Range Finder for Justin Fields
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Justin Fields was still being recognized Monday for his astounding 173-yard rushing day even while coach Matt Eberflus talked about his possible next step as a passer.
Fields was nominated for FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Week not for passing but for his 178-yard NFL QB record rushing mark. His competition is running back Derrick Henry, who had 115 yards rushing on 17 carries and two TDs, and Cincinnati's Joe Mixon, who had 153 yards on 22 carries with four TDs
The running started to become a real thing for Fields four games ago. The next step for Justin Fields might be developing as an intermediate passer.
Coach Matt Eberflus on Monday had reviewed film of the astounding day rushing and as a red zone passer by Fields and checked all the markers on his quarterback after his 19th career start.
"Yeah, just the athleticism, the timing of his passing game was great," Eberflus said. "I've always said this—his deep ball passing has always been good. He's always thrown those very well. The intermediate passing is getting better, his pocket presence is getting better.
"And then the unscripted athleticism, the plays that he showed with the 61-yard run and the keepers, and really his discernment and his wisdom to be able to get down. I know there was one where he had an inside run and he slid after the first down marker. That was excellent. He limited his exposure in in there. I think that was an important part going forward. Being wise that way. Obviously just a tremendous athlete and the plays he made in that game, to set the record, was unbelievable. Pretty fun to watch."
Eberflus' assessment of Fields' intermediate passing isn't as much criticism as it is praise for his long passes.
"I just think that what comes to him naturally is that he's naturally a deep-ball thrower," Eberflus said. "I mean, the guy throws it on a dime. That's a skill that, I think, you have to have or you don't have.
"I think that with the intermediate passing, he's really improved on that because he's learning the offense, because he's having better pocket presence, because his timing’s getting better, because he’s getting more comfortable. And he's learned to do that, and (QB coach Andrew) Janocko and (offensive coordinator Luke) Getsy have done a nice job with that. So a credit to all those guys."
The deep passing might have been more impressive if his pass at game's end had connected with new receiver Chase Claypool. Replays indicated pass interference on the play but no flag was forthcoming.
A catch or pass interference flag on the play could have meant a minimum Bears field goal try for the tie, but they also would have had time to go for the win.
Eberflus obviously doesn't want to make too big of an issue of it by complaining, still he wouldn't have minded some justice.
"So obviously that one was early, the contact was early and all that, but again, that's their opinion and they threw the flag—or didn’t throw the flag, on that one," Eberflus said. "We thought it should've been a flag. And that's the way it is."
Eberflus was still not happy about the DPI against Eddie Jackson which was flagged. The Bears dodged that damage by taking it on downs at the Chicago 14-yard line.
"Now, going back to the Eddie one, I thought the Eddie one was played—Eddie played that really nice," Eberflus said. "I thought he had a good—I can't really coach him up any better than that, because he turned back for the ball. He's got a right to play the ball, and he did play ball.
"And it was their opinion that that was defensive pass interference and they called it. Again, that's their opinion."
Eberflus can turn the DPI questionables in to the league for review, even though there is nothing more that can be done now.
"Every single week we turn in certain things that we think are good calls," Eberflus said. "There's obviously a lot of good calls that people don't talk about, and the referees do a good job with that, and sometimes we say, 'Hey, these are the ones that we disagree with,' and we get feedback from them and try to learn."
In this case, it's apparent Eberflus thinks the league will learn something.
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