Consistently, Justin Fields has not received any unnecessary roughness calls this season. However, in the recent game against the Lions, there were at least two more instances where calls for unnecessary roughness against Fields should have been made. Chicago Bears tight end, Cole Kmet, spoke on this concern in his weekly appearance on CHGO when asked about it by Bears insider Adam Hoge.
“Yeah, without getting myself in trouble too much with all that, you know I just think you want to see guys get protected especially our quarterbacks with the head and neck area I think is the one thing. When he (Fields) is getting down and sliding, you want him protected on the head and neck area. You don’t want any cheap shots in that area.
Mark Carmen asked about a late hit on Fields in the 4th quarter, where it seemed like Kmet was jawing with the referees. What Kmet said next was intriguing, as it involved not only to himself but also to his teammates.
“The hit at the end wasn’t great. Look we are trying, lobbying for those out there. Me, DJ (Moore), Mooney, we are trying our best when those hits happen to kind of lobby for the flag. We want to see Justin protected in those scenarios. We never want to see our quarterback in harms way.”
The NFL must address this issue with referees across the league. Jaquan Brisker also defended his quarterback earlier in the week, emphasizing that if teams are consistently allowed to take dirty hits on Justin Fields, they will take advantage of the that and continue to do it. Brisker correctly points out the contradiction in a league that prioritizes protecting quarterbacks, yet Fields, a young and dynamic quarterback, continues to face such treatment. It’s time for the league to intervene and ensure consistent protection for Justin Fields.
For an entertaining and engaging recap of the Bears vs Lions game, make sure to watch the video below and listen to the podcast on your preferred platform.
