Justin Fields a Great Pick to Bear a Huge Burden
So. . . Justin Fields is the Bears’ new heir apparent at quarterback.
This is a much better development than, say, Mitch Trubisky or Jay Cutler.
It comes with this caveat, though: If you really like a young man, could there be anything worse than seeing him become the quarterback of the Chicago Bears?
This is a job description that basically has been filled with peril since Sid Luckman ``thrilled the nation,’’ as the Bears fight song goes, ``with [the] T formation.’’ In 1940. When the Bears famously defeated the Washington football team 73-0 in the NFL title game.
Since then, except for the 10 minutes when Jim McMahon was healthy, the phrase ``Bears quarterback’’ has come with a surgeon general’s warning.
There have been two Bears championships during the Bear-watching lifetime of this Social Security pensioner:
1) The 1985 Bears, led by McMahon, who not only was injury prone because, God bless him, he played quarterback with the enthusiasm of a linebacker.
He also ticked off Michael McCaskey, the grandson of Papa Bear George Halas, who eagerly cast off McMahon for another quarterback who brought a linebacker mentality to the position: Jim Harbaugh. Who did not have McMahon’s innate skills.
2) The other championship came in 1963, the year that commissioner Pete Rozelle, who was shocked by gambling, aided the Bears’ cause by suspending Packers star Paul Hornung and Lions star Alex Karras for a season.
The Bears quarterbacks in 1963 were Bill Wade, who beat the New York Giants 14-10 for the championship when the defense set up both touchdowns. And backup Rudy Bukich, who supplanted Wade as the starter not longer after that. But not, apparently, soon enough.
For all their flaws, I loved Wade and Bukich. To this day, I generally have two drivers in my golf ``arsenal.’’ They are nicknamed Wade and Bukich. I frequently alternate them. I am not, however, a good driver of the golf ball, as anyone who has seen me swing a driver will tell you.
And don’t even get me started on Bobby Douglass, Jack Concannon, Virgil Carter, Vince Evans, Kyle Orton, Rex Grossman, Steve Fuller, Mike Tomczak, Doug Flutie, Jim Miller, Bob Avellini and Larry Rakestraw. And oh yeah, Nick Foles and coming-attraction Andy Dalton.
I like virtually all of these guys. I just don’t/didn’t like them to win enough games to satisfy thirsty Bears fans.
Which brings us to Justin Fields, whose job is to end the Billy-Goat-like curse on Chicago Bears quarterbacks.
Here’s an in-depth analysis of Fields’ strengths from The Athletic’s Dane Brugler. . .
``Well-strapped together athlete who takes care of his body. . . moves with the fluid, composed feet of a former shortstop. . . shows a natural feel for timing, touch and accuracy on throws within structure. . . strong arm and shows the ability to drive the football, especially when he steps and torques through his hips. . . sturdy in the pocket. . . recognizes defensive back assignments and places the ball away from trouble on his throws. . . above-average stride speed and flashes a burst when he tucks and runs.’’
And Brugler’s assessment of Fields’ weaknesses:
``Undeveloped field vision. . . locks onto his preferred read and doesn’t consistently find his second and third options (sometimes by design). . . needs to be quicker eliminating things post-snap … stares down reads and doesn’t play with a consistent sense of urgency. . . needs to be better taking what the defense gives him instead of forcing throws. . . his passes lose life when attempting to throw off-balance. . . ball security needs work: holds the ball loose in the pocket and as a runner (12 fumbles over the last two seasons). . . needs to do a better job of avoiding hits. . . benefited from an all-star cast around him [both players and play-calling].’’
Here’s the part that jumps out to me: ``Undeveloped field vision … locks onto his preferred read and doesn’t consistently find his second and third options.’’
Because, yes, Fields has all the physical tools, as far as I can tell. He has a strong arm and a chance to be, as others have pointed out, the best-running Bears quarterback since the beloved and rugged Bobby Douglass. And Fields will do it more like a deer than a bull.
The thing is, seeing the field is. . . everything. . . for a quarterback who wants to win a Super Bowl. It’s also an area where Fields’ high-profile predecessors, Trubisky and Cutler, were exceptionally deficient.
One thing I will add: I like Fields’ leadership skills. A lot. He was not merely a true general on the field at Ohio State. He was a principal in the protest movement that forced the Big Ten to play pandemic football after prematurely shutting down its season. He has smarts and courage.
There’s an assumption among current Bears writers that Matt Nagy will coach up Fields in this area. To which I say, ``Show me.’’ Nagy did not exactly shine in that department with Trubisky.
And so, kudos to the Bears for making an excellent choice to try and solve their many decades of woe at quarterback.
And good luck to Fields as he tries to break an epic drought.