Behind one of the best first half performances of quarterback Justin Fields’ career, the Bears lead the Falcons 21-7 at hafltime.
Fields went 13-for-17 for 166 yards, one touchdown and a 126.1 passer rating and ran six times for 21 yards and a score in a game that started with snow showers over Soldier Field.
His seven-yard pass to DJ Moore in the back left corner of the south end zone gave the Bears a 7-0 lead after Younghoe Koo missed a 50-yard field goal. Koo doinked a 42-yarder off the left upright on the next drive, leading Fields to eventually score on a planned nine-yard run over the left guard.
Up 14-0, the Bears defense was uncharacteristically sloppy. On the Falcons’ first play of their third drive, quarterback Taylor Heinicke threw a screen to running back Tyler Allgeier, who took it up the right sideline 75 yards for a touchdown. It was the longest touchdown the Bears had allowed at home in six years.
After the Bears forced a punt, Fields led them 75 yards for a touchdown. The Bears faced third-and-one at the Falcons’ 3 but were stuffed when Roschon Johnson’s run fell short. They went for it on fourth-and-one, gaining a yard on Fields’ “Tush Push” sneak. Johnson ran for a two-yard touchdown on the next play.
The Bears limped into the locker room at halftime after chasing Dee Alford, who returned Cairo Santos’ short 55-yard field goal attempt all the way back to the Bears’ 13 before being tackled by tight end Robert Tonyan.
