Bears vs. Dolphins notes: No-call highlights Chase Claypool’s Chicago debut

CHICAGO – Chase Claypool had a chance.

On third-and-10 near midfield, Bears quarterback Justin Fields looked for his newly-acquired receiver to extend the drive on a deep pass toward the left sideline. A comeback was hinging on it.

The ball arrived as Claypool made a backpedaling catch attempt. Dolphins cornerback Keion Crossen snuck behind him and visibly wrapped his arms around Claypool’s waist. Safety Jevon Holland quickly followed with a tackle and the pass fell incomplete.

Claypool was looking for a flag in the immediate aftermath, but none arrived. A penalty in that situation would’ve put the Bears into field-goal range, giving them at least a shot at overtime. Postgame, Claypool calmly walked through his own vantage point of the play.

“I went inside and tried to stack [defenders] outside,” Claypool said. “Justin threw a good ball to give me a chance. I felt like I was getting pulled back a little bit; but still got to go try fight through that and get that because you can’t count on someone else. [I’ve] got to count on myself.”

On fourth down, Fields’ pass to Equanimeous St. Brown fell incomplete for a turnover on downs. The Dolphins’ knelt down three times to milk the clock, ensuring the 35-32 victory at Soldier Field on Sunday.

Claypool said he did not receive an explanation from referees following the play. He was focused on getting back to the huddle.

“But, damn, we should’ve got that call,” Claypool said. “We had one more play to go get it, so that was all that mattered and sometimes those things work out and sometimes they don’t. Today, it didn’t, but I’m sure it will soon.”

Fields added that the play “was definitely” pass interference.

The Bears traded a second-round draft pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for Claypool earlier in the week, just hours before Tuesday’s trade deadline. He finished his Bears debut with two catches for 13 yards. Fields targeted him six times.

“It was a whirlwind, for sure,” Claypool said. “I was trying to catch up. Early mornings, late nights studying the playbook six, seven hours a day trying to get all the information down. It’s a cool experience to have a team want you like that and be excited for you to get involved.”

Claypool entered on the third offensive snap of the game and had a 1-yard reception. On their second drive, Claypool dropped a pass, but Fields targeted him again the next snap, a completion for 12 yards.

“I think that’s a good feeling, when something doesn’t go your way, and then they come right back to you and then you make a play,” Claypool said. “I thought I owed it to the team to do that, but I’m appreciative of that.”

[ Chicago Bears defense didn’t give QB Justin Fields ‘enough help’ ]

Tough decisions: Veteran lineman Riley Reiff earned the start over second-year pro Larry Borom at right tackle. Reiff started in place of Borom last week when Borom was out with a concussion, but Borom was cleared this week and returned to full participation in practice on Friday.

Reiff appears to have simply earned the starting spot ahead of Borom, who was a fifth-round draft pick in 2021.

Additionally, the Bears listed rookie receiver Velus Jones Jr. as inactive. Jones didn’t dress for the game. With the addition of Claypool, the Bears were likely to sideline one of their receivers. With Jones struggling on special teams, he became the odd man out. Receiver Dante Pettis returned punts and running back Khalil Herbert returned kickoffs.

“It was about special teams,” head coach Matt Eberflus said of Jones. “We looked at our roster, our cover teams and we thought we needed to have other guys up for our cover teams.”

Sanborn starts: Undrafted rookie linebacker Jack Sanborn started the game at linebacker. Veteran Nicholas Morrow slid into Roquan Smith’s now vacated “Will” linebacker spot.

Sanborn, a Lake Zurich native, had seven tackles in the game. This was easily the most reps he has seen on defense. Eberflus said he would have to watch the film, but he was impressed with Sanborn’s effort stopping the run.

“He’s an instinctual player and he’s physical, and I thought he was around the ball in the run game for sure,” Eberflus said.

The Bears signed Sanborn, who played college ball at Wisconsin, immediately after he slipped through the draft last spring.

“They have a great offense, very well coached,” Sanborn said of Miami. “In the end, we came up with stops, but we needed more of that.”