Justin Fields and the Chicago Bears had everything working against them entering Sunday’s contest with the San Francisco 49ers.
Matt Nagy was out due to COVID-19, Justin Fields was coming off of his worst performance in his young career and the team was licking the wounds of a 35-point thrashing from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and back-to-back defeats.
But Fields played much better in Chicago on Sunday. In the first half, he picked apart the San Francisco defense – including this stellar touchdown pass – and the Bears entered the half with a 13-9 lead.
@justnfields
— NFL (@NFL) October 31, 2021
: #SFvsCHI on FOX
: NFL app pic.twitter.com/L1t8la8Nf6
At one point in the third quarter, Fields had completed 14 of his 17 passes, the Bears had a 16-9 lead and Chicago appeared poised to end its losing streak.
Enter Nick Bosa. During pregame warmups, a young fan asked the defensive end if he was going to get a sack. The Pro Bowl defender obliged the lad by blowing through a hold and dropping Fields for a sack in the second quarter.
DE Nick Bosas 6th Sack of the season and first of the day. #49ers #FTTB #NickBosa pic.twitter.com/HTMp4Lh7KP
— 49er_Edits (@49er_edits) October 31, 2021
Bosa added a second sack, his seventh of the year, and completed the game with three tackles for loss. With the resurgence of the 49ers' defense, Jimmy Garoppolo and the San Francisco offense took the lead in the fourth quarter.
Nonetheless, Justin Fields delivered the signature moment of his young NFL career. With the Bears trailing 23-16 and facing 4th-and-1 at the 49ers' 22-yard line, San Francisco had Fields dead to rights in the backfield, but the mobile former Ohio State quarterback eluded defenders and broke free down the left sideline for a 22-yard touchdown.
JUSTIN FIELDS ARE YOU SERIOUS?! #DaBears
— NFL (@NFL) October 31, 2021
: #SFvsCHI on FOX
: NFL app pic.twitter.com/i8nVWJPukV
When asked about the incredible touchdown run, Fields said, “I'm not gonna lie, that was awesome. I was excited, as y'all could see.”
After Fields laid it all on the line and recorded his second NFL rushing touchdown, Cairo Santos appropriately missed the extra point. The Bears lost the momentum and the game, 33-22.
In the loss, Fields finished with 103 rushing yards, becoming the first Bears quarterback to rush for 100 yards in a game since 1973.
Chicago drops to 3–5 while the 49ers improve to 3–4.
Bucking Broncos
With Von Miller (who has since been traded to the Los Angeles Rams) inactive, Baron Browning was called upon for his first NFL start on Sunday. The linebacker made the most of the opportunity as he tallied eight tackles with a tackle for loss. Denver's defensive coaches put trust in Browning as he was on the field for 97 percent of Denver's defensive snaps.
Dre’Mont Jones also came up big for the Broncos. With the game tied 10-10, Chris Blewitt of the Washington Football Team lined up for a 47-yard field goal. Jones timed his "jump" perfectly and was able to get his hand on the ball. The defensive lineman successfully negated the field goal attempt.
DREMONT. JONES.
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) October 31, 2021
: FOX pic.twitter.com/hshINc3BbJ
Later in the game, Jones hurt his right arm/shoulder when he was on the PAT unit for the Broncos, but he was able to return to the game. He finished the day with three total tackles, 1.5 sacks, a pass breakup, a forced fumble and the key blocked field goal.
On the other sideline, Terry McLaurin was held to a season-low three catches for 23 yards. Chase Young recorded four tackles and had a key forced fumble in the waning moments of the game that gave Washington a chance at a late comeback. However, it was not enough as the Broncos gritted out a 17-10 victory over the Washington Football Team.
Lewis injured
With the Indianapolis Colts leading by a touchdown late in the second quarter, Tyquan Lewis intercepted a Ryan Tannehill pass intended for Anthony Firkser. Lewis rumbled his way forward, but fell hard to the ground after suffering a knee injury. To add insult to the injury, Lewis fumbled as he was falling and the Tennessee Titans recovered.
#TyquanLewis backup @Colts defensive end makes his first career interception and goes down non contact and fumbles on the return. Many jump to ACL here but our fear is for unsual patella tendon rupture. pic.twitter.com/hOhvzjn9mK
— David J. Chao - ProFootballDoc (@ProFootballDoc) October 31, 2021
Lewis was on his way to an excellent day. To that point, he had two quarterback hurries, a one-yard sack, a pass breakup and his first career interception. Lewis did not have an interception during his playing days at Ohio State.
Unfortunately, that interception was the final play of his season, as Colts coach Frank Reich announced Monday that Lewis had suffered a season-ending patellar tendon injury in his knee.
Tyquan Lewis fourth NFL season is over due to a patellar tendon injury. https://t.co/Dtrknhpn6n
— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) November 1, 2021
The Titans ultimately overcame the Colts, 34-31, in an overtime thriller.
Bell and Hubbard ball out in loss
The Cincinnati Bengals (5–3) blew a 31-20 fourth quarter lead to the New York Jets (2–5), but it wasn't due to the play of Vonn Bell and Sam Hubbard.
Bell tied his season-high with nine tackles and recovered a key fumble that he forced in the second quarter. The turnover resulted in a field goal for the Bengals and extended their first half lead to 17-7.
Sweet rip out by Vonn Bell pic.twitter.com/11iFKR91oD
— SyedSchemes (@syedschemes) October 31, 2021
Bell also performed well on special teams. His rush on a field goal attempt by the Jets contributed to a miss. Bell almost blocked another field goal attempt later in the contest.
Hubbard finished the game with six or more stops for the fourth time this season. He also had a tackle for loss and broke up two Mike White passes. But as well as Bell and Hubbard played, the Bengals' defense allowed White to throw for 405 yards in his first NFL start. Cam Newton (2011) and White are the only players to throw for over 400 yards in their first start.
When asked about the shocking loss to the lowly Jets, Hubbard said, “It's a wakeup call, for sure. Any team can beat anybody on any given Sunday. We learned that today. It's a valuable lesson that won't be forgotten.”
Heyward hits milestone
Cameron Heyward had four tackles and two quarterback hurries as the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the host Cleveland Browns, 15-10, in FirstEnergy Stadium. On the Browns' opening series of the game, Heyward hit a career milestone.
Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland offense faced a third-and-7 from the Pittsburgh 7-yard line. Mayfield dropped back and was dropped by Heyward and T.J. Watt. With the half-sack, Heyward moved past Joey Porter into fifth place on the Steelers' all-time career sacks list.
.@CamHeyward has passed Joey Porter for fifth-most career sacks in #SteelersHistory. pic.twitter.com/lVPsprFvQo
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) October 31, 2021
The Browns (4–4) play at Cincinnati on Sunday and the Steelers (4–3) host the Bears Monday night.
Elliott comes up big
The Cowboys were down 16-13 to the Minnesota Vikings with just over a minute remaining in the game on Sunday Night Football. Facing a 3rd-and-11 from the Minnesota 20-yard line, Dallas head coach Mike McCarthy put the ballgame in Cooper Rush's hands.
The inexperienced signal-caller dropped back and made a very wise decision. He hit Ezekiel Elliott with a short screen pass and let Zeke do the rest.
FEED ZEKE!!!#DALvsMIN | : @SNFonNBC pic.twitter.com/kmbua41yZI
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) November 1, 2021
Elliott's third-down conversion set up Rush’s game-winning touchdown pass to Amari Cooper on the next play, giving Dallas (6–1) a 3.5-game lead in the NFC East, while Minnesota (3–4) is now 3.5 games behind the Green Bay Packers in the NFC North.
Spielman honored
The Detroit Lions honored Chris Spielman at halftime of their game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday as the former Ohio State linebacker was inducted into Pride of the Lions, the franchise's ring of honor.
You can watch the full ceremony below, which included an appearance from his former Ohio State and Lions teammate William White, who is battling ALS.
Watch: Former Detroit Lions linebacker Chris Spielman was inducted into the Pride of the Lions in a special halftime ceremony yesterday. pic.twitter.com/uWpvnOEgPm
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) November 1, 2021
Ugly Urban
Two weeks ago, the Jacksonville Jaguars defeated the Miami Dolphins in London for the franchise's first victory of the 2021 season. After last week's bye, Urban Meyer and his team headed to Seattle to try to build upon the winning culture.
WHAT IS HAPPENING@travishomer4 just returned an onside kick for the touchdown
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) October 31, 2021
: #JAXvsSEA on CBS pic.twitter.com/OW7HMwv8Oc
There might have been too much celebrating over the last two weeks. Late in the second quarter, the Jaguars were flagged for having too many men on the field. Meyer had to call timeout before the next snap to avoid being called on consecutive plays for having too many defenders on the field.
Jacksonville had 12 men on the field two plays in a row. Urban Meyer putting his stamp on the NFL. pic.twitter.com/7nbTFZnMNQ
— ChuckModi (@ChuckModi1) October 31, 2021
The winning ways ended as quickly as they arrived. The Seahawks dismantled Jacksonville, 31-7. The Jaguars came up well short of achieving Meyer’s yardage goals, as they finished the game with 82 yards rushing and 227 yards passing.
Highlight Show
Need more Buckeye action from Week 8? The clips below share some of the highs and lows.
WOW. Chase Young strips Gordon and @WashingtonNFL takes over!
— NFL (@NFL) October 31, 2021
: #WASvsDEN on FOX
: NFL app pic.twitter.com/jxvP5Lhm07
Young #49ers fan: Will you get a sack for us today?
— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) October 31, 2021
Nick Bosa: I will try my best.pic.twitter.com/LPfTVYQE4x
Nick Bosa said he didnt think he had to keep contain on that ridiculous Justin Fields TD run bc it looked like Armstead, multiple guys had him
— Jake Hutchinson (@hutchdiesel) October 31, 2021
Said he couldnt find Fields after the game but that theyve chatted before pic.twitter.com/jw1v8fxjrC
This angle of the Justin Fields TD pass pic.twitter.com/qFon1ySJdL
— Computer Cowboy (@benbbaldwin) October 31, 2021
What a play by the rookie @justnfields #DaBears
— NFL (@NFL) October 31, 2021
: #SFvsCHI on FOX
: NFL app pic.twitter.com/UNEe6qBUEV
It doesnt seem real. Sam Hubbard #Bengals pic.twitter.com/P8tUaUdjmb
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) October 31, 2021
Cameron Heyward+T.J. Watt= SCARY pic.twitter.com/hB0h9Hnm4U
— PFF PIT Steelers (@PFF_Steelers) October 31, 2021
#Broncos DreMont Jones on the blocked field goals #Denver7 pic.twitter.com/KC9Iazo1IR
— Troy Renck (@TroyRenck) November 1, 2021
Heres the scene after #Colts DE Tyquan Lewis intercepted the ball, went down grabbing his knee on the return and fumbled back into the #Titans hands. Pretty much the entire bench emptied to send No. 94 off on the card. Never a good thing. pic.twitter.com/62pm369Qlp
— Taylor Tannebaum (@TaylorTannebaum) October 31, 2021
| PLAYER | POS | TEAM | WEEK 8 STATS | SEASON STATS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELI APPLE | CB | BENGALS | 4 tackles | 26 tackles, 3 PBU, 1 TFL |
| DAMON ARNETTE | CB | RAIDERS | Bye | 4 tackles, 1 PBU |
| JEROME BAKER | LB | DOLPHINS | Inactive | 44 tackles, 1 sack (10 yards), 1 TFL, 6 QBH, 1 PBU, 1 FF |
| VONN BELL | S | BENGALS | 9 tackles, 1 FF, 1 FR | 52 tackles, 4 TFL, 3 PBU, 2 FF, 1 FR |
| TUF BORLAND | LB | VIKINGS | Practice squad | |
| JOEY BOSA | DE | CHARGERS | 2 tackles | 21 tackles, 3.5 sacks (25 yards), 2 TFL, 8 QBH |
| NICK BOSA | DE | 49ERS | 3 tackles, 2 sacks (12 yards), 3 TFL, 2 QBH | 26 tackles, 6 sacks (56 yards), 10 TFL, 14 QBH, 1 FF |
| NOAH BROWN | WR | COWBOYS | 1 catch, 7 yards | 6 catches, 90 yards |
| BARON BROWNING | LB | BRONCOS | 8 tackles, 1 TFL | 9 tackles, 1 TFL |
| PARRIS CAMPBELL | WR | COLTS | IR (foot) | 10 catches, 162 yards, 1 TD |
| JONATHON COOPER | LB | BRONCOS | 2 tackles | 11 tackles, 3 QBH |
| WYATT DAVIS | OG | VIKINGS | Inactive | 4 games played |
| TAYLOR DECKER | OT | LIONS | IR (finger) | |
| J.K. DOBBINS | RB | RAVENS | Bye | |
| NATE EBNER | DB | GIANTS | Inactive | 2 tackles |
| PAT ELFLEIN | OG | PANTHERS | IR (hamstring) | 2 starts |
| EZEKIEL ELLIOTT | RB | COWBOYS | 16 rushes, 50 yards; 4 catches, 23 yards | 118 rushes, 571 yards, 5 TD; 20 catches, 128 yards |
| LUKE FARRELL | TE | JAGUARS | 1 catch, 3 yards | 6 catches, 49 yards |
| JUSTIN FIELDS | QB | BEARS | 19/27 passing, 175 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 10 rushes, 103 yards, 1 TD | 94/158 passing, 991yards, 3 TD, 7 INT; 45 rushes, 246 yards, 1 TD |
| JORDAN FULLER | S | RAMS | 4 tackles | 58 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 PBU |
| DaVON HAMILTON | DT | JAGUARS | 1 tackle | 18 tackles, 1 PBU |
| JOHNATHAN HANKINS | DT | RAIDERS | Bye | 16 tackles, 1 QBH |
| MALIK HARRISON | LB | RAVENS | Bye | 19.5 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 QBH |
| DWAYNE HASKINS | QB | STEELERS | Inactive | |
| JAKE HAUSMANN | TE | GIANTS | Practice squad | |
| CAMERON HEYWARD | DT | STEELERS | 4 tackles, 0.5 sack (2.5 yards), 2 QBH | 40 tackles, 2.5 sacks (16.5 yards), 2 TFL, 3 QBH, 4 PBU, 1 FF, 1 FR |
| K.J. HILL | WR | CHARGERS | Practice squad | 3 catches, 30 yards; 3 KOR, 50 yards; 6 PR, 41 yards |
| JUSTIN HILLIARD | LB | GIANTS | IR (ankle) | 2 games played |
| JALYN HOLMES | DE | SAINTS | Inactive | 1 tackle |
| MALIK HOOKER | S | COWBOYS | 2 tackles | 10 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 PD |
| SAM HUBBARD | DE | BENGALS | 6 tackles, 1 TFL, 2 PBU | 35 tackles, 4.0 sacks (18.0 yards), 5 TFL, 6 QBH, 3 PBU |
| CARLOS HYDE | RB | JAGUARS | 9 carries, 32 yards; 6 catches, 40 yards | 33 rushes, 140 yards; 8 catches, 54 yards |
| JONAH JACKSON | OG | LIONS | Started at LG | 8 starts |
| MALCOLM JENKINS | S | SAINTS | 4 tackles, 2 PBU | 39 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 INT, 4 PBU, 1 TD |
| CAMERON JOHNSTON | P | TEXANS | 7 punts, 52.0 avg, 2 inside 20 | 43 punts, 46.8 avg, 17 inside 20 |
| DRE'MONT JONES | DT | BRONCOS | 3 tackles, 1.5 sacks (8.5 yards), 1 TFL, 2 QBH, 1 PBU, 1 FF | 14 tackles, 1.5 sacks (8.5 yards), 4 TFL, 4 QBH, 1 PBU, 1 FF |
| JAMARCO JONES | OT | SEAHAWKS | Played | 1 start, 6 games played |
| MICHAEL JORDAN | OG | PANTHERS | Started at LG | 2 starts, 3 games played |
| MARSHON LATTIMORE | CB | SAINTS | 3 tackles | 19 tackles, 1 INT, 9 PBU |
| TYQUAN LEWIS | DT | COLTS | 1 tackle, 1 sack (1 yard), 1 TFL, 2 QBH, 1 INT, 1 PBU | 15 tackles, 2.5 sacks (3.5 yards), 3 TFL, 6 QBH, 1 INT, 2 PBU |
| COREY LINSLEY | C | CHARGERS | Started at C | 7 starts |
| TERRY McLAURIN | WR | WFT | 3 catches, 23 yards | 43 catches, 573 yards, 4 TD |
| RAEKWON McMILLAN | LB | PATRIOTS | IR (knee) | |
| JAKE McQUAIDE | LS | COWBOYS | Played at LS | 1 tackle |
| JOSH MYERS | C | PACKERS | IR (knee) | 5 starts |
| ANDREW NORWELL | OL | JAGUARS | Started at LG | 7 starts |
| JEFF OKUDAH | CB | LIONS | IR (leg) | 4 tackles, 1 PBU |
| BILLY PRICE | C | GIANTS | Started at C | 7 starts |
| MALCOLM PRIDGEON | OG | STEELERS | Practice squad | |
| ISAIAH PRINCE | OT | BENGALS | Played | 7 games played |
| BRADLEY ROBY | CB | SAINTS | 2 tackles | 5 tackles, 1 sack (7 yards), 1 TFL, 1 QBH |
| CURTIS SAMUEL | WR | WFT | Inactive | 4 catches, 19 yards |
| C.J. SAUNDERS | WR | PANTHERS | Practice squad | |
| TREY SERMON | RB | 49ERS | Played | 21 rushes, 104 yards |
| KENDALL SHEFFIELD | CB | FALCONS | Played | 2 games played |
| JOHN SIMON | LB | TITANS | Inactive | |
| DEVIN SMITH | WR | JAGUARS | Practice squad | 1 target |
| MICHAEL THOMAS | WR | SAINTS | PUP (ankle) | |
| TOMMY TOGIAI | DT | BROWNS | Inactive | |
| NICK VANNETT | TE | SAINTS | IR (knee) | |
| BINJIMEN VICTOR | WR | RAVENS | Bye | |
| SHAUN WADE | CB | PATRIOTS | Inactive | |
| DENZEL WARD | CB | BROWNS | Inactive | 24 tackles, 0.5 sack (2 yards), 2 QBH, 3 PBU |
| PETE WERNER | LB | SAINTS | 4 tackles, 1 TFL | 29 tackles, 2 TFL |
| CHASE YOUNG | DE | WFT | 4 tackles, 1 FF | 25 tackles, 2 sacks (7 yards), 4 TFL, 4 QBH, 1 PBU, 2 FF |
