Assuming Fields is back next week, he will have to face some pretty good defenses. First number is team defense by total yards given up and the second number is team defense by passing yards given up.
Detroit #9/#20 Minnesota #13/#16 Detroit #9/#20 Cleveland #1/#1 Atlanta #8/#10 Arizona #22/#11 Green Bay #11/#7
Detroit will be a tough match up because they have pass rushers, good run D, and will be playing with the lead most likely.
Minnesota’s aggressive blitzing gave Fields trouble.
Cleveland is the toughest defense the Bears will play all year.
Atlanta and Green Bay have top 10 pass defense and Arizona is #11 in pass defense.
Fields best chance to put up a good performance will be next week against Detroit but we still don’t know how healed his thumb is yet. After the 2 Detroit games it’s a rough 4 games to close out the season.
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The O Line has shown big signs of improvement since fields has been out. It’s Fields time to prove it because he will be getting some time to throw the ball.
Yeah I’m just gunna root for the bears and let the QB dust settle after the season. Idc who is throwing I’m just going to enjoy football while its here.
Looks like were either going to have our pick of a draft qb (thanks panthers) or the option to build around fields with high end talent.
Options. Options are good.
My only question today is will Fields-over-Stroud be worse than Trubisky-over-Mahomes?
Make no mistake, that’s what happened. The front office had a shot at Stroud, scouted him, and decided to trade the pick and keep Fields.
And no, an NFL fan with a brain doesn’t want Wright + Moore + Caleb Williams/Drake Maye over a high-character, top-7 QB in the first year of his rookie deal. Call the Texans today and offer them that package for Stroud and get laughed off the phone.
Nature and nurture.
I think it is a myth that when draft a QB, success or failure is already predetermined at that point you either made a huge mistake or or you caught lightning in a bottle. Sure… you need to have a prospect that crosses a threshold of skills and traits in order to have a future in the NFL. I don’t care how good of a blocker someone was in college, if the guy weighs 240 lbs, is 6’1 and has 28" arms, he’s probably not going to cut it as an NFL OT. You are drafting potential and it is up to you to put resources into developing it, finding the compatible playbook, compatible players, nurturing the culture, and even getting lucky with injuries for that player to meet that potential.
With Stroud, the Texans probably are not only enjoying the skills and traits he brought to the table, but they also did a bunch of other things right to get this outcome. They got the nurture right too.
I don’t know how often we got the “nature” part right… but we sure as hell never get the “nurture” part right. And until we start investing in the “nurture” it won’t matter if we hit on the “nature.” Personally, I think Fields was the closest we ever came to hitting on the “nature”… the kid has one big flaw, he holds the ball too long. Other than that he was very productive in college, has plus arm strength, is accurate down field, is historically good at running for a QB, is reportedly the hardest worker on the team and a respected leader. Whether anyone thinks he’s “it” or not, I think everyone understands that we did a dog shit job developing him. And I don’t want to marginalize his flaw. I think it can be corrected, but that doesn’t mean it WILL be corrected, and it is a pretty bad flaw. It leads to sacks, fumbles and injuries, and each of those outcomes lead to losses for the team.
We’ll see how Fields ends the season. If it ends with a whisper, we’ll be starting over. But HOPEFULLY we start giving a fuck about developing a QB and putting in a system around him that bridges him to his potential. If it ends with a bang, we better be investing in players and systems that further enhance what he can do.
I am surprised that more people aren’t pissed about this yet, and the only reason I can think of is that the Bears traded for what is the current #1 pick. If that doesn’t hold, and stroud leads Houston to playoffs or something, I expect the heat is going to be turned up.
Fair, but that also assumes you can get even close to Stroud in Williams or Maye, which is profoundly unlikely.
A top-7 QB in the first year of his rookie deal is probably the most valuable commodity in any sport. Moore and Wright are worthless without a QB. You’re so much better off with an elite QB and a middling line and weapons than Vice-versa.
Poles blew it and fans should be absolutely furious.
Yeah, Poles already BADLY fucked up his QB evaluation. He’s seen Fields in practice, on the white board, etc. He then got to see Stroud workout, and on the white board, and he thought Fields was better. Stroud was already miles ahead of Fields. This would be like if a GM had to evaluate 2018 Aaron Rodgers and 2018 Blake Bortles and he went with Bortles. Poles should not get another shot at this.
Definitely a tough road and we all know that Getsy isn’t helping him that much, but we know Fields can play well against good defenses (at least those that are willing to admit it).
In 2022, the top defense was SF, giving up 16.3 pts a game: Chicago scored 19 on them (in the rain). Dallas was at 20.1 pts/game Chicago scored 29, etc. We had bad games on offense too (obviously), but it’s not like he’s incapable.
Personally, I think our defense will regress over the next 3 games because our division has Eberflus’s (and Getsy’s) number. Bears will need to score 35 to win. We go against Cleveland after that, there’s a good chance we lose all 4 regardless of how well Fields plays.
Unless the Bears miraculously are in contention for a playoff spot, which is pretty far-fetched given the next four games, best case scenario for the Bears is that Fields plays great, so the Bears don’t HAVE to take a QB end up with more draft picks to build around him rather than starting over. Can you imagine being able to trade out of #1 and getting a haul AGAIN while also getting MHJ and some other pieces?
The fans that don’t want Fields to succeed can’t get over their bias that him doing well is the best possible outcome so we don’t have to reboot this thing all over again (except the coaches, please please please get an offensive HC regardless of what we do with QB)
Even if he turns into Mahomes, they are taking a QB no matter what. Hopefully Fields can succeed elsewhere.
It’s really unfortunate. I think at the very least the two games Bagent won, Fields would have been great in too.
Why is it unfortunate? This is the best situation. Let’s see how he plays against competent teams. IDGAF if he throws for 4 TDs against trash. Lets see if he can play, this is truly his last shot
It’s not unfortunate for your starting QB to miss multiple games? How is this controversial? Just because I think he would have been good vs the bad teams?
Not being on the field doesn’t do him any favors… really not understanding your response or the downvotes.
We are very likely going to lose the next 4 games. I fully expect Detroit to show us that our “improved defense” really isn’t that improved.
How we lose matters.
It’s evident Justin will not be the starting QB next season. He simply has not been consistent
I don’t think it’s evident. Fields has two months to show improvement, and even if he doesn’t, it’s not like we’re a QB away from competing. Poles could continue to be patient in building his roster, trading down to address OL and edge in the first round while Fields plays out his contract.
“ I don’t think it’s evident?” Where have you been during his 31 games played?
This is the most ideal situation. I’d much rather him play tough competition the rest of the way to leave zero doubt one way or another vs him playing lollipop defenses.
The Bears may be drafting a new QB regardless, but if Fields balls out that will make his trade value rise.
We are a league last place team. The whole path was tough.
Minnesota, Atlanta, Arizona, and Green Bay should all be competitive games.
I don’t have much hope for the others, but we still need to see something instead of blowouts in those.
I think the two Detroit games will be interesting/telling. Lions are a great team, talented, well-coached, putting up Ws… but capable offenses can move the ball on them. Chargers just dropped 41, a few weeks before that the Ravens blew them out 38-6, Seattle put up 37 on them earlier this season.
Are we capable or not? We shall see. We’ve got the whole rest of the year to gain information, but especially given a division opponent we get to play twice, I’m really interested in how both these games go, for our staff and personnel.
Good. It’s the best way to conduct a fair evaluation of him.
Detroit just ate 38 against the chargers, they’re not great defensively.
3-4 of these upcoming games are absolutely winnable.
The next two weeks are going to be brutal though.