What's gone wrong with Justin Fields' Bears? Exploring Chicago's issues this year
Justin Fields commented about the coaching at the Chicago Bears following the 27-17 Week 2 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Chicago fired defensive coordinator Alan Williams only a few hours later. This team just constantly finds ways and means to implode every single year. Every time there is new optimism, they fall flat on their faces.
Fields was 16-for-29 for 211 yards, one touchdown and two killer interceptions, while also running for a touchdown, on Sunday. On what looked like an intended screen, Shaquil Barrett picked off Fields and ran 4 yards for a touchdown, icing the game with 2:03 remaining.
Fields has started 27 career games, and Chicago only has five wins in those. That is nowhere near good enough as the season basically ends the moment it starts.
His 59.8% career completion rate and 24 career interceptions have made many question his passing ability. The NFL's average passing yards per game in 2022 was 218.4, way ahead of Fields' career average of 156.5 ypg.
Fields has been sacked 10 times in the first two games, and the large majority of those are on Fields as much as the O-line. He holds the ball way too long and then steps into sacks while his receivers are getting down the field. This happened several times against the Buccaneers.
Wide receiver DJ Moore was part of the Bears' bundle for the Panthers to trade up and draft Bryce Young, and Moore was good in the Tampa Bay game (104 yards on six catches).
The toughest game in the NFL awaits next week, as the Kansas City Chiefs come to Chicago. With how the Bears are now, that game could be a complete blowout.
Lamar Jackson shows what Justin Fields could be
Lamar Jackson is the NFL's quickest quarterback, and Justin Fields may just be a little behind. Both are heavy scramblers and have had 1,000-yard rushing seasons. Like Fields, early on nobody thought Lamar Jackson could throw the football, as Lamar only had 75.1 passing yards per game on average in his rookie season.
Then in 2019, the doors were completely blown off. Jackson threw 36 touchdowns to six interceptions and easily won the MVP award. He has steadily been an excellent passer since that breakthrough season and is one of the NFL's best quarterbacks.
It won't happen this year, but if Justin Fields could somehow follow the Lamar Jackson blueprint, he could save his career.