Over the first 28 minutes of Sunday’s game, it looked like the Bears were going to get laughed out of U.S. Bank Stadium. The offense was making silly mistakes to put themselves behind the sticks. The defense looked powerless to stop anything the Vikings wanted to do. It was 21-3 midway through the second quarter.
But the Bears didn’t quit, and Justin Fields nearly willed his team to victory.
“Operation was really good by Justin,” said Matt Eberflus. “Justin had one of the best days of his career.”
Fields’ numbers on the day don’t pop off the page. In fact, they’re fairly pedestrian by today’s standards as he completed 15-21 passes for 208 yards and one score. Fields’ rushing production was more impressive as he gained 47 yards on eight carries, but one number stands out among the rest: his 118.8 QB rating. Not only is it the best mark of his career, it’s the first time he’s ever crossed the 100+ threshold.
Eberflus was quick to remind reporters during his press conference that Fields’ box score should’ve been more impressive if not for a couple of drops. One of those drops would’ve been a chunk gain, too, as Dante Pettis couldn’t reel in a 3rd-and-15 pass that could’ve given the Bears a first down. Of course there was Fields’ 52-yard touchdown scamper that was called back due to an illegal block penalty.
It wasn’t just Fields’ production that was impressive however, it was how he did it. He was more decisive with the football with both his runs and his scrambles. He was accurate throughout the day with no big mistakes. He showed better pocket presence and climbed up the field when needed. Overall, he looked like a legit NFL starter, instead of a second-year player trying to find his way in the league. It helped that his offensive line gave him better protection, too.
“It was cleaner,” said Eberflus of the o-line play. “He had time to deliver. He could see down the field without being in a rush, and ride the pocket like we talked about last week. That’s definitely an encouraging thing to see.”
NFL
The Bears should be encouraged by Fields’ play, and the offense’s rebound as a whole in the second half, even though they left Minnesota with a loss. It’s something to build upon as they get ready for a quick turnaround and a date with the Commanders on Thursday Night Football. But we’ve seen good halves from Justin Fields, and near comebacks like this in the past. Now we’ll need to see Fields and the Bears play a more consistent game from start to finish.