Expand / Collapse search
Watch TV
Menu

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2024 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper.

Chicago Bears

Bears QB Andy Dalton: It's a long season and everyone understands that

Dalton connected on 27 of 38 attempts for an uninspiring 206 yards, no touchdowns and an interception in his first start as a Bear

By Anthony Farris OutKick
Published
close
Fox News Flash top headlines for September 13 Video

Fox News Flash top headlines for September 13

Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com.

Andy Dalton’s Bears debut likely didn’t inspire the city of Chicago to begin preparations for a Super Bowl parade, but the quarterback isn’t worried. After dropping the season opener to the Rams 34-14, Dalton and the Bears found themselves on equal footing with fellow NFC Central mates Detroit, Minnesota and Green Bay, each of whom also kicked the season off with an L.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Dalton connected on 27 of 38 attempts for an uninspiring 206 yards, no touchdowns and an interception in his first start as a Bear.

"It’s a long season," Dalton said following the loss. "I think everybody understands that. And I think if you look at the way the division shook out today we’re still in the same position."

To Dalton’s point, the other three teams within the division entered Monday with identical 0-1 records.

ANDY REID, KEVIN STEFANSKI SEE EJECTION OF BROWNS' RONNIE HARRISON JR DIFFERENTLY BUT AGREE SHOVE WAS WRONG

Aiding in Dalton and the Bears’ opening day clunker was a Rams defense that should be amongst the league’s best. "I think just the kind of way this (Rams) defense plays, they limit the big play and they make you just kind of move the ball down the field," Dalton said. "You’re not going to get very many explosives against this team."

"That’s what you’re dealing with when you play this team," added Bears coach Matt Nagy.

Dalton was subbed out for rookie Justin Fields throughout different points of the game, a move that Nagy said was by design: "We had the plan and we stuck to our plan. We knew when and where we were going to use him and we stuck to that."

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Fields finished the game 2 of 2 passing for 10 yards and a rushing score.

"He did a great job," said Nagy. "He’s a weapon for us. He obviously made a helluva run… The times that he got in there, he did well… (and) we’ll continue to keep growing with that stuff."

Extended in-game performances from Fields could make Dalton’s version of a long-season feel like an eternity.