The Chicago Bears walked away with the win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. Justin Fields wasn't named the starter to begin the game. Instead, he filled in for an injured Andy Dalton. It's time to continue our NFL takeaway series with a Justin Fields Week 2 takeaway.
There's been a ton of hype surrounding the rookie quarterback. Nearly the entire world has been awaiting Justin Fields presence under center. We finally got what we were asking for, and it was a bit underwhelming, to say the least.
It seemed as though Fields had some rookie jitters against the Bengals on Sunday. He looked uncomfortable at times, which is something he should be able to control with more playing time. It was very clear how much more open the Bears' offense was with Fields under center. Lastly, he likely didn't do enough to take the starting job away from Andy Dalton. With that said, here are three Justin Fields Week 2 takeaways.
*Watch NFL games LIVE with fuboTV (Click for free trial)*
Bears Quarterback Justin Fields Week 2 Takeaways
3. Made some rookie mistakes
He looked phenomenal throughout the preseason and even looked solid in his limited role in Week 1. However, when he was subbed in for an injured Andy Dalton, Fields didn't quite look like himself. The Bengals' defense recked havoc on the Bears' offensive line, applying pressure on Fields throughout the game.
The rookie quarterback also threw a bad interception. The ball went directly to a linebacker as if Fields didn't even see him. It is a bit worrying to see Fields take the hits he's receiving as well, but some of that is on the offensive scheme. Chicago needs to make some adjustments soon, especially if Justin Fields takes over as the starting quarterback.
2. Justin Fields' athleticism opens up the Bears offense
One clear thing is the offense looked better regardless of Fields' stat line. He's a legitimate run threat that forces the opposing defense to make adjustments on the fly. He made a great scrambling play that showed off his speed in the red zone. That's the type of play the Bears need if they hope to be competitive this year.
Even so, the offensive playcalling didn't change all that much. Chicago looked conservative throughout the game, which fits Dalton's playstyle. However, when Justin Fields is under center, the Bears should consider opening up the offense that allows him to role out of the pocket. We'll see how it plays out, but the coaching staff has to help out their young quarterback.
1. Didn't quite earn the starting job
There were some highs and lows with Fields' extended playing time on Sunday, but he didn't quite do enough to earn the starting job. He finished the game with just 60 yards off of 13 pass attempts and an interception. His 31 rushing yards on 10 attempts gave the Bears a new look on offense against the Bengals. Even so, it likely wasn't enough to persuade the coaching staff to make the switch at quarterback.
It's not like Andy Dalton looked any better. He had a similar stat line, finishing with 56 yards off of 11 pass attempts and one touchdown. Neither quarterback looked good in this one, which could be a problem for the Bears moving forward. Chicago squeaked out a win over the Bengals with Fields playing as the quarterback. But we will likely see Dalton be named the starter in Week 3.
Follow Us
Subscribe