In his second year in the NFL, Justin Fields has looked like a star for the Chicago Bears. The young quarterback has been dominant on the ground, as well as through the air.
Over the last five games, Fields has played the best football of his short career. Through the air, he has thrown for 851 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and just one interception.
On the ground, Fields has put on record-breaking performances. Over the same stretch, he has rushed for 455 yards and three touchdowns.
In total, Fields has totaled 602 rushing yards on the ground this season. 291 of these rushing yards have come on third down. This feat put Fields in elite company.
Since 2000, only NFL legend Chris Johnson has rushed for more yards on third down than Justin Fields. In the 2009 season, Johnson rushed for 360 yards.
Many questioned if Fields could be the starting caliber quarterback that the Bears have been so desperately in search of. While the team is 3-6 this season, they are still second in the NFC North. Fields has kept this unit competitive, and many of their games have been close. The Bears have four losses this season by eight points or less.
With the Bears amid a rebuild, seeing significant development from Fields is arguably the most important part of their season. Even with losses, he has put on several strong performances. And with each loss, it only means that they will have the chance to have a high draft pick.
With the team expected to have the most cap space in the NFL next offseason, this Bears team could soon become elite. If Fields can continue to play as he has, he could be the franchise cornerstone that this team needs.