Not that the Bears are loaded at wide receiver, but one of the concerns about quarterback Justin Fields this season is that he has been too quick to scramble out of the pocket. In doing so, he’s missing opportunities to throw.
Fields addressed that Wednesday and a very brief news conference, saying that “for the most part” he has made the right call when deciding whether to stand in the pocket or take off running.
“You’re not gonna make the perfect decision every time,” he said. “You’ve just gotta live with that and move on to the next play.”
That’s not easy when the offensive line struggles to pass block. Pro Football Reference charts them allowing pressure on 29.3% of passes, which is the second-highest frequency in the NFL.
After a rocky rookie season, Fields’ performance has dropped off under the new coaching staff. He ranks last in the league in completions (34), completion percentage (50.7%), yards (471), touchdown passes (two) and interception (6% of his passes). His 58.7 passer rating is 15 points behind Mitch Trubisky for worst in that category.
Fields had his best game of the season Sunday in the 20-12 loss to the Giants, but still wasn’t very effective. He completed 11 of 22 passes for 174 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions and lost a fumble. He threw for just 57 yards in the second half.
