill in during this game for Justin Fields and the offense. He hadn't seen one. But it's his own fault because he took Fields out with the Bears getting the ball back and 1:25 left in the first half. Then Trevor Siemian managed to fumble on a sack to set up the Browns for a field goal.
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