People have said for months that the best the Chicago Bears could hope for was that Justin Fields might make the same leap as Jalen Hurts. That is to say, he can go from a run-first quarterback to a genuine dual threat that is a capable passer. The team would merely have to give him a solid offensive line and talented receivers. Some weren’t enthusiastic about that idea. While Hurts had made excellent strides in 2022, people weren’t willing to accept that a player of his style could win a Super Bowl.
Then those people watched the game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Arizona. While Patrick Mahomes won Super Bowl MVP, nobody can deny Hurts was the best player on the field. He finished with 304 yards passing, 70 yards rushing, and four total touchdowns. If not for a rough outing by the Eagles defense in the second half and a special teams breakdown, he would likely be a championship-winning quarterback right now.
It was a game that should be encouraging for the Bears. Now they know. If Hurts can do it, so can Fields.
Fields can already run like Jalen Hurts.
He may not have the raw strength, but he has way more speed and similar natural instincts. The big hurdle to clear is passing the ball. Hurts had a modest season in 2021 as a passer, going for barely 3000 yards with 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Rather than second-guess whether they should commit to him, Philadelphia attacked the 2022 off-season with a clear objective. Find him more help. They did that by trading for Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Brown from the Tennessee Titans. That addition proved the difference. Hurts finished with 3700 yards passing, 22 touchdowns, and six interceptions. Couple with 700 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns on the ground, he was an MVP contender for a reason.
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
Fields has all of the same capability. He’s a great runner and has an even better arm than Jalen Hurts. His leadership isn’t questioned, nor is his work ethic. The critical difference is the supporting cast. Chicago doesn’t have anything close to Brown, DeVonta Smith, Lane Johnson, or Jason Kelce. What they do have is tons of salary cap space and the #1 overall pick in the draft. They have a chance to do what the Eagles did and commit to a guy they believe in. Hurts proved winning a championship is possible with a quarterback “like him.” It falls to GM Ryan Poles to follow the blueprint.
