All signs point to Justin Fields sitting out against the New York Jets. It isn’t a surprising decision. The young quarterback suffered a nasty AC joint sprain to his left shoulder. It is an excruciating injury that often requires 4-6 weeks to heal properly. If circumstances were different, Fields might try to play through it. However, with the Chicago Bears 3-8 and out of the playoff picture, the risks far outweigh the rewards. That is the primary reason going with backup Trevor Siemian is the sensible choice. It isn’t the only one, though.
Even as the Bears’ offense has found significant success over the past month thanks to Fields, many aren’t satisfied. They think the young quarterback is too reliant on his legs to make plays. He should be throwing the ball more often. Some wonder if he even has the capability to play from the pocket as most QBs can. Well, this game in New York offers the perfect opportunity to gather evidence.
One of two things will happen. Either Siemian will execute the offense at a higher level in the passing game, fanning those flames in the process. Or he’ll struggle all day, finish with an ugly stat line, and people will realize how many problems Fields covered up.
The Bears aren’t in a must-win game. He will not win the starting job, regardless of his performance. This is precisely why he was signed. That is to run the offense if and when Fields ever got hurt. It means he can play the game without any fear. Quarterbacks tend to do well when that happens. So if he struggles, there won’t be any excuses. It’ll be validation of how bad the offense is. The offensive line can’t pass protect well enough. The wide receivers still struggle to get open consistently.
On the other hand, if he plays well against one of the league’s better defenses, it might make people balk. Maybe it’s not the supporting cast that is the problem in the passing game. Maybe Fields still doesn’t process things well enough. Either way, the lack of clarity will finally be lifted. Trevor Siemian, intended or not, will provide answers. Nobody should ever hope for a guy to play poorly, but a bad game from him might, at last, get people to appreciate how good Fields has been.
