Justin Fields was a lost cause barely a week ago. Many were already dreaming of Caleb Williams next April. Maybe he could be the one to finally end the Chicago Bears‘ misery at quarterback. Then a funny thing happened. Fields had by far the best two-game stretch of his NFL career. All of it within a five-day span. He threw for 335 yards and four touchdowns against the Denver Broncos. Then, on Thursday Night Football later that week, he threw for 285 yards and four more touchdowns.
Fields is now second in the NFL in touchdown passes. That is a stat nobody ever dreamed would be said about him after watching the embattled QB stumble through the first three weeks. Part of the newfound success comes from better pass protection up front and a more concerted effort to get star receiver D.J. Moore the ball. However, Fields has also made several throws he simply wasn’t before. Timing, accuracy, and anticipation have all improved. Former Bears scouting director Greg Gabriel also found something else noteworthy.
Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy may have found his own groove.
“Not only has Fields played better, but he has been helped by better play calling. They are using different formations and running different types of plays from these new formations. They are also using pre-snap motion much more. When pre-snap motion is used, it helps tell the offense what kind of coverage the defense is in.”
Luke Getsy was under fire just as much as Justin Fields.
Fans and media constantly criticized him for his erratic play calling, never doing enough to accent his quarterback’s strengths. Some of his calls were grounds for firing in the eyes of many. To his credit, Getsy didn’t get flustered. Despite the setbacks, he insisted that the offense was nearing a breakthrough. He’s been proven correct. Part of that was aided by faced two subpar defenses. That said, there was also a significant shift in how the Bears utilized their personnel.
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One big adjustment was utilizing more “12” formations. This is where it involved one running back, two tight ends, and two wide receivers on the field. This was meant to make the Bears stronger in the running game. That forced opponents to bring more defenders down into the box, giving Moore and the receivers more space in the passing game. It has worked to perfect catching defenses in no-mans-land. Either they work hard to stop the run and risk the speedy receivers finding big plays down the field, or they keep the box light and risk the running backs and Justin Fields getting wide open lanes.
It might’ve taken longer than preferred, but Getsy’s ability to adjust could be the season’s most important story.
