Analyst Shoots Down Justin Fields Critics With Perfect Argument

People got a taste of the Chicago Bears offense without Justin Fields on Sunday in New York. They didn’t care for it. After a nice opening quarter from Trevor Siemian, the Jets’ defense clamped down on the Bears for the remaining 45 minutes of the game. Chicago scored only 10 points and couldn’t even muster 300 total yards. It was painfully clear how much Fields’ playmaking skills were missed. His persistent critics had no doubt hoped the more experienced Siemian would reveal how much better the passing game could be. What they got was 179 yards, 1 TD, and one interception.

The most persistent issue between Fields supporters and doubters is his lack of passing numbers. While his efficiency has drastically improved over the past six games, he’s only crossed the 200-yard threshold once in that time. Most of the damage he’s done has been on the ground. Common football logic says a quarterback must eventually win games from the pocket. Longtime analyst Greg Cosell has watched every game this year. He spoke on the Ross Tucker Podcast about his observations. Based on his experience, the Bears don’t run a typical NFL passing attack. It is “elementary.” While that may sound bad, he also pointed out why it may not matter.

Maybe there is more than one way to play quarterback in today’s league.

“That comes back to my question: What have we learned about Justin Fields this year? They don’t really run an NFL passing game in the strict sense, and we know he is a dynamic, explosive runner who is 230 pounds. It’s a philosophical question without, I think, a defined answer. I am sure there are coaches who will say, ‘Hey, we’ve learned nothing because at some point you’ve got to throw it from the pocket.’ There’s others who will say, ‘Hey, there are different ways to play quarterback and this is the way he plays quarterback.’

“The bottom line is they are scoring a lot of points and one could easily say, and there is absolutely no argument in response to this, ‘If they are going to score 30 points a game, then what’s the problem?’”

Justin Fields doesn’t have to master everything immediately.

That is what remains overlooked in this entire saga. Just because he’s not an advantage passer now doesn’t mean he can’t become one in the near future. It’s the first year in a new offense, and he’s been forced to play behind one of the worst offensive lines in football. Until the protection improves, he’s inclined to lean on his mobility more often. He isn’t the first to do this. Through his first 16 games as a starter, Colin Kaepernick averaged 25 passing attempts per game. That timeframe included a trip to the Super Bowl, where he came mere yards from winning a Lombardi trophy. Lamar Jackson also averaged 25 attempts per game through his first 16 games. His efforts led to two playoff appearances.

Jalen Hurts is in MVP conversations despite surpassing the 200-yard passing threshold only twice in the past five games. His team is 10-1. There is no argument that teams can’t win with quarterbacks who play this way. The only difference between Justin Fields and those other guys is they have way better teams around them. Once GM Ryan Poles can fortify the roster, there is no reason to think this young quarterback can’t improve his passing numbers while remaining one of the most electric playmakers in football.

Nobody ever slammed Tom Brady and Peyton Manning for not doing more damage with their legs. Production is production, regardless of how it’s accomplished.