Justin Fields NFL debut with Chicago Bears goes well overall
It is hard to find a lot of positives from the Chicago Bears after losing their season opener by 20 points. However, the big picture of 2021 has been Justin Fields and his progression. All things said you can actually walk away pretty optimistic if all you were worried about was the progression of Justin Fields.
Yes, he finished the game with just five snaps. However, many fans walked into the game with the anticipation that he would not be playing at all. That would he would be watching and holding a clipboard. Fields staying active, and getting the chance to run in the game, and take snaps is valuable in itself.
Beyond that, the Bears put him in situations where he was able to get comfortable. A quick pass was his first play of the game. Getting the ball out quickly has been key for Fields and he did just that. He also was able to get out the first snap, drop back, and completed a pass without any real thought to it, and no defensive game plan like the first snap of a game would bring. It was just another snap in the flow of the game, and Fields jumped in and took it.
He took a snap and executed a hand-off and trick play. He completed a quick shuffle pass and sent men in motion. He also ran for a touchdown, checking another box. Getting his first hit, scramble, run to the corner of the end zone, and celebration in week one is pretty valuable, especially when you consider he was the backup the entire time.
Next. David Montgomery picking up where he left off. dark
The Bears were able to get him plenty of experience and check off plenty of boxes without overwhelming him and putting all of the pressure on his shoulders. It was slow, but it progressed, and it was stress-free. It helped create good habits, and helped ease a lot of the pressure of first this and first that when he does actually start.