Bears vs. Bills preseason game recap: Everything we know
The Chicago Bears hosted the Buffalo Bills in their second preseason game, where Buffalo walloped Chicago 41-15 on Saturday at Soldier Field.
With the exception of a few plays, the Bears were relatively uninspiring with their staring offense and defense. Wide receiver Rodney Adams, who continues to jockey for a roster spot, had the highlight of the day with a 73-yard run-and-catch touchdown.
While there’s no official quarterback competition, rookie Justin Fields continues to put the pressure on Matt Nagy to change his decision to roll with Andy Dalton in Week 1.
Meanwhile, former Bears quarterback Mitch Trubisky had his way with Chicago’s defense, leading the Bills to six scoring drives in the first half, including four straight touchdowns.
While it was only preseason, there were some concerns that were highlighted in the loss, including the offensive line, missed tackles and special teams coverage.
Final score: Bills 41, Bears 15
Jon Durr-USA TODAY Sports
Keys to the game
Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
Dalton vs. Fields: It's hard not to watch Andy Dalton and Justin Fields and not compare their impact on the offense. While Dalton's stats looked better than Fields' on the afternoon, Fields once again showcased what he can bring to this offense. Fields used his mobility to elude the pass rush and make something out of nothing behind a struggling second-team offensive line and with receivers dropping passes. Dalton had the highlight of the game with a 73-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Rodney Adams. But aside from that, it wasn't wholly impressive. And Dalton even drew boos from the home crowd at one point. Matt Nagy insists Dalton remains his Week 1 starter. But it's hard to imagine how long that mindset lasts as Fields continues to show what he can bring to this offense. At the very least, Fields deserves some reps with the starters. Missed opportunities: The Bears looked uninspired at times, and it wasn't a good look for them against a Bills team that took full advantage, delivering a 41-15 defeat. Chicago did not have a good day when it came to tackling, which was an issue for the starting defense, and they once again struggled on punt return coverage. The Bills took advantage of several missed tackles, which led to some big opportunities on several scoring drives. Mitch Trubisky revenge game: Mitch Trubisky had an impressive outing against his former team, where he was slicing and dicing Chicago's defense. Trubisky played the entire first half, where he completed 20 of 28 passes for 221 yards with a touchdown. He led Buffalo to six scoring drives, including four consecutive drives that ended with a touchdown, and helped Buffalo to a 34-6 halftime lead. Now, that certainly doesn't mean the Bears made the wrong decision to part ways with Trubisky. It's a move that serves to benefit both parties. But the Trubisky revenge game was alive and well on Saturday.
It was over when...
Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
...Mitch Trubisky led the Bills to their fourth consecutive touchdown drive, giving Buffalo a 28-0 cushion, which even with Justin Fields in waiting, felt like too large of a deficit to overcome. Trubisky carved up his former team, efficiently dealing the ball and leading the Bills to 34 first-half points. Trubisky led touchdown drives of 72, 64, 53 and 34 yards.
3 Stars of the game
AP Photo/David Banks
***Rodney Adams: Adams has taken full advantage of his preseason opportunities, and he was once again Chicago's leading receiver with 89 yards on three receptions. The biggest highlight came when Adams hauled in a deep ball from Andy Dalton and sprinted to the end zone for a 73-yard touchdown. With roster spots up for grabs at receiver, Adams continue to make a strong case for himself. **Khyiris Tonga: With Eddie Goldman sitting out this game, seventh-round rookie Khyiris Tonga got plenty of reps at nose tackle, and he proved to be a dominant force and pushed around Buffalo's offensive line all afternoon. Tonga is looking like a steal for Chicago, and he figures to be a big factor this season as a rookie. Tonga finished with 2 tackles and 2 QB hits. *Khalil Herbert: The Bears might've found a gem in sixth-round running back Khalil Herbert, who had another impressive outing for the Bears. Herbert scored a 13-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter and finished with 15 yards on three carries. But it was Herbert's vision and burst that were once again evident when he had the ball. Herbert also returned four kickoffs for 75 yards with an average of 18.8 yards.
What's next
Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
The Bears will wrap up the preseason next Saturday, where they'll travel to Tennessee to face the Titans at 6 p.m. CT. [listicle id=478560]
1
1
