Justin Fields' Next Step Is Finishing One

Another day, another tight loss and this time maybe more exciting than some others.

In the end, they all count the same in the "L" column and the Bears are likely to experience many more of these as they wind through the season's second half void of pass rush and short on any defensive experience.

The result Sunday of all this was the 35-32 loss to Miami, with coach Matt Eberflus labeling it as valuable.

"It's great to put them in the moment to win the game," Eberflus said. "You know, like I told the guys in the locker room, I said, 'Guys, just keep working, keep having determination, get tighter as a group. We're building the football team.

"They understand that. I know everybody was disappointed but we were right in it at the end and those experiences are invaluable for our football team to be able to be in those moments."

It's a fine approach to have with a young team, but the Bears have been in this exact situation before with the same result and said the same thing. Remember the last time they played in Soldier Field? Remember the bobbled catch at the goal line and a 12-7 loss to Washington?

Remember the final drive against Minnesota and the lost ball by Ihmir Smith-Marsette?

Remmeber the final drive—or what would have been a final drive to try and tie—against the Giants until Velus Jones Jr. got ahold of the ball, or didn't get ahold of the ball?

Four of the six Bears losses came down to failed last attempts to win the game or tie.

What is apparent is Eberflus and the coaches have found a way to really appreciate Justin Fields. How could anyone not appreciate a 61-yard quarterback scramble for a touchdown?

"I think it's special," Eberflus said. "I think we are building our football team. Like I said, we have a young football team. We are building upon that. And the centerpiece of that is the quarterback. That's the way it is in the NFL."

If Eberflus doesn't watch it, he might very soon start to sound like someone committing to Fields long term. There has always been this underlying accusation from Ryan Poles/Eberflus deniers that they don't really want Fields as their QB in the future because he wasn't their guy. They had a field day Saturday on social media when Poles was photographed scouting the Northwestern-Ohio State game, assuming he was there to look at Buckeyes QB C.J. Stroud when there were a gazillion other athletes who will be in the draft at this game and they were all playing 15 minutes from Halas Hall. Of course he would be there.

None of that matters. With that 61-yard run Sunday, Fields became Chicago's guy, if he wasn't already. And if Poles has a desire to remain a Chicago guy he'll be as fired up about Fields as his coach.

"Talk about toughness and grit and the ability to persevere through a lot of different things," Eberflus said. "Obviously start of the season is feeling his way, and now the last three games he's really taken off.

"And we are excited about that as a group and we are excited about that for the Chicago Bears and the franchise."

Fields' running ability lets the Bears keep the football when they might otherwise have to punt. They had the ball 34:46 Sunday, the third straight game they dominated time of possession. Likewise, they continue doing better on third down, converting 10 of 16 for 62%. It was better than the Dolphins did (5 of 10).

The disappointing narrow loss thing is all getting tiresome and players in the locker room seemed down about it, until they began talking about Fields' exploits.

Chase Claypool had just witnessed Fields' doing what he does for the first time and was amazed.

"It's so fun watching him move around, make plays, give us opportunities, give the entire offense opportunities to keep driving the ball," Claypool said. "It just felt right when he was the one controlling the game."

He may have been taking a bit to the extreme because with that Bears defense giving up yards in chunks, it only looked like Tua Tagovailoa had control of the situation.

"I know everybody was disappointed but we were right in it at the end and those experiences are invaluable for our football team to be able to be in those moments," Eberflus said.

The next step is winning one of those. It might take until they actually have a defense next year, but whenever it is there might be no stopping the momentum.

Even Ryan Poles might be a Fields guy at that point—if he isn't already.

TICKETS TO SEE JUSTIN FIELDS AND THE BEARS THROUGH SI TICKETS

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven