Justin Fields has left little doubt he could be the next big thing in Chicago sports after Sunday. Despite another frustrating loss, it wasn’t because of the Bears’ young quarterback. Fields accounted for 314 total yards, including 147 on the ground and four touchdowns (2 passing, 2 rushing). Chicago scored 30 points for the third time in four games. That is unheard of for this organization. What makes it even crazier is Fields has done it without much help. His offensive line is still bad, and the wide receiving corps has remained below-average save for Darnell Mooney.
It isn’t a huge stretch to say most of this offensive success is 90% due to Fields’ insane talents. However, the Detroit Lions game showed something that people haven’t talked about enough when it comes to this quarterback. That is his ability to deliver in key situations. Two plays help illustrate how special the 23-year-old is.
A few things to keep in mind here. The Bears’ offense couldn’t get out of its own way the entire half due to penalties. Facing a 3rd down, they couldn’t afford to settle for a field goal. Detroit would get the momentum of a goal-line stand and also receive the ball to open the second half. They needed a touchdown. Almost any other quarterback gets sacked on his play. Fields keeps his head, fights his way out of the jam, and barrels in for the score to tie the game up. It was a massive momentum shift.
Former GM Ernie Accorsi had a great line about the best quarterbacks. They have this ability of total amnesia. If they make a huge mistake during a game, they move on to the next play as if it never happened. It’s a rare trait. Most quarterbacks struggle to overcome brutal errors. Fields faced one when he threw an ugly pick-six to Jeff Okudah, allowing the Lions to tie the game 24-24. It would’ve been a backbreaker in most circumstances. Three plays later, the quarterback knifed through Detroit for a 67-yard touchdown run.
Name the last Bears quarterback that would’ve bounced back from such a rough play. Not Trubisky. Not Cutler or Grossman. They likely would’ve compounded such a mistake with another. Justin Fields shrugged, went back out there, and casually snatched back the lead in a sequence that lasted barely 90 seconds. People keep talking about his play at the end of games. That’s immaterial because he never makes the mistakes that ruin those opportunities. Plays like these are what he is really about. Fans should be excited about that.
