Justin Fields discovers air attack, is sacked 5 times in first half

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Justin Fields has 117 passing yards at halftime Sunday — four short of his game-long high this season — but the Bears have managed only three field goals and trail the Giants 14-9 at MetLife Stadium.

Fields threw a 56-yard completion to wide receiver Darnell Mooney in the first quarter and a 24-yard screen pass to running back Khalil Herbert in the second. The deep ball more than doubled Mooney’s receiving yards total entering the game.

Fields has run for 43 yards on four carries — but has also been sacked five times. None was more impactful than when, with about 10 minutes to play in the first half — and immediately after he converted the long screen to Herbert on third-and-20 — Fields was hit by defensive end Azeez Ojulari as he threw.

The ball fluttered forward and to the ground in front of Cody Whitehair and other Bears. Believing it to be an incomplete pass, the Bears didn’t hustle after the ball. Giants rookie edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux recovered the ball, which was ruled a fumble, at the 25. Seven plays later, the Giants scored on quarterback Daniel Jones’ second rushing touchdown of the game to go up 14-6.

Whitehair later left the game with a knee injury. He will not return.

Kicker Michael Badgley, whom the Bears signed Saturday to replace Cairo Santos — the veteran missed practice twice this week for personal reasons — has made all three field-goal tries. Punter Trenton Gill has handled kickoffs.

Before Sunday, Fields’ season high was 121 passing yards in a Week 1 downpour at Soldier Field. After posting a 27.7 passer rating in last week’s win against the Texans, Fields has an 84.3 rating at halftime Sunday.