Justin Fields struggles, Bears fall inches short to Commanders

Justin Fields turned the ball over on the Bears’ first-quarter red zone trip, overthrew a wide-open teammate in the end zone in the second quarter and took an inexcusable delay of game on fourth-and-11 in the fourth quarter.

The plays in between were just as ugly, too, as the Bears quarterback took a significant step backward on national television in a 12-7 loss to the lowly Commanders on Thursday night at Soldier Field.

Fields used a 39-yard scramble to move the Bears to the 5 with 52 seconds to play, but he scrambled for one yard on first down, threw two incompletions and then lofted a pass to Darnell Mooney at the front right pylon. Mooney caught the fourth-down pass put was pushed out of bounds just inches from the end zone.

Coming off his best game of the season against the Vikings, Fields reverted to some of the same frustrating plays that dogged him through the first month of the season.

With about three minutes left in the first quarter, the Bears had first-and-goal at the Commanders’ 6. After David Montgomery ran for one yard, Fields dropped back to pass and sidearmed a pass toward tight end Cole Kmet, who had lined up left and ran a slant route into the end zone. The ball hit the helmet of the Commanders’ Efe Obada, rocketed into the air and was caught by fellow defensive lineman Jonathan Allen for an interception.

The Bears we back in the red zone quickly, thanks to running back Khalil Herbert, who took a handoff on the first play of the next drive and zig-zagged up the field for a thrilling 64-yard run. A flag on the Commanders for having too many men on the field moved the Bears from the 6 to the 3.

After Herbert was stuffed for no gain, Fields faked two handoffs on second-and-goal — first to Herbert and then to receiver Equanimeous St. Brown, who ran an end around from right to left. That allowed backup tight end Ryan Griffin to slip away, unguarded. Fields saw him open and running into the south end zone, wound up and threw it over his head. Griffin dove toward the NFC logo, but the throw wasn’t close.

A Fields scramble then put the ball inside the 1. The Bears went for it and handed to Herbert — who was stuffed at the line.

The Bears have been allergic to throwing inside the red zone. Thursday’s plays show why.

Entering the Commanders game, the Bears had run 27 times, thrown six passes and were sacked once in the red zone. The six passes produced two touchdowns — though Sunday’s score, a pop-pass to Velus Jones that he ran in for a nine-yard score, was a glorified handoff.

Fields was battered all night — even on his highlight throw.

Halfway through the third quarter, Fields had a free play — the Commanders had too many players on the field when the Bears quarterback took the snap. The Bears had the ball at the 40, and Fields dropped back to around midfield, looked left and launched a pass to Dante Pettis, covered one-on-one. The veteran receiver caught the ball about five yards into the end zone, tapped both feet in and tumbled out the left sideline for a touchdown.

The Bears held that 7-3 lead until a remarkable swing in momentum. With about eight minutes to play in the game, the Commanders faced fourth-and-1 at their own 42. Bluffing as though they were trying to convert the first down, they tried a hard count, took a delay of game and punted.Jones, the Bears’ rookie punt returner, muffed the punt for the second time in three weeks, falling to one knee and he was unable to collect the ball. The Commanders recovered at the 6 and scored two plays later to take a 12-7 lead.

The Bears took the ensuing kickoff and tried to mount a game-winning drive. Fields was sacked on third down, only to get bailed out by a Commanders illegal use of hands penalty. The drive never got on track. Four-straight David Montgomery runs gave the Bears two first downs and the ball at the Commanders’ 42. Fields then threw incomplete to Kmet, handed off to receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette for a loss of one and then threw low to Pettis in the flat.

That set up fourth-and-11, when Fields took a delay of game. The Bears went for it on fourth-and-16 and Fields threw incomplete to Smith-Marsette, who was running across the field well short of the first down marker.

The delay of game and the ensuing throw showed a shocking lack of awareness for a man the Bears hope will be the face of the franchise.

Commanders kicker Joey Slye missed a 48-yard field goal that would have given them an eight-point lead with about two minutes to play to give the Bears one last shot at winning the game — one that fell inches short.