Nobody can ever say Justin Fields lacks drive. Even before he joined the Chicago Bears, there were rumblings from Ohio State about how hard he worked. His words to the team before the draft were, “I want to be great, so bad.” He has lived up to that statement ever since. It is a genuine challenge for other players to beat him into Halas Hall, and he is often the last one to leave. In fact, he’s spent nights there continuing to work on his game.
The people that were probably least prepared for this reality were the array of new receivers. Darnell Mooney already understands how the quarterback operates. New arrivals like Byron Pringle, Velus Jones, Equanimeous St. Brown, Tajae Sharpe, and Dante Pettis have quickly gained an appreciation for Fields’ relentless approach. Jones gushed about it during a recent podcast interview on the Podsters Of The Midway.
The rookie thought he understood hardworking QBs. Fields opened his eyes.
“I will say before I met Justin, Hendon Hooker had the craziest work ethic of always being in the film room. Always throwing the ball, working on their craft, and perfecting their craft. Then when I got here, Justin’s in the building, like, every day. Grinding. If it’s throwing routes to me, throwing routes to whoever. And that motivates me a lot. Just to see how bad he wants it. To be able to prove it to himself the type of quarterback he can be.
I’m so excited for him this upcoming season. I’m so blessed to be here. That I can make some of the things happen for him. He’s a great leader. Really confident in himself. Great guy. Great teammate, even when talking to me. His experience and stuff helps me and guides me as well. He’s my locker buddy, so we talk a lot, building chemistry.”
The positive vibes around Fields have been constant since the offseason began. Everybody around Halas Hall has noticed considerable improvements in his process, particularly his footwork and timing. The goal this spring and summer was to quicken his entire operation. Faster drops, a faster throwing motion, and faster eyes when reading coverages. The goal is to help him make quicker decisions, thereby protecting himself from unnecessary hits.
Jones has worked hard to do his part. The rookie is turning heads in early practices, creating separation on several routes. Bears coaches have helped streamline the process by giving Fields almost every rep in practice. They aren’t cutting any corners. He is allowed every opportunity to master the new offense and become the quarterback he wants to be.
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Justin Fields skepticism will remain for the time being.
His working hard and showing improvements is a good thing. However, people need to see that translate onto the field. His first opportunity for that comes on opening day against the San Francisco 49ers. No doubt he has that one circled. Fields lost the game against them last year despite one of his best performances as a rookie. Beating a playoff contender right out of the game would be a good way to send a message.
It will be a significant test. San Francisco had one of the best defenses in the NFL last season. Their pass rush led by Nick Bosa is a problem for every offense, and their linebacking corps might be one of the most underrated in the league. Justin Fields likely won’t be able to gash them for over 100 yards rushing like last time. He must be ready to beat them with his arm.
The good news is he’ll be far better prepared this time around.
Mooney, Jones, and the rest of the receiving corps are under a lot of pressure to help him. Media outlets believe the Bears have the worst supporting cast for a quarterback in the NFL. Fields defended them from such criticism. They need to back up that confidence.
At this point in the season, the chemistry between Fields and WR’s Mooney and Jones seems to be very substantial, then adding in the same chemistry between Fields and Kmet combined with the apparent 3 headed monster this team will have at RB; it really is hard not to see Getsy unveil a sleeping giant with this core on offense. Given how the wide zone plays into the OL strengths and utilizes various schemes and sets is going to prove very efficient come Sept. I seriously see this team as the potential “Cinderella Threat” come Nov and Dec. 10 wins… Read more »