Wednesday, March 27, 2024

An Overlooked Reason The Bears Won’t Let Justin Fields Air It Out

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For decades, Chicago Bears fans have been asked to be patient with the quarterback position. They’re tired of watching other teams enjoy having passers that can take over games. When Justin Fields was drafted, they had visions of that dream finally coming true. Outsiders can’t understand the depression of Bears fans watching that game on Sunday night in Green Bay. It’s a movie they’ve seen far too many times. Fields looked uncomfortable and totally overmatched by the responsibilities of his position.

People just want to see him air it out. Throw that football around the yard. Live with the mistakes so he can learn how to play at this level. Yet offensive coordinator Luke Getsy made it clear his job is to do what’s right for the Bears. Each game plan is dictated by matchup, not a selfish desire to see one player put up gaudy stats. If that holds true, then Bears fans may have to wait several weeks before getting a chance to see Fields cut loose.

Justin Fields must take a back seat to the running game.

No, that isn’t because Getsy and head coach Matt Eberflus are stuck in the 1950s. It is for two reasons. The first is it’s the strength of the Bears offense. They proved it in Green Bay, trampling the Packers for 180 yards. David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert are a formidable tandem. Secondly, there is the schedule. A consistent correlation exists between the next four opponents the Bears face. All of them have weak run defenses.

  • Houston – 30th
  • New York – 18th
  • Minnesota – 23rd
  • Washington – 28th

Smart football teams do their best to put their strength on the opposing weakness. The logical course of action is to attack those four teams with Montgomery and Herbert, even if it means relegating Justin Fields to the backburner. If anything, this might be a blessing in disguise. By not putting all the pressure on the young QB to carry the load, the Bears will be able to bring him along gradually.

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As opponents work harder to stop the run, that should open up better opportunities to pass. Sometimes the schedule doesn’t acquiesce to what the fans want. The clear route to winning games over the next month is on the ground. Expect the Bears to take it.

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DAVID KINDLE
DAVID KINDLE
Sep 24, 2022 7:55 pm

JUSTIN FEILDS JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH, MAKES 2 OR 3 GOOD PLAYS AND 10 BAD PLAYS, SORRY HE PRETTY BUT NOT READY FOR NFL, i LOVE THE BEARS I AM OLD BEEN BEARS FAN FOR OVER 65 YEARS AND WILL DIE A BEARS FAN BUT CHI. LOOKING FOR ANYTHING NOW BUT ITS NOT JUSTN FEILDS RIGHT NOW. LOOK AT CHI BEARS # 2 QB HIS REALLY GOOD AND CAN WIN, I BELIEVE

Ralph Law
Ralph Law
Sep 24, 2022 1:41 pm

If that’s the reason then the Chicago Bears coaching staff is in over its head on the the passing offense. Abe Gibron, Neal Armstrong, Jack Pardee, Dave Wannstedt…they all knew how to pass. Say what you feel you need to do about rebuilding…but in the meantime you still need to perform like an NFL team, and get Fields going. If you can’t get him to the equivalency of his best performances last year, then you don’t belong in the NFL – as a coach.

DaveM
DaveM
Sep 24, 2022 12:46 pm

Great analysis. Yes I want him to go downfield more, but the analysis presented here makes a lot of sense. Most coaches try to force a square peg into a round hole. Maybe these guys are a little smarter.

Sick of Bear Mess
Sick of Bear Mess
Sep 24, 2022 9:46 am

Well, when you run the ball successfully isn’t the passing game opened up?

Blivion
Sep 24, 2022 6:49 am

I kinda want to see him air it out. At the end of the season I’d prefer to know that he’s the man and also have a high 1st rounder…as opposed to winning a few more games because of “Team by team” strategy, a mid 1st round pick, and still hearing that it remains to be seen if Fields is the guy. Sorry….that’s fan hell

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