CHICAGO — The Cleveland Browns couldn't have asked for a much better start to their preseason opener. The finish, however, left plenty to be desired.
After building a 10-0 lead in the first half, the Browns surrendered 34 consecutive points as the Chicago Bears pulled away for a 34-10 victory Saturday afternoon at Soldier Field.
Quarterback Deshaun Watson made his first game appearance since suffering a season-ending Achilles injury in 2024 and showed some encouraging signs during his limited action. Watson completed 11 of 15 passes for 126 yards while leading Cleveland on two scoring drives before a costly second-quarter fumble shifted the game's momentum.
The Browns struck first after forcing a three-and-out on Chicago's opening possession. A 31-yard punt return by rookie KC Concepcion gave Cleveland good field position, setting up Andre Szmyt's 50-yard boot for a 3-0 lead.
Cleveland extended the advantage early in the second quarter with its most impressive drive of the afternoon. Watson completed all four of his pass attempts on the possession, including a 43-yard screen to running back Dylan Sampson that flipped the field. Moments later, Concepcion capped the 81-yard drive with a 14-yard touchdown run to give the Browns a 10-0 lead.
The turning point came on Cleveland's next possession.
Facing a fourth-and-2 near midfield, Watson was stripped by Bears linebacker Jamree Kromah, who also recovered the fumble. Chicago converted the takeaway into a touchdown just three plays later when Tyson Bagent found Maurice Alexander for a 25-yard score. Cairo Santos added a 51-yard field goal as time expired in the first half, sending the teams into the locker room tied at 10-10.
The Bears seized control after halftime.
Case Keenum engineered touchdown drives on Chicago's first two possessions of the third quarter, highlighted by a 49-yard catch-and-run by Salvon Ahmed and a six-yard touchdown pass to Brittain Brown. Another touchdown run in the fourth quarter, along with a late field goal, completed Chicago's 34 unanswered points.
Shedeur Sanders took over at quarterback to begin the second half and completed 6 of 11 passes for 79 yards. He directed one promising drive to the Chicago 5-yard line, but the Browns came away empty after Ahmani Marshall was stopped on fourth-and-1. Sanders later threw an interception before giving way to rookie Dillon Gabriel, who finished out the game.
Despite the lopsided final score, the opener provided Cleveland with meaningful evaluation opportunities as the coaching staff continued sorting through position battles across the roster. Watson's return, Concepcion's playmaking ability and several young defensive contributors offered positives, while turnovers and second-half execution highlighted areas that will need improvement before the regular season begins.
What's Next: The Browns travel to Buffalo for their second preseason game on Aug. 21. The matchup follows a week of joint practices between the two teams and is expected to provide extended opportunities for Cleveland's younger players and quarterbacks competing for roster spots.