Cubs News: Fields on loss to Browns: “We played good enough to win” |
CLEVELAND - Despite another multiple turnover performance from the defense which included a pick-six, quarterback Justin Fields and the offense could not get it done as they blew a 10-point lead.
Eight of the biggest blown leads in franchise history have come in the time Fields has been the quarterback for Chicago. “First off, (the) defense played a hell of a game. Not sure they could have played any better for us as a team,” Fields said. “I got to play better as a quarterback of this team, and I think we all got to be better on offense. Of course, they have a great d-line, great rush. So, I know the guys up front wish they would have had a few plays back, receivers would have had a few plays back. But, we just have to be better. I have to be better.” This game was the first time in almost a month Chicago lost a game after defeating the Minnesota Vikings back in week 12, going on bye and then attaining their first win streak of head coach Matt Eberflus’ tenure against the Detroit Lions. If the Bears had won, they would have still been very much in playoff contention in a three-way tie one game outside the picture. But, their offensive inconsistency has generally been their downfall because they cannot sustain drives or put up points consistently. “I try to put up at least 28 points as an offense today. So, (the) defense got a pick-six,” Fields said. “So, my goal as a quarterback, our goal as an offense, is to at least put up 28 points a game, and the way our defense is playing now, that’s usually more than enough points.” One pivotal play that changed the scope of the game was the first play of the fourth quarter. With a 10-point lead, the Bears elected to go for it on fourth-and-one instead of kicking a 51-yard field goal. The play call was fine, but the execution from Fields was not. It was a run for Fields where he broke to the outside, but lost his footing and was ultimately short. It was ruled as a sack since he did not gain yardage on the play. “I got tripped up. I felt myself falling. I thought I dove and got it,” Fields said. “If I were to have it back, I would have just got as wide as possible and literally race to the first down marker. But, I like that play call in that situation, and we just got to execute it better.” Lack of execution has been the story of the season for the Bears, particularly in the fourth quarter. They cannot maintain leads as they appear to act complacent. That is especially true with the offense, which perhaps reflects Fields’ leadership. He may have sealed his fate as no longer being the quarterback for Chicago, if that was not already decided. A loss like this hurts, especially with the playoff implications. “At the end of the day, it’s going to hurt to lose, especially when you have a defense that goes out there and creates that many turnovers that holds that offense to that many points. So, it’s tough because we played good enough to win,” Fields said. “But, like I said, there were certain drives, certain situations, that we didn’t execute in, one being that end of half and the other being that fourth-and-one. I think if we get that, another set of downs, we at least get a field goal. So, that’s six points right there.” The defense played good enough to win, but the offense did not and that was the difference in this game.
