Bear Digest

Justin Fields' Run Not Considered Fastest

It may have looked like Justin Fields was shot out of a cannon on his 67-yard TD but NextGen Stats did not clock him in the top five fastest runs last week.
Gene Chamberlain|
Justin Fields' Run Not Considered Fastest
Justin Fields' Run Not Considered Fastest

In this story:

Chicago Bears

 Justin Fields' 67-yard touchdown run last week might have been electrifying and at the time looked like a game-changer, but it didn't even make the NextGen Stats play of the week.

It would have been difficult for Fields to top the one-handed leaping catch Justin Jefferson made for Minnesota, one he stole from a defender.

He didn't even break into the top five for NextGen's play of the week with the run.

Fields, who for the second straight week was nominated for FedEx Ground Player of the Week, also didn't even rank among the fastest five runs for this week according to NexGen.

Broncos receiver Jalen Virgil had the fifth-fastest time at 20.7 mph to beat out Fields. Vikings running back Dalvin Cook had the fastest time at 21.68 mph.

A 6-yard TD catch by Arizona's A.J. Green, Trent Sherfield's 14-yard TD catch for Miami, Cook's 81-yard TD run at 21.68 mph, Marquez Valdes-Scantling's 36-yard TD catch for the Chiefs and the spectacular leaping one-hander by Jefferson kept Fields out of the top five.

Cincinnati running back Joe Mixon won FedEx Ground Player of the Week last week over Fields with 153 yards on 22 carries, 25 yards less than Fields had.

This week Fields is competing with Giants running back Saquon Barkley and Colts running back Jonathan Taylor for FedEx Ground Player of the Week. Fields had 147 yards including the 67-yard run, Barkley 152 yards on 35 attempts and Taylor 147 yards on 22 carries.

Fields did win an honor a bit more important for NFL players when he was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week last week, making him the first Bear to win it since Mitchell Trubisky in Week 10 of the 2018 season.

TICKETS TO SEE JUSTIN FIELDS AND THE BEARS THROUGH SI TICKETS

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

Published
Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

Home/News