The Arizona Cardinals’ rushing defense stats this season foretold what kind of game it might be for the Chicago Bears on Sunday at Soldier Field, and the first offensive play confirmed it. Bears quarterback Justin Fields handed off the ball to Khalil Herbert, who shot through a huge hole up the left hash for a 13- yard gain, his longest since before he suffered an.
The Arizona Cardinals’ rushing defense stats this season foretold what kind of game it might be for the Chicago Bears on Sunday at Soldier Field, and the first offensive play confirmed it.
Bears quarterback Justin Fields handed off the ball to Khalil Herbert, who shot through a huge hole up the left hash for a 13-yard gain, his longest since before he suffered an ankle injury in early October.
“After I tossed the ball or handed the ball off, Khalil had a lot of space to run,” Fields said. “There were like highways out there.”
Herbert rushed for a season-high 112 yards and the Bears totaled 250 on the ground to fuel a 27-16 victory over the Cardinals, who entered the game with the 31st-ranked run defense. Fields added 97 yards on nine carries, including a 3-yard touchdown run, to help the Bears bounce back from a second-half collapse against the Cleveland Browns in Week 15.
It was a big day for Herbert, who hadn’t totaled more than 35 rushing yards in a game since coming back from a sprained ankle Nov. 19. Bears coach Matt Eberflus said Friday that he had seen Herbert’s burst return in practice, and he expected bigger things from him against the Cardinals.
Herbert delivered, including breaking toward the left sideline and beating four Cardinals defenders to the end zone on an 11-yard touchdown run — and a 14-0 lead in the second quarter.
Herbert said the Bears were motivated by a rough offensive performance against the Browns.
“The big boys did a great job up front today opening up some holes,” Herbert said.
