Bill Lazor is once again in charge of the Chicago Bears offense. This time is different from last year though. Mainly because he isn’t working with Mitch Trubisky or Nick Foles at quarterback. It’s Justin Fields. So learning what the rookie can and can’t do has taken an adjustment period. One characterized by a careful refusal not to let him throw too often. Over the past two games, Fields has just 37 passes total.
Listening to the offensive coordinator during his latest press conference, it sounds like he is every bit as frustrated as the fans at not finding ways to have Fields throw more often. There isn’t one explanation for this either. It’s multiple things. One of them is the rookie still not quite understanding what the word “open” means in the NFL. Windows are much small at this level and the rookie hasn’t grasped this reality yet. However, Lazor feels he’s getting there. The TD pass to Jesper Horsted was proof.
This was always going to be an adjustment.
Fields isn’t the first college QB to face this challenge. Peyton Manning himself talked about it several times during his career. That being said, Lazor did admit some frustration with himself for not finding more opportunities to let the rookie throw. Part of the reason is how the past two games have played out. The Bears ran the ball really well in both and jumped out to early leads. So it was felt they didn’t need to lean on the passing game too much.
People must remember that in addition to being coaches, Lazor and the rest of the offensive staff are fans too. They want to see Fields rack up the stats as much as anybody. However, they must temper those desires with cold logic. Their job is to win games. Thus far the formula has been a run-heavy approach, play action, and leaning on the defense. The good news? It won’t always be like that.
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Bill Lazor knows Fields will have to step up soon
That could be as soon as this weekend. Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers are coming to town. Everybody knows the run-first and great defense approach rarely works on this team. If the Bears want to win, they’re going to have to score points. That will require throwing the football. After that, they have to play the red-hot Tom Brady in Tampa Bay. Not to mention the suffocating Buccaneers run defense.
So make no mistake. Bill Lazor will have to let Fields throw a lot more in the coming weeks. The Bears will still commit to running the ball. As they should. They must keep defenses honest and make sure play action remains a viable option for their young QB. That said, what fans want is coming. The rookie is going to be asked to throw the football more. What remains to be seen is whether the team can find him some easy completions.
Not to mention strikes down the field.
It isn’t always going to be pretty, but this is part of the learning process. Sooner or later the Bears will need their young quarterback to shoulder the load. A responsibility Fields not only understands but clamors for. He keeps saying he feels like he’s made for this. Lazor and the staff are about ready to let him prove it.