One source of growing frustration among the Chicago Bears community is the absurd amount of late hits Justin Fields keeps taking. While it dates back to last season, the quarterback endured one against Kansas City two weeks ago despite giving himself up on a slide. People were angry there was no penalty call. It seems teammates weren’t happy about it either. If it happened again, there was a strong chance somebody would get a receipt. Sam Mustipher made sure of that.
Sure enough, the moment came in Cleveland. Fields took off on a scramble in the first quarter. He again gave himself up on a slide. This time it was Browns defender Jacob Phillips who delivered the shot. Mustipher came screaming off the screen’s right side, seemingly ready to wring Phillips’ neck. Other Browns players confronted him, and the center was ready to fight them too. Tight end Ryan Griffin also gave Phillips an earful after the play.
Sam Mustipher showed that Fields has support now.
Not only will it be because the refs actually called a 15-yard penalty on the play, but they also know Bears teammates are ready to defend him. Word is center Lucas Patrick, who wasn’t even suited up to play, almost came off the sideline after the hit. That should give people an idea of how ready guys are to throw hands if guys try to get cut with their quarterback. This is something GM Ryan Poles preached from the moment he took over. He wants violent players. Guys who will fight for each other.
The Bears haven’t had enough of that over the past decade. It seems things are changing. Fields has guys at his back now. Sam Mustipher may not be a starter, but it doesn’t matter. Everybody is ready to protect the QB before, during, and after the whistle. That sense of confidence only figures to make him play better. It showed in his superb evening, going 14-of-16 for 158 yards and three touchdowns. If defenses become wary of giving him late shots, that should only make him more dangerous on the ground.
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