NFL preseason: 3 Positives and negatives from Justin Fields' rookie debut against the Miami Dolphins
Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields made his NFL debut against the Miami Dolphins on Saturday. The rookie quarterback came in after the second drive and didn't come out until the third quarter.
After struggling in his first few drives, Fields showcased his immense talent as a passer and a runner and helped the Bears beat the Dolphins.
While there were plenty of positives, there were also a few negatives about Fields' performance. Let's look at them in more detail.
What are the strengths of Justin Fields' NFL debut?
#1 - Fields showed tremendous patience in the pocket
Fields hung in and waited in the pocket for plays to develop rather than make any rash decisions, as is the norm with rookie quarterbacks. He took his time to go through his reads before taking off and running. He showed excellent pocket presence and avoided the rush. The Bears should be pleased with Fields' poise in the pocket.
#2 - Fields showed off his running ability
If there's one thing that impressed the Bears most about Justin Fields, it's his ability to run with the ball. The rookie quarterback ran for 33 yards in five rushing attempts, including an eight-yard run for his first NFL touchdown.
#3 Justin Fields took care of the football
Fields connected on 14 of his 20 pass attempts for 142 yards and a touchdown. But the most crucial stat is that he didn't toss any interceptions.
Fields took care of the football and made intelligent decisions. Not only did he not throw an interception, but the rookie also didn't take a single sack. The Chicago Bears offensive line did a good job protecting Fields for most of the game, but when the Dolphins' pass rush got through, the rookie made the right reads to avoid getting sacked.
What are the weaknesses of Justin Fields' NFL Debut?
#1 Fields got off to a slow start
The rookie quarterback did get off to a slow start against the Miami Dolphins on Saturday. Chicago went three-and-out on the first three drives with Fields under center. They also committed two false start penalties, but this is common among rookie quarterbacks.
#2 Justin Fields needs to protect the football while running
Fields is undoubtedly a threat when he is running with the football. But he needs to learn to protect the ball instead of forcing a play to gain an extra couple of yards.
In one instance against the Dolphins, the pocked collapsed and Fields rolled out to his left to make a play. But one of the defenders popped the ball loose because it wasn't tucked. Fields managed to recover the ball, but it should teach him that he has to make sure the ball is always secured.
#3 - Needs more work in 2-minute offense
Justin Fields got his shot at the end of the first half to run a two-minute drill. At first, he tried to force plays and also fumbled the ball only to recover it himself. But then he showed great poise, corrected his mistakes and led the Bears down the field for a field goal to end the half.
Final thoughts on Justin Fields' NFL debut
Overall, Justin Fields had a successful NFL debut. He showed that he's capable of fixing his mistakes on the go. Some could say that the rookie surpassed the expectations.
His ability to control and command the offense is something that the Chicago Bears need. It'll be interesting to see how Chicago plays out the rest of the preseason with Fields.