Randle El's play-calling fuels Bears' second-half surge in preseason opener

The Bears' second-half explosion in Saturday's preseason opener came with a new voice at the controls.

Antwaun Randle El, Chicago's wide receivers coach, called plays for the offense after halftime, and the unit responded with 24 points and 235 yards over the final two quarters of a 34-10 win over the Browns.

The move offered an early look at the Bears' coaching depth behind Ben Johnson's new regime in Chicago. Johnson, hired as head coach this offseason, has talked about building a high-flying offense, and the second-half surge gave the staff a glimpse of how the passing game can click when the downfield shots connect.

Chicago's first half was quieter, but the offense found its rhythm once Randle El took over, stringing together scoring drives against a Browns defense that was without several regulars. The night also marked Deshaun Watson's return for Cleveland, but the Bears made sure the second half belonged to their own quarterback room and the coaching staff auditioning alongside it.

Randle El, a former Super Bowl champion receiver who won a ring with the Steelers, has been part of Chicago's coaching staff. Saturday's assignment suggested the team is comfortable letting him run the show in a low-stakes setting — and the results backed up the trust.