Dalton will play more Saturday than he did in the opener — at least twice as many snaps as last week. His goals are simple.
Andy Dalton will get more than six plays Saturday to try to change the city-wide narrative about the Bears’ quarterback competition-that-isn’t-really-one against rookie Justin Fields. Not that he’s thinking about it that way. “You can’t focus on that,” he said after practice Wednesday. “If you focus on that, then that’s gonna beat you down. And so I know who I am, I know who I was created to be, I know where my identity lies. “And so do I want the fans behind me and this team and all that kind of stuff? Yes. Do I want them behind Justin? Absolutely, I do.” Fields gave Bears fans plenty to cheer in the first exhibition game. Dalton did not. failing to garner a first down over two drives — one came back on an Alex Bars holding call — and completing 2-of-4 passes for 18 yards. He ran six plays before giving way to Fields. Dalton, though, remains the Bears’ unquestioned Week 1 starter — even as Bears fans breathlessly wait for coach Matt Nagy to give the job, eventually, to Fields. “Justin is going to have his time and Justin is going to have a great career,” Dalton said.
