Week 16 recap: Chicago Bears jump to a big early lead and hold on for a 27-16 win over the Arizona Cardinals
All the Chicago Bears needed for Christmas was to play the Arizona Cardinals.
The Bears were more productive on offense Sunday at Soldier Field than they were one week earlier during a dismal collapse against the Cleveland Browns.
Behind a big game on the ground, the Bears jumped to a 21-point first-half lead and held on for a 27-16 victory over the 3-12 Cardinals.
The Cardinals entered the game as the 31st-ranked defense against the run, and the Bears took advantage, rushing for 250 yards. They totaled 117 rushing yards in the first half and scored two touchdowns on the ground on the way to a 21-7 halftime lead.
Running back Khalil Herbert had a season-high 112 rushing yards and a touchdown, and quarterback Justin Fields rushed for 97 yards and a TD to help the Bears (6-9) wash away the sting of the 20-17 loss to the Browns in Week 15.
“The big boys did a great job up front today opening up some holes,” Herbert said. “Last week we took it personally not being able to run the ball. We came in this week focused on the details and were able to capitalize.”
Added Fields: “After I tossed the ball or handed the ball off, Khalil had a lot of space to run. There were like highways out there. The Cardinals adjusted well in the second half, and there weren’t as many big gaps as in the first half. But the O-line did a great job blocking.
“Khalil, Roschon (Johnson) did a great job running the ball. Really just credit to those guys for working hard and attacking practice each and every day like they do.”
Running back D’Onta Foreman missed the game because of a personal issue.
The Cardinals still threatened the Bears in the fourth quarter after Fields’ only turnover of the game.
Early in the fourth, Fields scrambled for 39 yards to get to the Cardinals 14-yard line. But on the next play, he threw an interception in the end zone to safety Jalen Thompson, who reached over his head to grab the pass intended for Herbert.
The Cardinals capitalized with Kyler Murray’s 38-yard touchdown pass to Greg Dortch, which after the two-point conversion failed cut the Bears’ lead to 24-16.
The Bears went three-and-out on their next drive, giving the Cardinals an opportunity to tie the game. But the defense came up with a stop when Dortch fell trying to make a catch on fourth-and-6, and Murray’s pass fell incomplete.
Bears kicker Cairo Santos, who signed a four-year, $16 million contract extension Saturday, made a 29-yard field-goal attempt with 1 minute, 2 seconds to play to seal the win.
Fields completed 15 of 27 passes for 170 yards and a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Marcedes Lewis. Tight end Cole Kmet had four catches for 107 yards before missing the second half with a knee injury.
Wide receiver DJ Moore also tweaked an ankle injury on the first pass of the game and played through it. He had three catches for 18 yards.
”You just play to play. You can’t let who’s out there affect you,” Fields said of his top two targets getting hurt. “You just have to go through your reads — boom, boom, boom — and if it’s not there, it’s not there. Scramble around and make a play. I would love to have those guys out there, but it’s football. You’re probably going to get hurt at one point.”
Murray completed 24 of 38 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns. The Bears defense didn’t record a takeaway.
The teams traded field goals to open the second half. Cardinals kicker Matt Prater made a 55-yard field goal on the first drive of the second half to cut the Bears lead to 21-10. Santos made a 49-yard field goal at the end of the third quarter to push the Bears lead to 24-10.
Here’s how the game unfolded
Inactives: Bears RB D’Onta Foreman out
The Bears will be without running back D’Onta Foreman on Sunday against the Cardinals.
Foreman missed practice Thursday for personal reasons and was listed as questionable to play. Coach Matt Eberflus was vague when asked Friday whether Foreman would be available, and the Bears announced he is inactive.
The Bears will rely on running backs Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson with Foreman out.
Tight end Cole Kmet is active after dealing with a quad issue during practice last week.
The Bears previously declared out left guard Teven Jenkins, wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown and linebacker Noah Sewell. Safety Quindell Johnson and quarterback Nathan Peterman are also inactive.
For the Cardinals, wide receiver Marquise Brown, cornerback Garrett Williams, linebackers Tyreke Smith and Victor Dimukeje, offensive linemen Carter O’Donnell and Dennis Daley and tight end Travis Vokolek are inactive.
DJ Moore injured on Bears’ 1st drive
Bears wide receiver DJ Moore was hurt on Justin Fields’ first pass of the day but returned later in the first quarter. He stayed down for a couple of minutes while trainers tended to him and then walked off the field and headed to the injury tent.
He returned to the bench after his time in the tent, and trainers tended to his right ankle. He didn’t join the Bears offense on the start of its next drive but was on the field for Field’s 3-yard touchdown run for the first score.
Halftime: Strong running game fuels 21-7 Bears lead
The Chicago Bears rushed for 117 yards in the first half on the way to a 21-7 halftime lead against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at Soldier Field.
Running back Khalil Herbert rushed for 62 yards and a touchdown, and quarterback Justin Fields added 32 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Fields also completed 10 of 17 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown with no turnovers in the half. Bears tight end Cole Kmet had four catches for 107 yards.
Fields’ 3-yard touchdown run gave the Bears a 7-0 lead with 6 minutes, 22 seconds to play in the first quarter. Fields’ 53-yard pass to Kmet on the first play sparked the drive.
Kmet also drew a defensive holding penalty against Starling Thomas that negated a Cardinals sack and gave the Bears first-and-goal at the 3-yard line. Fields scored on the next play.
Herbert gave the Bears a 14-0 lead when he rushed for an 11-yard touchdown early in the second quarter. Herbert also had a 15-yard carry on the drive, and Fields rushed for 24 yards on a designed run two plays before Herbert’s touchdown.
After the Bears defense forced a three-and-out on the Cardinals’ next drive, the Bears took over at their 46-yard line. Eight plays later, Fields’ 1-yard touchdown pass to Marcedes Lewis gave the Bears a 21-0 lead with 7:12 to play in the second quarter. Fields had a 29-yard pass to Kmet on the drive.
The Cardinals responded with a 75-yard touchdown drive, capped by Kyler Murray’s 16-yard touchdown pass to James Conner, who was alone along the left sideline.
Murray completed 10 of 17 passes for 85 yards and no turnovers. Conner had seven carries for 44 yards.
Bears safety Jaquan Brisker left the game on the Cardinals’ final drive of the half after suffering an undisclosed injury. The Bears also announced Kmet was questionable to return because of knee injury.
Catch up on the rest of our coverage.
Ranking QB Justin Fields’ Bears starts
Here we are again, Chicago, in the home stretch of another losing Bears season with quarterback uncertainty swirling. Justin Fields has three games remaining in his third season and, quite possibly, in his time with the organization.
Here is our ranking of every NFL start Fields has made — 1 to 35.
Jaylon Johnson bet on himself — and it paid off
Credit Jaylon Johnson for acknowledging the elephant in the room — and finding a way to use it as motivation from the beginning.
Johnson is the rare NFL player who will emerge a big winner for betting on himself and playing out his contract. He’s not alone, but in an era when teams are motivated to give early extensions with the idea of saving a little money and players love to cash in as soon as possible, Johnson is three games from completing the four-year, $6.46 million contract he signed after being drafted in the second round in 2020.
What’s next for Johnson? Read more here.
Drive for new stadium stalled — but options remain open
Another Bears season is drawing to a close with no breakthroughs in sight for a new stadium — but those involved on all sides say they’re working on it. And a new draft document among the team and Arlington Heights officials suggests potential progress.
Last month, the village held an online meeting with the Bears to discuss a memorandum of understanding, or MOU, according to documents the Tribune obtained through a Freedom of Information request.
The online gathering included invitations to Bears President and CEO Kevin Warren and general counsel Cliff Stein, along with Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes and other village officials. Read more here.
Ho ho ho
Playing on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day has been a possibility for the Chicago Bears only since the 1980s.
Why? From the league’s start in 1920, the NFL season consisted of fewer regular-season games and its championship usually concluded before or avoided altogether the December holidays.
That changed in April 1971, when it was announced four playoff games would take place on Dec. 25-26. This arrangement — with two games each day — meant all four games could be broadcast nationally. As the holidays drew nearer, however, fans became vocal.
“I enjoy football, but is it really necessary to play on Christmas Day?” an angry caller told Joe McGuff, then the sports editor for the Kansas City Star. “This is a religious day, a family day. But apparently it makes no difference to the people who run professional football.”
The Bears played on Christmas Eve for the first time in 1989 and Christmas Day in 2005. Read more here.
