The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Ex-dawg Justin Fields throws for two TDS as Bears top 49ers
Justin Fields threw for two second-half touchdowns, Eddie Jackson set up a TD with an interception and the Chicago Bears gave Matt Eberflus a win in his head coaching debut, beating the San Francisco 49ers 19-10 on a rainsoaked Sunday in Chicago.
Fields shook off a rough first half, throwing a 51-yard TD to Dante Pettis in the third quarter and connecting with Equanimeous St. Brown for an 18-yarder early in the fourth to put Chicago on top 13-10. Jackson then picked off Trey Lance near midfield for his first interception since 2019 and returned the ball to the 21. That led to a 6-yard touchdown run by Khalil Herbert, making it 19-10.
Heavy rain flooded the area and drenched the new Bermuda grass installed last week instead of the traditional Kentucky bluegrass used in a stadium often criticized for its choppy surface. As the final seconds ticked away, Bears players took head-first dives into the soggy end zone. The Bears also got called for an unusual penalty near the end of the first half, when their holder got flagged for bringing out a towel to dry a small area of the field ahead of a field goal try. The 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty wiped out a scoring opportunity and forced Chicago to punt.
Fields, No. 11 overall draft pick in 2019, was 8 of 17 for 121 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He is trying to convince Eberflus and new GM Ryan Poles he can solidify a position that has long been a weakness for Chicago.
The Bears were outgained 331 yards to 204. But they did enough to get the win for Eberflus, who spent the past four years as Indianapolis’ defensive coordinator.
Lance, drafted eight spots ahead of Fields, completed 13 of 28 passes for 164 yards and a touchdown. Deebo Samuel ran for a 6-yard score in the second quarter after losing a fumble deep in Chicago territory in the early going. But he caught just two passes for 14 yards. Nick Bosa added a sack, but the Niners couldn’t get much going.
Ravens 24, (at) Jets 9: Lamar Jackson threw three TD passes, including two to Devin Duvernay, and went 17 of 30 for 213 yards, including a TD to Rashod Bateman, and an interception. The performance came hours after ESPN reported that Jackson turned down a five-year extension offer worth more than $250 million. Baltimore GM Eric Decosta said Friday that the sides would keep working on an extension after the season. The Jets’ Joe Flacco, starting against the team he helped win a Super Bowl, went 37 of 59 for 307 yards and a touchdown and an interception.
Eagles 38, (at) Lions 35: Jalen Hurts accounted for 333 yards and a touchdown and A.J. Brown had a career-high-tying 155 yards receiving in his Philly debut. The Eagles scored 24 points in the second quarter and had a 17-point lead in the fourth that was cut to three when Jared Goff threw a 22-yard TD to D J Chark with 3:51 left.
Steelers 23, (at) Bengals 20, OT: Chris Boswell kicked a 53-yard field goal as time expired in overtime as Pittsburgh won in a sloppy season opener for both teams.