Matt Eberflus on Justin Fields: We expect consistency

The Chicago Bears have seven games remaining in the 2023 season, and Justin Fields must make them count. It could go one of two ways for him: he proves he’s the long-term answer at quarterback for the Bears, or he’ll be one of the biggest names on the trade block this offseason.

There’s no in-between.

Matt Eberflus was shockingly clear on Wednesday when he was asked whether the next seven games are enough of a sample size for the Bears to know whether they have their guy at quarterback moving forward.

“I think seven weeks is enough time to show consistency, you know, and be the high performer that we expect him to be,” Eberflus said. “I know he has had some good performances along this year. Certainly, the last few have been solid, and we expect consistency out of all our positions.”

A consistent quarterback usually leads to good things on offense. Fields has proven in spurts that he can be one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the NFL, but consistency hasn’t been his calling card.

Whether it’s an accurate pass thrown on a rope followed by a dud, or a big run out of a chaotic pocket followed by excruciatingly long processing that leads to a sack, Fields has been equal parts good and maddening over his first nearly three seasons in the league.

However, the good has been so good that the bar won’t be that high for him to meet the consistency standard Eberflus and GM Ryan Poles want to see. At least, it shouldn’t be. Elite playmakers can make up for a bad rep or two with a field-flipping play. You’ll take a few inconsistent reps for that one special moment.

Eberflus said Fields “is progressing well” from his dislocated right thumb injury, and it certainly feels like the Chicago Bears have been very conservative in his recovery. They’ve allowed him to get fully healthy, perhaps partly to avoid any lingering excuses about poor performance being attributed to his thumb.

The Chicago Bears will travel to Detroit in a challenging Week 11 road game to take on the Lions. If Justin Fields keeps it close or even pulls off a shocking upset, he’ll kick off this important stretch of games with QB1 momentum. If he struggles? Buckle up. Bears Twitter will be a rough place to hang out.

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