Matt Eberflus sounded prepared for the question when it came. The Chicago Bears had just crushed the Las Vegas Raiders 30-12 at Soldier Field. It was the second blowout victory for the Bears in three games. At the heart of the effort was rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent, who guided a balanced attack with 162 yards passing, 24 rushing, and one touchdown. It was by far the most efficient outing a Bears quarterback had produced all year. That led to the question. What happens once Justin Fields recovers from his dislocated thumb over the next week or two?
Eberflus left no room for interpretation. Fields is the starting quarterback. When he is ready, he will play. Period. One must credit the head coach. At least he made his intentions clear. Some head coaches would waffle about it, never providing a direct answer. That said, certain people wonder if Eberflus is making the right decision. Nobody disputes Fields is the most talented quarterback on the roster, but is he the best one to help them win games?
Longtime radio host Colin Cowherd is notorious for some rather dubious sports takes over the years. The criticism he gets for them is justified. However, he expressed an opinion about the Fields vs. Bagent debate and why the Bears should seriously consider sticking with the rookie.
Tyson Bagent can’t do what Fields does. But Fields also can’t do what he does.
One of the most persistent issues about the Bears’ start is how poor he’s been at executing the offense the way it’s designed. He’s not great at selling his play fakes. His bootlegs are often not run at the correct depth. His footwork on drops can be lazy sometimes. Worst of all, he doesn’t always take the designed throws when they’re available. He can’t get the ball out fast with any consistency. On Sunday, Bagent showed repeatedly that he could do all of those things, and he did it in his first start.
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Being talented at the quarterback position is important. Nobody disputes that. When he’s on, Fields can be unstoppable. The problem is talent loses appeal when it’s paired with inefficiency. Like or hate Cowherd, his numbers don’t lie. A -17 turnover differential is terrible. In 33 career games, he had 27 interceptions and 32 fumbles. He doesn’t protect the football. It is hard to win games that way. Tyson Bagent may not give the Bears a realistic chance to win the Super Bowl, but he may help them win more games.
