Justin Fields was a mixed bag from an accuracy standpoint last year. He had some outright gorgeous throws down the field that would’ve made Tom Brady jealous. However, he also missed some that should’ve been gimmes too. That isn’t a big surprise. Rookies can sometimes struggle with accuracy due to mechanical issues or not having their emotions under control. They’re too keyed up. That was the case with Fields.
Early in practices this year, it’s becoming apparent that things have changed. The young quarterback is delivering some absolute missiles that demonstrate how impressive his touch really is. What makes it even better is he’s doing it at all levels of the field. Short swing passes to the running backs, medium out routes to the side, and his trademark vertical shots deep. Many of them are right on the money enough to where one must slow the video down to appreciate how good they are.
Score ✔️
Celebrate ✔️ pic.twitter.com/LkEXhzN1Xx— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) June 16, 2022
Right on the Mooney 🎯 pic.twitter.com/b6n19W56ef
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) June 16, 2022
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Justin Fields is operating like he is much more in control.
He’s had some interceptions too. When one pays attention, though, they appear to come in one of two variations. Either they were tipped or came from a wrong decision. None have resulted from bad accuracy. That is the most encouraging thing. Decision-making should improve for him as he gains confidence in the new offensive system. As for the tips, that is more back luck than anything else. Luck is a variable and impossible to predict.
Is this a premature celebration? Maybe. The Bears haven’t started practicing in pads yet. That is usually when it becomes easier to tell where a quarterback is at. Even so, Justin Fields is improving a critical facet of his game. His mechanics are better, his timing is better, and as a result, his accuracy is better. That was the whole point of Luke Getsy and the coaching staff focusing on rebuilding him from the ground up. Hopefully, the supporting cast isn’t too terrible, so Fields can show some of that progress in actual games.
“Dalton-shaped hole” I love it. And so very accurate as well. I think we have the right partners in this marriage so far. But, I’m already getting worried that the Getsy secret is going to get out and a team like Carolina is going to hire him away when they sack their staff next offseason. We can only hope the foundation is laid by then and Fields can continue to ascend.