Justin Fields’ Jets debut offers glimpse of what is to come before high IQ assist from teammate ends things with a bang
One drive, one touchdown. It’s a nice start for Fields and the Jets.
Things are off to a nice start for quarterback Justin Fields and the New York Jets after all. In the same week in which the local beat was tracking Fields’ completion percentage in team drills at practice, Fields posted a productive preseason debut for the Jets against the Green Bay Packers on Saturday evening.
Fields finished his first showing with New York by completing three of his four passes for 42 yards and adding an additional 14 yards and a score on the ground. It looked, honestly, a lot what you’d expect Justin Fields’ execution to look like based on his prior opportunities. But things ended with a bang thanks to a high IQ play away from the football by one of Fields’ teammates in the red zone.
Justin Fields scores on the ground in preseason debut with Jets with an assist to running back Isaiah Davis
Fields led a 10-play, 79 yard scoring drive on his only possession of the night, a drive that included two conversions on third down. The first was a completion to wide receiver Tyler Johnson, the second on a scramble from 13 yards out to score. In between, Fields appeared on the early glimpses to work progressions before sliding in the pocket and working the ball underneath to take easy completions. He found fullback Andrew Beck twice for shallow completions before big runs after the catch due to soft coverage down the field. Both completions were basic sit routes overtop of the ball.
But the big assist came from second-year running back Isaiah Davis, who shared the backfield with Fields on the touchdown run. Davis released between the tackles and tried to rub a shallow route against Green Bay’s man coverage but as he looked back for the ball, Fields was already off his spot in the pocket. Davis instinctively flipped his route up the right sideline and carried his defender into the end zone, waving his hands frantically as if reacting to the ball in the air. His acting job held the attention of the only defender who could have possibly challenged Fields before the goal line and the Jets were in for six.
In all, Fields looked comfortable sliding within the pocket and familiar with where his outlets were underneath to stay on schedule. That’s a great start in a new offense. The prolific movement skills getting off of his spot? Well, that’s exactly what you’d expect from Fields. And when your teammates are willing to act for you like that without the ball, it’s going to create plenty of room to run. It’s a preseason showing, but it’s a great one to build on for Fields and the Jets.
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