Justin Fields is playing some of his best football lately. That doesn’t appear to have stopped against the Miami Dolphins at Soldier Field. He engineered one of his best drives to date in the 2nd quarter, going 75 yards on 15 plays. The best moment came at the end. Sitting at the Dolphins’ 18-yard line, Fields executed a play action fake to Khalil Herbert that was so effective it completely shook the defensive end. It was too late when he realized Fields still had the ball. The QB bootlegged right and found Cole Kmet for a go-ahead touchdown.
People rarely appreciate how much of an art selling fakes is in the NFL. Peyton Manning harps on it all the time. He says the key to a successful play action attack is making regular handoffs and play fakes look exactly the same. It’s on the quarterback to sell it. Many aren’t willing to put in that extra effort. Fields showed in that play he’s beginning to appreciate its importance. Another sign of his maturation.
Justin Fields is on the cusp of becoming something big.
The numbers aren’t flashy, but his play of late is among the most efficient in the NFL. He’s not making many mistakes in the passing game and might be the most dangerous running QB in the NFL not named Lamar Jackson. Defenses are having a nightmare time trying to figure him out. The addition of Chase Claypool to the receiving corps should make his life easier too. It’s a matter of continuing to build experience.
The closest comparison Bears fans have seen to this type of play is Mitch Trubisky in 2018, Josh McCown in 2013, and Jay Cutler in 2011. Each time things never lasted beyond those years. Justin Fields wants to be the first quarterback in the modern era to thrive in Chicago. He’s well on his way toward achieving that goal.
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I’m really glad you caught that. So many QB’s get lazy with the play fake. Even veterans. What JF1 did there was just NASTY!
Beautiful.