The Top Tests Coming for Justin Fields
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The 2022 schedule facing Bears quarterback Justin Fields stands to either cause him problems or challenge him to improve, depending on your viewpoint.
Think Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills and Green Bay Packers.
Fields and the Bears passing attack will be going against pass defenses who gave plenty of teams fits last year, although by and large it's not an excessive amount of top pass defenses. It's just that they are facing the very best at it.
The Bills were first in completion percentage allowed (56%), quarterback rating against (65.3) and fifth in interceptions (19). The Patriots were second in all three categories (23 interceptions, 73.3 passer rating, 59.3 completion percentage). And the Cowboys were first in interceptions (26), and third in QB rating against (76.6) and completion percentage (59.5).
This would be only three games when Fields will face such a formidable task, and he does get to work his way into this season before facing those teams. The Patriots and Cowboys games are Oct. 24 and Oct. 30 and the Bears don't face Buffalo until December.
However, Fields also faces a Miami Dolphins defense which ranked fifth in completion percentage and seventh in QB rating and twice plays the Packers, who were eighth in completion percentage, seventh in interceptions and 10th in QB rating.
Even a game against the Houston Texans figures to be a test because Lovie Smith's defense last year was ninth in interceptions with 17. Minnesota's pass defense wasn't as good as in years past but still top half of the league in all three categories and 10th in completion percentage allowed. And that's two more games.
Individually, Fields is going to be tested by a group of defenders best referred to as bandits.
Trevon Diggs led the league in interceptions with 11, the Lions' Amani Oruwariye and Buffalo's Micah Hyde tied for third in picks with six and Fields will also see Buffalo's Jordann Poyer, Green Bay's Rasul Douglas, Miami's Xavien Howard and the Giants' Xavier McKinney, who tied for fifth with five intereptions each.
It's going to call for a more accurate Fields, but the good part of this for the Bears is he doesn't face an excessive number of the league's best pass rushers.
Considering how poor the Bears were at pass protection last year, that they have young players who figure to start like Larry Borom and Teven Jenkins, and that their right guard spot could be played by a rookie, this is truly a break for Fields.
Make no mistake, there will be challenges because they'll have four games against teams ranked in the top six in total sacks.
However, the schedule as a whole does't have an excessive number of last year's most productive sacks specialists and 10 of their games are against teams ranked in the bottom half of the league in recording sacks last year. This has to be a relief for the Bears linemen, after it seemed they went up against dominant rushers almost every week in 2021, starting with Aaron Donald in the opening loss.
They will face only four players who ranked in the top 20 in sacks and two will be in the first two weeks: Nick Bosa (15 1/2) and Rashan Gary (9 1/2). The only others they face are Dallas' Micah Parsons (13) and New England's Matthew Judon (12 1/2).
Based on what teams did last year—and at this point it's all anyone can really use—Fields will be facing tight coverage but should have time to throw and to grow into the passer the Bears need him to be, provided the line isn't worse than last year.
It would be difficult to see this occurring, considering they allowed more sacks last year than any team in the league with 58.
Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven
