NFL Week 3 Game Recap: Cleveland Browns 26, Chicago Bears 6

The Cleveland Browns flexed their superiority from the opening snap in Week 3, spoiling the first NFL start for Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields with a 26-6 victory.

Cleveland’s rushing attack was especially dominant, averaging over five yards a carry, while the Browns defense suffocated the Bears to the tune of allowing just 47 offensive yards.

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Cleveland Browns

Quarterback

Baker Mayfield was productive throughout Sunday’s contest, consistently delivering the ball to his playmakers with room to run en route to 246 yards passing on 19-of-31 passing and a touchdown. Mayfield was forced out of the pocket often, succumbing to five sacks and scrambling four times. Yet, he was unwavering in his efforts to work the ball downfield, as he averaged 10.9 yards per target.

Baker Mayfield | Week 3

*Pending Review

Running Back

The vaunted Cleveland rushing attack took a while to get going but roared to life in the second half, finishing with 215 yards on 42 carries as a team. Nick Chubb was held in check for the majority of the game and finished with an average of just 3.8 yards per carry on 22 attempts.

Kareem Hunt was significantly more effective, especially as a pass-catcher, collecting 81 yards rushing and 74 yards receiving in the win. Hunt led all rushers with three missed tackles, while Chubb notched two.

Wide Receiver/Tight End

Odell Beckham Jr. made his triumphant return to NFL action after tearing his ACL in Week 7 last year. He finished with a team-high 77 yards on five receptions. Beckham was especially effective moving the sticks, with four of his receptions going for first downs.

Third-year pro Donovan Peoples-Jones was similarly effective for the shorthanded Browns receiving corps, operating as the team’s primary deep threat. He averaged 19.5 yards per reception on his two catches.  

Offensive Line

The Cleveland offensive line allowed consistent pressure in the passing game while struggling to gain much leverage in the running game. The unit gave Mayfield an average of just 2.98 seconds per dropback, conceding 18 total pressures and six sacks. In the run game, the Browns finished with just 1.3 yards before contact.

Defensive Line

Edge rusher Myles Garrett had potentially the most dominant single game of his young career, collecting a ridiculous eight individual pressures on first review. He finished with a franchise-record five sacks.

*Pending Review

Linebacker

Rookie Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was especially impactful Sunday, shutting down multiple Bears passing attempts on short and intermediate routes as he collected a group-best four tackles, including one tackle for loss.

Secondary

The Browns' secondary was practically flawless, clamping down on the Bears' pass-catchers in the few opportunities they saw. Standout cornerback Denzel Ward saw a unit-high four targets yet allowed only 29 yards on two receptions. The group drastically limited any opportunities for Chicago to get things going through the air.

Chicago Bears

Quarterback

Justin Fields’ first career start was far from ideal, as the former first-round pick struggled to get much going through the air or on the ground. Facing almost constant pressure, Fields finished with just 68 yards on 6-of-20 passing to go along with 12 yards rushing.

He unsurprisingly struggled to push the ball downfield and averaged 3.4 yards per attempt while averaging 2.8 seconds to throw. While Fields will certainly have to improve on his 41.3 passer rating and 33.3% adjusted completion percentage, his zero turnover-worthy plays on the day is a small silver lining.

Justin Fields | Week 3

*Pending Review

Running Back

David Montgomery was the victim of an overall inept offense, gaining just 34 yards rushing in his limited opportunities. The typically shifty runner forced just one missed tackle in the defeat. He was similarly ineffective as a pass-catcher, hauling in just two receptions for 21 yards.

Wide Receiver/Tight End

Similar to the Bears' offense as a whole, the team's pass-catchers struggled. They managed just six receptions for 68 yards as a unit. Allen Robinson II was the main beneficiary of the lethargic Bears passing attack, catching two passes for 27 yards on six targets.

Offensive Line

Chicago’s offensive line play was downright horrific, rarely allowing Fields substantial time in the pocket while failing to consistently open up lanes in the running game. The Bears averaged a measly 1.1 rushing yards before contact in the loss and conceded 21 total pressures, which were converted into nine sacks, on first review of the film.

Defensive Line

The unit racked up 18 total pressures, six of which became sacks — two each from edge defenders Khalil Mack and Robert Quinn. The group was less stingy against the run, collecting just three tackles for loss or no gain between them.  

*Pending Review

Linebacker

Chicago’s linebackers struggled throughout Sunday’s contest, regularly surrendering explosive plays on the ground while doing little to impede Cleveland’s short and intermediate passing attack. Roquan Smith was particularly ineffective in the defeat, drawing a team-high eight targets. Five went for completions and three resulted in first downs.  

Secondary

The Bears' secondary was likely the team's strongest performing defensive unit Sunday. Fresh off his PFF Defensive Player of the Week distinction, second-year cornerback Jaylon Johnson forced a game-high two incompletions while dropping what would’ve been his second interception of the year.