It’s been a rough start for Bears quarterback Justin Fields, who has struggled immensely through the first two games of the 2023 NFL season.
Fields has completed 60.6 percent of his passes and thrown for 427 yards, two touchdowns, three interceptions and a 70.7 passer raring. Stats aside, Fields has looked indecisive, uncomfortable and gun-shy to the point where it’s impacted his play on the field.
Despite those struggles, Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson’s belief in Fields hasn’t wavered.
“I can’t help you understand, because I don’t know what it’s like to be a quarterback,” Johnson said on the Parkins & Spiegel Show.. “I don’t know what it’s like to have to have an entire team put on my shoulders. I don’t know what it feels like for him to have the criticism of, ‘Oh, he’s just a running quarterback, he can’t throw the ball, he can’t this, he can’t do that.’ And then I feel like when you get in the game and you have a certain expectation and you want to play at a certain level, you want to do certain things, I don’t know what it is.”
But Johnson has come to the conclusion that fans and analysts alike have determined: Fields doesn’t seem like himself. While Fields continues to struggle, Johnson still believes in his QB1.
“I can definitely say that I know he’s not himself,” Johnson said. “I know that he can definitely play the game at a high level. Now the answer to why? I’m not sure. Maybe it’s a lot of things going mentally. I definitely know it’s not a physical thing. He can do whatever he puts his mind to. I think it’s just him getting back to himself, getting back to what works best for him and not what works for anybody else or what everybody else wants him to do or how anyone sees him playing the game. I think he just has to go out there and play each game.
“Each game, each situation isn’t created the same. I think he has to – and I know he will – we’ve talked to him, and he’ll be better. I think it’s just more so that mental aspect that he just has to go out there and ball. Even before the touchdown pass, the touchdown drive (in the fourth quarter Sunday), I was trying to give him some confidence and tell him, ‘Bro, you’re that guy, you’re one of those guys, go out there and show it.’ I think when he’s clicking mentally and his mind is free, he can play free, he can be one of those elite guys in the league. I think it’s just more of that mental block. Whatever it may be, I’m honestly not sure, and I’m not going to make anything up on his behalf at all. But I definitely know that he has all the intangibles physically to do it. He just has to get back to that playmaking Justin, whether it’s in the air or on the ground, just being decisive about what he’s going to do.”
There are a number of factors that have contributed to the offense’s struggles this season, including Fields. But offensive coordinator Luke Getsy hasn’t done him any favors with an approach that essentially forces Fields to be a pocket passer and doesn’t utilize his elite athleticism.
If Fields is going to get back on track, it needs to be a team effort.