Why Justin Fields Has Stepped Up Now

Luke Getsy is not downplaying the accomplishment of his offense or even quarterback Justin Fields.

However, the Bears offensive coordinator doesn't consider this a moment for taking bows.

Who's to argue when you're 3-6 and have won once in six games.

It's not like the Bears have had trouble scoring 94 points over three-game stretches like they have just accomplished. They just scored 110 in 2020 over three games and made the playoffs.

It's just those points came against poor defenses a few seasons back and in this case it's a case where defenses seem entirely overmatched trying stop the running of Fields and the Bears' backs.

Getsy hasn't waved a magic wand and produced points, although it does seem like Fields has.

"Every game has just gotten a little better and so that's more about what we're about and what we're trying to get," Getsy said. "There is no magic potion. Right? This isn't like Space Jam, you're drinking Michael Jordan's drink, you're drinking a special water or whatever, right?

"This is the work you put in back in April all the way through now and the guys are just doing a really good job of buying into our philosophy of our play style and the way we want to play the game and being the most physical football team on the field. And so that's where we're staying committed to that."

It is working, whatever the reason. There is no denying it.

Even though the work was put in by all, none of it would amount to much if Fields hadn't suddenly exploded as a runner. Some of that is planned. Some is not, like Sunday's 61-yard touchdown scramble.

"Obviously, he made some plays that were miraculous," Getsy said. "I mean, they were pretty unbelievable. We gotta make sure we keep eliminating those few plays in the game that, you know, the interception that got called back."

The pick Fields threw to Xavien Howard never went into the record books because of offsetting penalties. It showed Fields' advancement in the passing game hasn't kept pace yet with his running.

"That's a play, he's gotta just throw it away and move on to the next down," Getsy said. "But there's plenty of good plays in there.

"He's starting to get more comfortable with everything. Like we talk about every week, he's getting more and more comfortable each and every week. We just gotta keep building on that."

The offshoot of this could be the entire offense picking up on Fields' confidence and all of them also making the passing game work.

Wide receiver Darnell Mooney said he saw this coming for Fields.

"Like I said at the beginning of the year, he's going to blossom," Mooney said. "He's going to be a dominant player."

As it's happening there will be an effect and 94 points in three games doesn't really begin to account for it, says Mooney.

"It's only a matter of time before everybody is just clicking as a unit and helping him be the best him and just blossoming with him," Mooney said. "It's going to grow, for sure."

The success achieved by Fields has created a wave of momentum, there is no doubt.

Riding this wave properly could be the difficult part.

"I think something that has just always resonated with me that Mike McCarthy used to say to us all the time is just that it's way harder to handle the success than it is to handle adversity," Getsy said. "When you have what appears to be other people thinking you have success so then now people are telling you they love you and patting you on the back, (it's about) remaining humble and staying focused on your job and making sure you stay true to what you believe and what your philosophies are and the way you want to be, the kind of man you want to be and the kind of football team you want to be."

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