Former Ohio State star QB Justin Fields is expected to make his NFL debut Sunday in Cleveland against the Browns. (Chicago Tribune)
Cleveland Browns scouting report: Chicago Bears
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is an analyst on the Cleveland Browns for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
Browns v. Chicago Bears
Sunday, 1 p.m., in FirstEnergy Stadium
Record: 1-1.
Last game: Defeated Cincinnati Bengals, 20-17, Sept. 19, in Chicago.
Coach: Matt Nagy, 29-23, fourth year.
Series record: Bears lead, 7-4.
Last meeting: Bears won, 20-3, Dec. 24, 2017, in Chicago.
League rankings: Offense is 30th overall (eighth rushing, 31st passing), defense is eighth overall (fifth rushing, 15th passing) and turnover differential is plus-1.
Things to watch
1. Although Matt Nagy has not made it official, all eyes in Chicago are poised to watch the debut of the Justin Fields era. Veteran place-holder Andy Dalton has a bone bruise in his left knee, which should give Nagy justification to make the move all Bears fans want to see. The Bears traded up nine spots to select Fields from Ohio State at No. 11 overall in the 2021 draft. Fields excited fans in preseason with a few big plays on extended, broken plays. Without a formidable offensive line or run game, few expect Fields to win from the pocket early on. Thus, Nagy will try to exploit his mobility outside the pocket on play-action and bootlegs, while cutting the field and reducing his reads. Nagy also will execute some RPOs with Fields; he rushed 10 times for 31 yards in relief of Dalton against the Bengals.
2. After averaging 100 receptions and 1,299 yards the past two seasons, receiver Allen Robinson received the franchise tag in 2021 for a guaranteed $17.88 million. Wow! In two games, he has eight receptions for 59 yards and one TD. He dropped a touchdown from Fields last week. The more productive receiver has been little Darnell Mooney, a 175-pound speedster who set a Bears rookie record with 61 receptions last year. Mooney leads the Bears with 11 receptions for 92 yards.
3. The Bears usually dress four tight ends, but they haven’t gotten them much involved in the passing game so far. Cole Kmet is the No. 1, but Jimmy Graham, 34, is a player to watch in red zone situations.
4. Befitting their “Monsters of the Midway” heritage, the defense remains the strength of the Bears. New coordinator Sean Desai, promoted from within, is a disciple of Vic Fangio, who departed three years ago to be head coach of Denver. Desai runs Fangio’s 3-4 scheme and seeks to produce pass pressure without blitzing. The primary pass rushers are Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn.
Did you know … ?
1. The Bears expect to get back two potentially prime players in their defensive front seven. One is 318-pound nose tackle Eddie Goldman, a run-stuffer of note who opted out in 2020 and battled back and knee injuries in preseason. He hasn’t played a regular-season game since Week 16 of 2019. Another returner is defensive end Mario Edwards, who had a good preseason and is eligible after serving a two-game NFL suspension.
2. The Bears special teams under former Browns ST coordinator Chris Tabor are in a transition in the return game after losing Corradelle Patterson in free agency and Tarik Cohen to a knee injury from which he hasn’t come back. Kicker Cairo Santos has the fourth-longest active streak of field goals made (29 in a row).
3. Free safety Eddie Jackson is one of the league’s under-rated defensive players. His six defensive touchdowns are the most in the NFL since he entered the league in 2017.
4. The Bears defense registered nine hits on Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow last week, intercepted him three times and linebacker Roquan Smith returned one for a touchdown.
Small world: Strong safety Tashaun Gipson played for the Browns from 2012 to 2015 and had 13 interceptions … Receiver Breshad Perriman played for the Browns in 2018 … Special teams coordinator Chris Tabor served that role under four Browns head coach from 2011 to 2017 … Pass game coordinator John DeFilippo was Browns offensive coordinator in 2015, the second year of the short-lived Johnny Manziel era … Wide receivers coach Mike Furrey played for the Browns as a receiver and a safety in 2009 … Assistant defensive backs coach Michael (Pops) Adams played for the Browns from 2007 to 2011 … Senior defensive assistant Mike Pettine was Browns head coach in 2014-15 and had a record of 10-22.
