Bears Emerge Efficiency Experts

A relatively mistake-free game and the Bears are now 2-0 after a 27-11 victory over the Seattle Seahawks in the second preseason game.

It would be exaggeration to call the Bears spectacular.

At least on Thursday night in their second preseason game, they were spectacularly efficient compared to the Seattle Seahawks.

The Bears took advantage of Seattle's inept play and played relatively mistake-free football for a 24-0 second-half lead on the way to a 27-11 victory.

The first-team Bears offense didn't score a touchdown but in this one quarterback Justin Fields did lead them downfield to a score and then left the game after a drive, which ended with a 35-yard Cairo Santos field goal.

Fields went 5 of 7 for 39 yards and left, just as coach Matt Eberflus had said he would.  

"So I thought the opportunity was good, his preparation was great, he handled the offense the way we wanted him to," Eberflus said. 'Had a nice drive and scored a field goal. So I think it's progress."

The Bears ran the ball for 117 yards on 33 carries and much of their passing success—21 of 36 for 172 yards with a TD—came off play-action throws or bootlegs.

"When you can run the ball, which we've done a good job of in spots, where we can do that that's where it really creates the play-action passes, the movement passes, the play-actions, in-pocket, out of pocket to deliver the ball," Eberflus said.

Twice Fields found Cole Kmet on the scoring drive for 12 and 19 yards.

"Yeah, I mean Cole is a great tight end," Fields said. "He can do it pretty much all. He can block, he's a great route runner, he has great hands. So he definitely brings another weapon to our offense for sure so I'm just glad to see him out there again." 

Backup QB Trevor Siemian led a six-play, 33-yard drive to Jake Tonges 2-yard TD catch to start the second quarter for a 10-0 lead. The drive started in excellent field position because rookie Velus Jones Jr. made his Bears debut and broke a punt return 48 yards down the sideline to set up the score.

"He's fast, for sure, and he's explosive," Eberflus said. "That's a challenge for him because he's a rookie. And he's going to have to come in there and show guys what he can do.  And I think he's up for the challenge.

The last Bears points of the half came on special teams. Seventh-round rookie safety Elijah Hicks fell on a muffed punt inside the 5-yard line and rolled over the goal line for the TD.

For the second straight game penalties were limited with just three for 38 yards including a late and questionable 28-yard pass interference on Bopete Keyes. Seattle, meanwhile, committed 13 penalties for 92 yards.

The Bears started Teven Jenkins at right guard and played him there into the second quarter after the first team left. Then they put veteran Michael Schofield in with the backups, which should make for an interesting week and a half before their final preseason game at Cleveland on Aug. 27.

"I thought it was solid," Eberflus said of Jenkins' play.  "It's hard to evaluate that sometimes in the scrum there. When you look at the tape on the plane I'll get a better feel for that but overall I felt really good about it."

Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith played a full half and was sacked once by Trevon Coley, completed 10 of 18 for 112 yards and left to watch the second half with an ice bag on his knee.

The Bears were virtually penalty free in the first half with just two for 10 yards, something they did well last week and a trait all of Eberflus' Colts teams had.

The efficiency continued in the second half with a 47-yard drive to Darrynton Evans' 1-yard TD run as Nathan Peterman came on and threw for 41 of the yards on 3-for-3. Their last points came on a 47-yard Santos field goal.

It did get sloppy late in the game for the Bears as Isaiah Coulter failed to come up with an onside kick on the hands team and Seattle had a fourth-quarter touchdown march led by third quarterback Jacob Eason. 

The Bears failed to escape injuries as running back Trestan Ebner (ankle) and linebackers Caleb Johnson (knee)  left the game.

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