Why Justin Fields' shoulder injury was a blessing in disguise
Nobody wants to see a budding star like Justin Fields go down with an injury, like he did in the Chicago Bears’ Week 11 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. However, there is reason to believe Fields’ injury might have been a blessing in disguise. Chicago’s medical staff did not clear Fields to play in last […]
Nobody wants to see a budding star like Justin Fields go down with an injury, like he did in the Chicago Bears’ Week 11 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. However, there is reason to believe Fields’ injury might have been a blessing in disguise.
Chicago’s medical staff did not clear Fields to play in last week’s loss to the New York Jets, but the he put together his most complete passing performance of the season in Sunday’s loss to the Green Bay Packers.
Fields moved the ball efficiently completing 20-of-25 passes for 254 yards, though he did throw two interceptions late in the fourth quarter.
“I think this was one of my best games passing-wise. Of course, the stats aren’t going to show that,” Fields said after the game. “I felt really comfortable out there in the passing game. I’ve just got to keep improving and keep getting better.”
Due to Fields’ injured left shoulder, he wasn’t running all over the field like Bears fans are used to seeing. While the strategy was to protect Fields from taking unnecessary hits, he still managed to run for 71 yards and a score on a season-low six rushing attempts.
By spending more time in the pocket, Fields was able to focus almost entirely on the passing attack. He set a season high in passing yards, completion percentage (80%), and yards per attempt (10.2).
Everybody knows what Fields is capable of as a runner, but Sunday was a promising display of what his development as a passer could look like. If this isn’t just a flash in the pan, then Fields might be a lot farther along than most people think.
Featured image via Daniel Bartel – USA TODAY Sports
