What's the Rush with Justin Fields?

Over the course of the last five weeks, it's been made clear by coach Matt Eberflus what he thinks about Justin Fields' performances and future.

Fields' improvement as a runner on designed plays or scrambles requires no special training or analytical talent to spot.

Asked again about the improvement Fields has made as a passer, particularly in obvious passing situations, Eberflus this week responded with more praise.

"I would say that, yeah, he's improved," Eberflus said. "He's improved in that way, you can see it in his fundamentals, you can see it in his confidence, you can see it in the way that he delivers the ball, the timing of it, the rhythm of it, and you can see that every day in practice.

"We've been seeing that for a long time, and you're starting to see it in games, and he's continuing to improve."

This is Week 13 of Year 2 and if they're starting to see it in the recent games when he was able to play, it leads to a few questions.

For one, what in the world was Matt Nagy's staff teaching him to set him back so far that none of this was apparent until the last month?

This is an obvious and also now an irrelevant question.

The other question charts a course where most Bears fans probably don't want to go—perhaps only the brave ones.

On it's surface, it's a benign enough query. Eberflus was asked whether there is something Fields wants to achieve or prove in these last five games that is necessary when he is only two weeks removed from a left shoulder separation, one that he told the media involved ligament damage.

"Yeah, for sure," Eberflus said. "He's trying to improve every single day. He knows there's a lot ahead of him in terms of improvement.

"He wants to take that jump, that leap, here in these next few games."

Fields needs to take a leap.

Eberflus was asked about Fields' impact and growth just before the Falcons game, when he suffered the injury that sidelined him against New York last week.

"I would say it's pretty amazing, the numbers and the ability to run," Eberflus said. "And then see his growth in the passing game. And then, really, to see all those guys around him starting to gel with (Darnell) Mooney and Cole (Kmet) really starting to gel around him.

"It really helps our running game. It helps the runners; certainly opens up a lot of windows in there in the run game as well. Certainly exciting."

So Fields' running is huge, which everyone knows just by watching the games.

His passing has shown "growth" but he and apparently the Bears feel the need for him to take a leap forward in the passing game and to gel more with receivers.

His main receiver isn't there anymore. The running game that he is said to be benefiting is operating on 66% capacity because Khalil Herbert is still injured.

It would appear there is actually little to be gained by getting him back on the field, or if there is some it is with the risk of aggravating his shoulder injury.

The Bears are letting this all happen, even encouraging it or he'd be told to sit.

If Fields really had sold them on the fact that he is their quarterback of the future, there would be no reason for him to rush back or let him feel the need to rush back.

They could simply say, "thanks, we're good, we'll play Nathan Peterman for now until the shoulder is entirely healed, maybe in a few games after the bye week or maybe even next season."

Then they could proceed directly to the second pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

They're not doing this.

They want him out there trying to win meaningless games, to prove himself more as a passer. Even they admit no one could expect more of him as a runner.

That all says there is uncertainty about what they need to do with the future of the organization at quarterback.

The second pick in the draft could be a defensive tackle or end. It could be a wide receiver. It could be traded for extra picks.

Or it could be a quarterback.

Apparently these final five games carry more significance than anyone could have expected prior to the game with Atlanta.

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Prediction

Latest SI Sportsbook Line: Packers by 3 1/2, over/under 44 1/2.

BearDigest Record to Date: 9-3 straight up, 5-6-1 ATS

Final Score: Packers 28, Bears 21

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