Myles Garrett and banged-up Browns host Justin Fields, improved Bears with focus on AFC playoff spot

Updated Dec. 15, 2023 5:17 p.m. ET

Associated Press

CHICAGO (5-8) at CLEVELAND (8-5)

Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, Fox

BETTING LINE: Browns by 3 1/2 according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

AGAINST THE SPREAD: Bears 6-5-2; Browns 7-5-1.

SERIES RECORD: Browns lead 10-7.

LAST MEETING: Browns beat Bears 26-6 on Sept. 26, 2021, in Cleveland.

LAST WEEK: Bears beat Lions 28-13; Browns beat Jaguars 31-27.

BEARS OFFENSE: OVERALL (21), RUSH (4), PASS (26), SCORING (20).

BEARS DEFENSE: OVERALL (12), RUSH (2), PASS (23), SCORING (T-23).

BROWNS OFFENSE: OVERALL (19), RUSH (7), PASS (23), SCORING (12).

BROWNS DEFENSE: OVERALL (1), RUSH (11), PASS (1), SCORING (14).

TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Bears minus-1; Browns minus-7.

BEARS PLAYER TO WATCH: QB Justin Fields. With an uncertain future in Chicago, Fields has been showing progress as a passer after a slow start. He has a 104.5 rating in his past six games while throwing for 1,284 yards, 10 touchdowns and two interceptions. Against Detroit, his third game back from a dislocated right thumb, he threw for a TD and ran for another. Fields returns to the site of his first NFL start. As a rookie in 2021, the former Ohio State star got sacked nine times while completing 6 of 20 passes for 68 yards.

BROWNS PLAYER TO WATCH: DE Myles Garrett. He set a franchise record with 4 1/2 sacks the previous time he faced Fields and the Bears. The All-Pro has been stuck on 13 sacks for three weeks, and after being blanked last week Garrett was highly critical of the officiating as he felt the Jaguars got away with holding — and more. Garrett's been dealing with a shoulder injury.

KEY MATCHUP: Bears WR DJ Moore vs. Cleveland's secondary. Moore is Chicago's top playmaker (76 catches, seven TDs) and will require extra attention from the Browns, who are expected to have top cornerback Denzel Ward after he missed three games with a shoulder injury.

KEY INJURIES: Bears DE Yannick Ngakoue broke an ankle late in last week’s game and will miss the remainder of the season. ... Moore (ankle) missed practice on Wednesday, returned later in the week and is questionable. ... Bears S Jaquan Brisker (groin) is also questionable. ... The Browns had another rough week on the injury front, losing starting offensive tackles Jedrick Wills Jr. (knee) and Dawand Jones (knee), S Grant Delpit (groin), DT Maurice Hurst (pectoral) and DE Ogbo Okoronkwo (pectoral) with season-ending injuries. ... Starting C Ethan Pocic (neck stinger) and S Juan Thornhill (calf) are both out. ... Browns DT Jordan Elliott (concussion) is listed as questionable after getting hurt last week.

SERIES NOTES: Two of the league's most storied franchises first met in 1951. But despite their rich histories and proximity, Chicago and Cleveland are meeting for just the 18th time. ... Browns are 8-2 at home against the Bears.

STATS AND STUFF: Chicago has won three of four and earned back-to-back victories for the first time since 2021. The Bears will try to match their best run since a three-game streak late in 2020. ... Chicago had an extra point blocked and a 2-point conversion pass fail last week. ... The Bears have 11 sacks in the past five games, giving them 21 this season. ... DE Montez Sweat has given the pass rush a big boost with 3 1/2 sacks in five games since a trade from Washington. He got his career-high 10th sack last week. ... CB Jaylon Johnson had an interception in his second straight game last week. That gave him four on the season — all in this past seven games, after getting one in his first 43. ... Entering Week 15, Moore ranks seventh in yards receiving (1,071) and is tied for sixth in touchdown catches (seven). ... S Jaquan Brisker had a career-high 17 tackles last week. ... Bears coach Matt Eberflus was an assistant with the Browns in 2009-10. ... Despite the inordinate number of key injures, the Browns enter as the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoffs. Cleveland is trying to make the postseason for just the second time since 2002. ... The Browns are 6-1 at home, outscoring opponents 141-60 in the six wins. ... The Browns are 22-10 at home under coach Kevin Stefanski since 2020. ... Cleveland is just the seventh team in the Super Bowl era to have four different quarterbacks start and win games in the same season. ... In his home debut, QB Joe Flacco passed for 311 yards last week. Flacco, who played 11 seasons in Baltimore and signed with the Browns on Nov. 20, is 10-2 as a starter in Cleveland. ... TE David Njoku had his first two-TD game last week. He's already reached his career high in receptions (59). and needs 40 yards to set high in yards (639). ... P Corey Bojorquez is averaging 51.5 yards per kick. He switched the field in a key moment last week with a 72-yarder. ... K Dustin Hopkins is 8 of 8 on FGs beyond 50 yards. His 31 makes overall are a club single-season record.

FANTASY TIP: With Garrett bearing down on him, Fields will want to get rid of the ball quickly and that could mean big things for TE Cole Kmet, who has 61 catches and five TDs. Cleveland's linebackers have had issues with tight ends. Jacksonville's Evan Engram had 11 catches for 95 yards and two TDs last week.

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