3 truths about Justin Fields following Bears’ sloppy win over Texans

“Straight up, I just played — I don’t want to say the A-word, but I played like trash,” said quarterback Justin Fields to the media following the Chicago Bears 23-20 victory over the Houston Texans. “Really just got to be better.”

Fields is in this second year with the team and his first as the solidified starter. He was the 11th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, a pick that the Bears moved up nine spots to acquire. After three games this season, Fields is averaging a 47.1 completion percentage, with four interceptions and ten sacks against him.

There’s a lot to look at when it comes to Fields’ poor start, both from a personnel standpoint to all the way up in the front office. It’s truly the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to the truth about Fields.

Truth No. 1: It’s not all his fault

Fields is not the sole problem when it comes to the offense and its lack of passing game. The Bears’ new front office has made this year one about rebuilding the roster. General manager Ryan Poles made this point clear by allowing players like wide receiver Allen Robinson and interior offensive lineman James Daniels walk in free agency.

Poles did attack the draft when it came time to fill in roster spots on offense. He drafted four offensive linemen, a wide receiver, and a running back with six of the team’s 11 total picks. That receiver, Velus Jones Jr, has yet to even make his rookie debut due to a hamstring injury.

Despite the potential of the team’s draft class, the Bears still lack some things on offense. It’s hard to be too critical of a second-year quarterback with an overall lack of weapons. His fellow 2021 draftee Trevor Lawrence, for example, is having an excellent start to the year. The Jacksonville Jaguars spent this past offseason building their offense with names like Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, and Cam Robinson, which has certainly made things easier for Lawrence.

This first point isn’t meant to excuse Fields totally. Ultimately, a player can’t entirely blame their situation on their poor play.

Truth No. 2: Fields is learning a new offense

Former head coach Matt Nagy had the full intention of starting quarterback Andy Dalton in 2021 for the Bears. He wanted Justin Fields to sit and observe, similar to what the San Francisco 49ers did with Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo.

When Fields did get announced the team’s starter, there was an overall lack of a game plan for the rookie. Fast forward to today, and the same statement isn’t true.

The Bears hired a brand new offensive coordinator in Luke Getsky, formerly of the Green Bay Packers. Getsy has brought over elements of what the Packers have been doing on offense for years with Aaron Rodgers.

It’s encouraging to have a new game plan with the offensive scheme, but that means some serious growing pains and mistakes, including with Fields. There are going to be some rough patches.

We need to play Devil’s advocate here, however. The Bears are running the ball extremely well. Between the duo of David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert, the team is second in the league overall in rushing yards, averaging 186.7 YPG, according to Team Rankings. The team is dominating on the ground, which should open things up in the passing game.

But it isn’t.

That ultimately falls on Fields, who seems to be making the same mistakes now that he did last year (pocket awareness, holding onto the football too long, to name a few). Mistakes can be corrected. However, it needs to start happening soon.

Truth No. 3: Ryan Poles didn’t draft Justin Fields

It’s a new regime, as mentioned earlier. That means that it’s a new image of what the team will look like. Justin Fields is on a rookie contract, so if the team is competitive, that gives them the potential to rebuild this roster efficiently around that cheaper deal. The team has some serious cap space to spend in 2023, which is encouraging if they believe Justin Fields is their guy.

Fields may not be their guy, however. While Poles has made it clear that they believe in Fields, that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t pull the trigger on drafting a top rookie quarterback like Bryce Young or CJ Stroud in 2023 should the Bears have an opportunity. They could also view the trade market for a veteran player ready for a change of scenery.

These next 14 games are very important for Fields. He has an opportunity to show that the past few weeks have been mere growing pains and that he’s the quarterback that Bears fans have been desperately asking for. If he doesn’t, there’s no guarantee that Poles views him as a piece of the team’s long-term plans. It’s obviously an assumption, but it’s one to consider with a brand new general manager and head coach leading the Bears.

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