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Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields set Soldier Field on fire with his feet Sunday, setting an NFL single-game regular-season rushing record with 178 yards, including a 61-yard touchdown. Fields also threw three TD passes, lessening the sting of the Bears’ 35-32 loss to the Miami Dolphins, the team’s fifth defeat in six games.
Now the Bears (3-6) will return to division play with the 2-6 Detroit Lions coming to Chicago for Sunday’s game. In the lead-up to the game, here are a dozen eye-catching facts and figures.
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Rushing yards through nine games by Fields, who is on pace to rush for 1,137 yards, which would break Bobby Douglass’ 50-year single-season franchise record for rushing yards by a quarterback (968).
The NFL single-season rushing record for a quarterback, set three seasons ago by Baltimore Ravens star Lamar Jackson. Jackson was named the MVP that season, rushing for seven touchdowns while totaling 3,127 passing yards and 36 touchdowns passes.
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Points scored over the last three games by the Bears, a stretch that has allowed them to jump to 21st in the league in scoring at 20.8 points per game. After the 12-7 loss to the Washington Commanders in Week 6, the Bears ranked 31st in scoring at 15.5 ppg. Their recent scoring uptick has been as entertaining as it has been encouraging.
Points scored by the Lions offense over the last four games. They have managed just five touchdowns on 38 possessions in that span. The Lions averaged a league-best 35 points over their first four games but have fallen to 12th (23.5 ppg).
Touchdowns allowed by the Bears defense over the last two games, losses to the Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys. The Bears defenseallowed 15 total touchdowns in their first seven games but have dropped to 21st in the NFL in scoring defense (24 ppg).
Rank in passing yards per game by the Bears, who are averaging 125.7 in their 3-6 start. Fields has topped 200 passing yards only once this season — with 208 against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 5.
Rank in passing yards allowed per game by the Lions, who have given up an average of 268.5 yards this season. Three quarterbacks have topped 300 yards against them — Carson Wentz, Geno Smith and Tua Tagavailoa. Wentz and Tagavailoa also threw three touchdown passes against the Lions.
Combined total of sacks and takeaways recorded by the Bears against the Dolphins. That marked just the seventh time in the last 10 seasons the defense had been blanked in both categories. The most recent time it had happened before Sunday was in a 33-22 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 8 of last season.
Receiving yards by Darnell Mooney in four games against the Lions. Mooney made his first career catch against the Lions, a 19-yarder from Mitch Trubisky in Week 1 of 2020. He had his first career 100-yard receiving outing against Detroit also, with 125 in Week 4 last season. Eight weeks later, he added a five-catch, 123-yard performance against the Lions.
Touchdown receptions by Cole Kmet this season, which puts him in a tie for fifth in the league among tight ends behind Travis Kelce (seven), Mark Andrews (five), Zach Ertz (four) and Mike Gesicki (four). All three of Kmet’s touchdowns have come in the last two weeks after he went 28 consecutive games without reaching the end zone.
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The Lions’ record in games decided by one score over the two seasons with Dan Campbell as their coach. That includes a 1-4 mark this season after a 15-9 upset of the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. The Lions also have close losses to the Philadelphia Eagles (38-35), Vikings (28-24), Seattle Seahawks (48-45) and Dolphins (31-27). The Lions gave up final-minute touchdowns in the losses to the Vikings and Dolphins.
The Bears’ record in games decided by one score over Fields’ 19 starts as a quarterback, which includes a 1-4 mark this season. The Bears lost to the Dolphins despite having two fourth quarter possessions with a chance to tie the game or take the lead. They couldn’t get it done. Said Kmet: “That’s the next step, right? We’re putting up points. … But I think if we want to be a championship team, that’s what the NFL is. (It’s) two-minute situations, end of half, end of the game and it’s about executing in those situations.”
