Justin Fields looked like a completely different quarterback starting just over a week ago. Through his first three games, he looked too much like the player he was for much of 2022. He struggled to find completion, had low passing yardage, and more interceptions than touchdowns. Many were already clamoring for Tyson Bagent to get an opportunity and dreaming of Caleb Williams in the 2024 draft. Then something weird happened. Fields exploded for the best two-game showing a Chicago Bears quarterback has had in 14 years.
He put up 335 yards and four touchdowns against the Denver Broncos at Soldier Field. Sadly, two brutal 4th quarter turnovers marred an otherwise terrific performance. However, he left no doubt four days later in Washington. Fields threw for another 285 yards and four more touchdowns, this time without a turnover, to claim the Bears' first victory of the season. It was a sequence that had many wondering if the light finally went on for the young quarterback or if it was merely the product of playing two bad defenses. Longtime insider Adam Caplan of Pro Football Network asked a personnel executive about it.
The answer he got back was encouraging.
A personnel source who has watched Fields’ tape this season said that he is starting to “trust” what he sees and is not “dropping his eyes” as he was when he was struggling during the team’s first three games.
When quarterbacks drop their eyes and don’t see the entire field, they tend to leave passes short of the mark.
“He was locking in one guy and really wasn’t taking in what the play was designed for. I know everyone wants to knock their coaches, but guys were open, and he wasn’t seeing them,” the source said...
..As the personnel source indicated, he wasn’t pulling on passes when he was struggling, but now?
“You can see he’s way more comfortable and would plant his foot, and that ball was out. That’s what you want to see in a young quarterback. Execute the play like it’s designed. He has a lot of tools, and you saw last season when he was comfortable in what they were asking him to do that he could be effective.”
What Justin Fields is doing defies normal NFL circumstances.
The executive is correct. He had a bad tendency to drop his eyes, watching for the rush rather than keeping them downfield, looking for the right read. Usually, when quarterbacks start doing that, their hopes of ever panning out are dead. They become shell-shocked, too worried about the rush to execute properly. It has happened to several former 1st round quarterbacks. Tim Couch, David Carr, Jake Locker, Robert Griffin III, and Carson Wentz are examples. Fields seems to be evolving in the opposite direction.
That is a testament to his mental and physical toughness. Many quarterbacks would've folded long ago under this kind of stress. Justin Fields remains confident in himself, keeps working hard, and finally started trusting the offense. Average quarterbacks don't throw four touchdowns in back-to-back games. Here are the only ones to have done it since 2015.
- Joe Burrow
- Patrick Mahomes
- Aaron Rodgers
- Russell Wilson
- Josh Allen
- Kirk Cousins
- Lamar Jackson
- Deshaun Watson
- Derek Carr
That is a pretty good company to keep. Three of those guys have Super Bowl rings. Everybody else made multiple Pro Bowls. If Fields continues this steady evolution, the Bears may finally have their quarterback.
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