The Chicago Bears made their decision clear this off-season. Despite the rampant insistence from unemployed GMs and other experts, GM Ryan Poles chose to stay the course with Justin Fields at quarterback. He also invested lots of money and draft capital in the offense around him. He has two new blockers on the offensive line, two more speedy wide receivers led by D.J. Moore, and another pass-catching option at tight end in Robert Tonyan. Some people think Poles is merely using a delaying tactic until next year when the quarterback options might be more desirable.
Recent events suggest otherwise. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported that opinions around the league remain “skeptical” of what Fields can be. They still aren’t sure he has the necessary traits to be a successful pocket passer. Perhaps tired of hearing this, an unnamed member of the organization decided to fire back.
Whoever it is didn’t say anything false. Between October 24th and December 18th, the Bears averaged 26.71 points per game on offense. During that stretch, Fields complete 67% of his passes for 1,179 yards with 11 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also rushed for 718 yards and seven touchdowns. He was responsible for 76.43% of their total yardage output. Though the Bears went 1-6 in that stretch, five of those losses were by single digits. So yes, Fields carried the team.
Justin Fields also showed signs of progress as a passer.
People continue to indicate he has no idea how to throw because his yardage totals were so low. Yet the numbers don’t reflect that. His completion percentage was good, as was his 7.13 yards per attempt. His problem was not throwing a lot of passes. He averaged 22 per game over the last nine appearances. The NFL average last season was 33. His efficiency was good. The volume wasn’t there. Part of it was an unwillingness to pull the trigger at times. There are several explanations for this. Some of it was holding the ball too long. It was also thanks to poor pass protection and unreliable receivers.
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Both of the latter issues have been addressed as stated above. The Bears believe if Justin Fields could be so effective last season with limited help around him, it makes sense he can be significantly better in 2023 with reinforcements. He’s finally in the same offensive system for another year. That should also help his development. People forget he showed flashes as a rookie that he is more than capable of putting up yards as a passer. The Bears are right to remain confident he can do so again.
