First impressions can mean everything between a quarterback and a head coach. Getting off to a bad start rarely makes a situation salvageable in the long run. Ask Josh McDaniels about Jay Cutler for a reminder of that. So Matt Eberflus knew he’d have to sell himself and his vision to Justin Fields when he arrived back in January. People wouldn’t blame him for being somewhat skeptical after what the quarterback went through last year with Matt Nagy.
Fast forward three months, and the two have been able to get to know each other. Fields sat down for his press conference at the start of voluntary minicamps. He was asked about his first impressions of Eberflus. The quarterback seems to like what he sees. Though a defensive-minded coach by background, the new Bears head coach loves the game. He’s a competitor and wants everybody to play at their best.
Most importantly, he has a plan to accomplish that goal.
Eberflus likely did himself plenty of favors by making it clear from the start that the new offense would be built around Justin Fields’ strengths. That is something Nagy stubbornly refused to do most of last season. Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy is in the process of adjusting how the quarterback operates and determining what those strengths are. Fields is already changing his footwork before the snap and tweaked his throwing mechanics to speed up his release.
That is merely the start of the process. Eberflus knows Getsy’s biggest strength is his teaching ability. The young assistant is renowned for his attention to detail. No position is more complex and hinges on details than quarterback. Fields is learning that every little thing he does matters. The goal is to master the information so that he can process it at rapid speeds. Once he does that, everything else becomes easier. It may go against Eberflus’ instincts to help a quarterback get better, but he isn’t solely a defensive guy anymore. Everything he does is in the interest of winning games for the Bears.
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