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Many have Bears quarterback Justin Fields pegged as a breakout candidate heading into the 2023 NFL season. Following a sophomore campaign where Fields impressed with his elite rushing ability, all eyes will be on Fields in the passing game. And he has a strong base to build off.
According to NFL Game Day, Fields had strong performances against some playoff teams in 2022. He had a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 11-to-1 against the seven playoff teams Chicago faced. His lone interception came in Week 1 against the 49ers.
Fields’ passing touchdown-to-interception ratio led all quarterbacks, where he ranked above Trevor Lawrence, Joe Burrow, Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen.
.@justnfields breakout szn loading? 😤 pic.twitter.com/er0CaxYmkK
— NFL GameDay (@NFLGameDay) June 28, 2023
Stats are stats, but as always, stats don’t tell the whole story. While the Bears had the league’s best run game — thanks in large part of Fields’ 1,143 rushing yards — they struggled mightily in the passing game. They averaged 130.5 yards per game, which was far and away the worst in the NFL.
Fields threw for over 200 yards just twice last season — including a season-high 254 yards against the Packers. His season-high in attempts were 28 passes, and he attempted less than 25 passes in 12 of 15 games.
There’s no question Fields needs to improve as a passer, and the Bears made a concerted effort to help build around him this offseason. The addition of DJ Moore will be huge, as well as upgrades along the offensive line.
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