Three things we learned from Justin Fields’ debutPatrick Finleyon August 15, 2021 at 10:00 am
Three things we learned from Bears quarterback Justin Fields’ tantalizing preseason performance Saturday night:
He beat the clock
Fields did well in the two-minute drill Saturday — or, rather, the 16-second drill.
“We talk about and teach and show tape of it — but we didn’t really practice it a whole lot,” coach Matt Nagy said.
On third-and-five from the Bears’ 37 with 16 seconds left in the first half. Fields stepped up in the pocket and rolled right. He pulled up to throw slightly across his body, but still down the right flank, to Justin Hardy. He caught the ball for 15 yards. The Bears took their final timeout.
“I was just rolling out and I saw him late, last minute and jumped it up to him,” Fields said.
With eight seconds left, the Bears needed at least six yards to give Cairo Santos a field goal try. Knowing he couldn’t stop the clock again, Fields checked the ball down to tight end Jesse James along the right sideline. James stepped out for a gain of eight yards and Santos tried, and made, a 53-yarder.
“I was trying to, of course, pay attention to the clock,” Fields said. “And also throw it to the perimeter so he would have a chance to get out of bounds.”
Fields’ poise jumped out to his coach.
“The one thing you felt from Justin, that we all took away from down there, was, he was extremely calm the whole time,” Nagy said.
He needs to stop spinning
Bears fans across the country winced when Fields scrambled left on third-and-12 from his own 12 with 2:15 left in the first half. Rather than looking to slide or get out of bounds, he tried to put a spin move on cornerback Nik Needham, who tackled him and popped the ball out.
It rolled out of bounds. Lesson learned.
Earlier this month, Fields said he didn’t want a repeat of his scramble in the national semifinal against Clemson. He tried a spin move in that game, was speared and hurt his ribs. The injury left him limited in the national title game.
“So after that, I think I’m going to officially retire the spin move,” Fields said Saturday with a smile. “I don’t see that coming out any time soon. But yeah, I just need to be smarter with ball security, and either slide or get out of bounds in that situation.”
He’s a matchup problem
On third-and-9 about three minutes into the third quarter, Fields was pressured to the right. Receiver Rodney Adams, who started off in the left slot, ran a shallow cross toward the right sideline. Cornerback Javaris Davis was plastered all over Adams until he was forced to make a decision: to keep covering Adams or run toward Fields.
He chose poorly.
Fields sprinted toward the line of scrimmage before pulling up and tossing a pass to Adams, who skittered up the right sideline for 13 yards. It exemplified what the Bears learned interviewing defensive coordinators this offseason: accounting for an athletic quarterback is the biggest challenge in the sport.
“Puts a lot of pressure on the defense and allows me to really play backyard football with the receivers and scramble,” Fields said. “And the more that happens and the more we can get on the same page when I do get out of the pocket, the better we can be.
“Of course I also have to be able to make smart decisions. I can’t always force the ball. Of course sometimes I have to throw the ball away. But, yeah, it’s definitely a part of my game where I feel very comfortable.”
Particularly against man defenses.
“That’s going to put a lot of stress on [them] because they don’t know whether to come and get me or stay on their man,” Fields said. “With zone teams, it’s a little bit different.
“But, man, literally, you’re playing backyard football.”
Person shooting at vehicle while driving causes two to crash into restaurant in MayfairSun-Times Wireon August 15, 2021 at 10:09 am
A person attempting to shoot at a vehicle while driving caused both to crash into a restaurant in Mayfair on the Northwest Side.
Around 3:10 a.m., an unknown occupant inside of a red Toyota Camry was shooting at a Chevy Tahoe while driving, causing the Tahoe and a black Jeep Cherokee to crash into a restaurant in the 4400 block of North Kostner Avenue, Chicago Police said.
The occupants of the Camry fled the scene and have not been found, but a weapon was recovered from the vehicle, police said.
Two occupants of the Tahoe and two of the Jeep didn’t suffer serious injuries, but were taken to Stroger Hospital and Mount Sinai Hospital for observation, police said.
No one was in custody.
Man fatally shot in drive-by in Hyde ParkSun-Times Wireon August 15, 2021 at 8:59 am
A man was fatally shot Saturday in a drive-by in Hyde Park on the Far South Side.
Around 8:15 p.m., the victim, 25, was standing on the sidewalk in the 800 block of East 54th Street when a white-colored vehicle drove up and someone inside opened fire, Chicago Police said.
He was shot in the torso and taken to University of Chicago Medical Center where he later died, police said.
No one was in custody.
Man fatally shot in drive-by in Hyde ParkSun-Times Wireon August 15, 2021 at 8:59 am Read More »
4 wounded in Far South Side shootingSun-Times Wireon August 15, 2021 at 9:18 am
Four people were shot and wounded Sunday on the Far South Side.
Just after 12:25 a.m., three men and a woman were standing outside a residence in the 1300 block of East 75th Street when they were struck by gunfire, Chicago Police said.
A 35-year-old and 45-year-old man were both shot in the arm and leg while a 30-year-old woman and 31-year-old man were both shot in the leg, police said.
All self-transported to University of Chicago Medical Center where their conditions were stabilized, police said.
No one was in custody.
4 wounded in Far South Side shootingSun-Times Wireon August 15, 2021 at 9:18 am Read More »
Man shot and critically wounded driving on Near North SideSun-Times Wireon August 15, 2021 at 9:26 am
A man was shot and critically wounded Sunday while driving on the Near North Side.
The victim, 34, was driving just after 2:15 a.m. in the 400 block of East Illinois Street when a possible grey sedan drove up and someone inside opened fire, Chicago Police said.
He was struck in the abdomen and was driven by a relative in the car with him to Northwestern Memorial Hospital where he was listed in critical condition, police said.
No one was in custody.
17-year-old shot driving in Little VillageSun-Times Wireon August 15, 2021 at 9:45 am
A 17-year-old was shot driving in Little Village Sunday on the West Side.
He was driving east on 21st Street when someone wearing all black opened fire and struck him in the back, Chicago Police said.
The victim self-transported to Stroger Hospital where he was treated and released, police said.
No one was in custody.
17-year-old shot driving in Little VillageSun-Times Wireon August 15, 2021 at 9:45 am Read More »
1 killed, 1 wounded in Chatham shootingSun-Times Wireon August 15, 2021 at 8:28 am
One person was killed and another wounded Sunday in a shooting in Chatham on the South Side.
A 33-year-old man and 34-year-old woman were among a group of people just before 2 a.m. in the 7500 block of South Saint Lawrence when someone opened fire, Chicago Police said.
The man was shot in the chest and was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center where he died, police said. He has not yet been identified.
The woman was shot in the leg and was also taken to University of Chicago where her condition was stabilized, police said.
No one was in custody.
1 killed, 1 wounded in Chatham shootingSun-Times Wireon August 15, 2021 at 8:28 am Read More »
3 teens discovered shot and wounded minutes after a man was shot and killed on South SideSun-Times Wireon August 15, 2021 at 8:47 am
Three teens were shot and wounded Sunday in West Chesterfield on the South Side.
Three males, 15, 16 and 19, were discovered at a gas station with gunshot wounds just after 2 a.m. in the first block of East 87th Street, Chicago Police said.
The 15-year-old and 16-year-old were shot in the foot and hand respectively, and the 19-year-old was shot in the lower backside, police said.
All three were taken to Comer Children’s Hospital where their conditions were stabilized, police said.
About three minutes earlier, a man was killed and a woman injured in Chatham about two miles north.
A 33-year-old man and 34-year-old woman were among a group of people just before 2 a.m. in the 7500 block of South Saint Lawrence Avenue when someone opened fire, police said.
The man was shot in the chest and was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center where he died, police said. He has not yet been identified.
The woman was shot in the leg and was also taken to University of Chicago where her condition was stabilized, police said.

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