Ed Zurga/AP Photos
Justin Fields had just marched the Bears starters to three first-half touchdowns against the Browns to finish the 2022 preseason with the second-best passer rating in the NFL. On the ground floor of the Browns’ stadium after the game, then-head coach Matt Eberflus was asked about his second-year quarterback.
“He’s just getting better …” Eberflus said. “He’s a young player. He needs experience. This was a game-like experience for him that he needed to have. He took a big step forward for him and for our football team.”
Except it wasn’t a big step at all.