By: Marcus McCallum
The Chicago Bears opened their 2026 preseason in emphatic fashion Saturday, overcoming an early 10-0 deficit to crush the Cleveland Browns 34-10 at Soldier Field. With most of their starters resting, the Bears received an encouraging performance from their backups and young players, scoring 34 unanswered points over the final 39:16 of the game.
The afternoon began with Cleveland controlling the scoreboard. Browns kicker Andre Szmyt drilled a 50-yard field goal midway through the first quarter, and Cleveland added a touchdown on Isaiah Bond’s 14-yard jet sweep on the opening play of the second period. Chicago’s offense struggled to establish momentum early, and the Bears found themselves staring at a 10-point deficit.
The comeback began with an explosive defensive play. Defensive end Jamree Kromah, who has spent the past two seasons on Chicago’s practice squad, strip-sacked quarterback Deshaun Watson and recovered the fumble at the Bears’ 49-yard line. The takeaway immediately changed the game’s momentum. After a 19-yard run by Roschon Johnson helped sustain the drive, quarterback Tyson Bagent found Maurice Alexander for a 25-yard touchdown, cutting Cleveland’s lead to 10-7.
Bagent, who started in place of Caleb Williams and most of Chicago’s starters, showed both promise and some inconsistency. He finished the first half 13-of-22 for 169 yards, one touchdown and one interception. One of his biggest weapons was Kaden Davis, who erupted against his former team. Davis caught four passes for 88 yards in the first half, including a 41-yard reception and two 21-yard completions on Chicago’s final scoring drive. Those plays helped set up Cairo Santos’ 51-yard field goal as the first half expired, tying the game at 10-10.
The second half belonged almost entirely to Chicago. Veteran quarterback Case Keenum entered and immediately provided a spark. On his first scoring drive, Keenum connected with running back Salvon Ahmed on a screen that turned into a spectacular 49-yard touchdown. Ahmed caught the ball behind the line of scrimmage, broke multiple tackles and cut across the field before outrunning Cleveland’s defenders. The play put Chicago ahead 17-10 and demonstrated the potential of the offensive system under head coach Ben Johnson. Keenum was nearly flawless. He completed 9 of 10 passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns in the third quarter, producing a perfect 158.3 passer rating. His other touchdown was a six-yard pass to running back Brittain Brown, while Ray-Ray McCloud III provided a big contribution with a 28-yard reception during the scoring drive.
Chicago’s defense was equally impressive. Kromah finished with two sacks, including the strip-sack that started the comeback, and added a tackle for loss on fourth-and-1 that stopped another Browns scoring opportunity. Cleveland was held scoreless on its final nine possessions. Another major defensive highlight came from cornerback Beanie Bishop Jr., who had only signed with Chicago six days earlier. Bishop intercepted Shedeur Sanders and later picked off Dillon Gabriel, returning the second interception 21 yards to set up another Santos field goal. His two takeaways underscored the aggressive playmaking Chicago hopes to generate in coordinator Dennis Allen’s defense. By the fourth quarter, Chicago had turned a competitive game into a rout. Santos added a 49-yard field goal after Bishop’s second interception, and Coleman Bennett capped the scoring with a three-yard touchdown run, giving the Bears their final 34-10 margin.
Perhaps most encouraging was Chicago’s discipline. The Bears committed only two penalties for 10 yards, while Cleveland was flagged five times for 42 yards. Johnson specifically praised his team’s physicality, fundamentals and attention to detail. Because it was only a preseason opener and many starters did not play, the result should not be treated as a prediction for the regular season. Still, the Bears accomplished exactly what a coaching staff wants from an exhibition opener: young players made plays, backups competed, the defense created turnovers, and the offense showed explosiveness. Kromah, Davis, Bishop, Ahmed and Keenum all strengthened their cases for larger roles.
Most importantly, Chicago responded to adversity rather than allowing an early deficit to dictate the afternoon. A 10-0 hole became a 34-10 statement, giving Ben Johnson and the Bears plenty of positive film to study as they continue preparing for the regular season. FoxSports 1410 WRMN Da Bears
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