Rookie quarterback Justin Fields was in a place he didn't want to be in, and it wasn't just the bottom of a pile of humanity he often was under in his first start for the Chicago Bears.
The Bears were outplayed and outclassed in a 26-6 road loss to the Cleveland Browns, and Fields took the brunt of the beating.
Fields completed six of 20 passes for 68 yards, with a long reception of 18 yards. He was sacked nine times for 67 yards in losses, and ran just three times for 12 yards.
The Bears' net passing – yards gained minus yards lost on sacks – was one yard.
The one-sided outcome left the Bears with questions to answer before Sunday's home game with the Detroit Lions at Soldier Field, but Fields' focus was on what had just transpired in his first start.
"I'm good," he said in his postgame interview session. "It's football. You have to bounce back -- come back better. We have to get better as a whole."
He said he talked to Andy Dalton and Nick Foles, the Bears' two veteran quarterbacks, on the sideline.
Dalton started the first two games and left Game 2 – a win over the Bengals – with an ankle injury. Fields finished that game and started against the Browns in Game 3.
"They were telling me, there are going to be days like this," Fields said. "Of course, games like this.
"It's how you rebound. I'm just trying to keep my spirits up. It's great to have those guys as a support system. We played a great defense. I just went out there and tried to play my best."
Losing the way the Bears had was a new experience for Fields, and it wasn't one the former Ohio State star enjoyed.
"I'm not used to this," he said. "I'm not wanting to feel like this. Literally, when I'm saying this, I'm getting goose bumps. I don't like feeling like this.
"It's kind of like you're in a dark space. You want to do everything you can to get a win."
The Lions are preparing for all three of the Bears' quarterbacks -- Dalton, Fields and Foles. That isn't the only issue confronting the Lions.
"It's a playoff team; it's a veteran team," said head coach Dan Campbell. "Defensively they present issues, particularly with that front. They've got a number of matchup issues for us that we have to be ready to handle.
"Offensively, it's kind of the tale of who's playing a little bit – who that quarterback's going to be. We know they can function offensively. That's what we're getting ready for."
Here are some of the issues confronting the Lions:
Defense: It's a strong unit up front, with linebacker Roquan Smith patrolling the middle.
The Bears are third in the league with 11 sacks. Robert Quinn leads the team with four sacks. Khalil Mack is next with three. Tackle Akiem Hicks anchors the middle.
The Bears turned up the heat against the Browns, sacking Baker Mayfield five times.
Overall, the Bears have given up 231.3 yards passing per game (11th most in the league) and 119.3 rushing (20th).
Offense: The Bears are last in the league in yards per game (191.7) and next to last in points (13.3).
Wide receiver Allen Robinson: Don't judge him by this season's stats – 10 catches for 86 yards and one TD.
In his eighth season, and fourth with the Bears, he is a reliable and productive player. He set career highs of 98 receptions and 1,147 receiving yards in 2019, then bettered both in 2020 with 102 catches for 1,250 yards.
Running back David Montgomery: A third-year player, he rushed for 886 yards in 2019 and 1,070 in 2020.
He had two decent games against the Lions in 2020 – 64 yards rushing and a 5.9-yard average in a win on opening day at Ford Field, and 72 yards and 4.2 per carry with two TDs in a loss in Game 12 at Soldier Field.
