Bears Insider

Schrock: Fields' near-perfect second half proof of star potential

Share

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The Bears had been waiting for the real Justin Fields to arrive. Head coach Matt Eberflus and his staff preached process and incremental progress during the rocky first four weeks that saw Fields sit last in the NFL in a host of passing categories.

The much-discussed Year 2 leap had not materialized. In fact, it appeared that Fields was starting to regress. The pinpoint accuracy that was a calling card of his entering the NFL out of Ohio State was nowhere to be found. His receivers weren't getting open, and Fields appeared hesitant to pull the trigger when they did. He had been effective as a runner, but there were no signs of the Ohio State star that lit up college football and was heralded as a "can't-miss prospect."

It looked like the Bears and Fields were heading toward a perilous point of no return. Putting together a clunker of a first half that saw him go 3-for-8 did little to assuage concerns that the Bears had infected Fields with the same disease that has plagued Chicago quarterbacks for the last three-plus decades.

But a different Justin Fields emerged in the second half of the Bears' 29-22 loss at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Fields was accurate and decisive, showed improved pocket presence, and operated the Bears' offense in an optimal manner. That his offensive line held up against a Vikings' pass rush ranked 31st in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus, certainly had something to do with it.

The Bears' second-year signal-caller went 12-for-13 for 135 yards and a touchdown in the second half. He also rushed for 36 yards and had a 53-yard touchdown run nullified by an illegal block in the back.

This was the Justin Fields the Bears had been waiting to arrive. The game-changing playmaker they lauded all offseason. The one who carved up the Cleveland Browns in the preseason finale, fertilizing seeds of hope across Chicago.

This was Justin Fields, potential franchise quarterback, showing exactly what he has the potential to become at the NFL level.

"I would say so," Fields said when asked if this was the most comfortable he has been. "Just trying to stay calm. I when I first got here, you see big guys flying around, D-linemen going fast, you just think you have to speed everything up. But I'm just starting to figure out that you just got to play within your own rhythm and the way you know how to play and just stay calm in the pocket."

Eberflus echoed his quarterback's sentiments, calling it "one of the best days of his career."

It's impossible to argue that fact.

Fields' 71.4 percent completion rate Sunday was the highest of his career (10 attempts minimum). The 208 passing yards were the fifth most of his career. The 118.7 quarterback rating was the highest of Fields' career, eclipsing his previous high of 96.6 against the Vikings last season.

He was the playmaking field general the Bears had been promising would arrive. Two big drops by Dante Pettis and some crossed wires with Darnell Mooney kept Fields from having a truly spectacular outing against a suspect Vikings defense.

This was tangible evidence of improvement. The progress the Bears have been citing, seen in practice but not on gamedays, showed up in spades Sunday in Minneapolis.

Faith in Fields had dwindled after a horrific first month of Year 2. It wasn't just that the stats were bad. It was that Fields looked like a quarterback who lacked confidence and found himself in a downward spiral that would be tough to reverse.

It was always vital to remember Fields still is in his infancy as an NFL quarterback. Sunday was just his 15th career start and just his fifth in offensive coordinator Luke Getsy's system.

There were always going to be speed bumps. That's life with a young quarterback in the NFL. The Bears' lack of skill talent and questionable offensive line would only make matters worse.

Fields deserved the benefit of the doubt. The belief that his rare talent could help him overcome every obstacle in his way.

RELATED: ISM explains what happened on costly fumble vs. Vikings

It's only one-half of football. It's not reason to throw a parade or claim the Bears' vast walk through quarterback hell is over.

But for one half of football, Justin Fields showed everything we've wanted to see. He was calm in the pocket, decisive, and made plays to get the Bears out of several second- and third-and-longs.

The Justin Fields who took the field in the second half in Minnesota had the look of the quarterback who was promised. A potential star in the making.

It's up to Fields and the Bears to make sure that it becomes the start of something special, not just a good 30 minutes lost to the depressing annals of Bears quarterback history.

Click here to follow the Under Center Podcast.

Contact Us