Bears rookie quarterback Justin Fields had his coming out party against the Steelers, where he made some clutch downfield throws that left many impressed against one of the NFL’s best defenses.
But there was one throw in particular that caught Bears head coach Matt Nagy’s eye.
At the start of what was an impressive fourth quarter for Chicago’s offense, Fields connected with tight end Jimmy Graham down the seam for a 28-yard completion on second-and-8. That set up a 15-yard rushing touchdown from receiver Darnell Mooney to bring the Bears back to within 7 points.
“[Fields] had several what I quote as special plays and the one that stands out to me was the one down the seam to Jimmy Graham,” Nagy said. “That’s probably a top-three throw in the NFL this season. With who he had in his face, the way he threw it, the accuracy, the timing, etc., that’s a special, rare throw. When you see those throws, you get excited.”
This is the throw: https://t.co/TLPHEuSWx6 pic.twitter.com/hns2zyHhk6
— Bear Report (@BearReport) November 9, 2021
The expectation was always that Fields would go through the typical growing pains that rookies do. But over the course of his seven starts — particularly the past two weeks — Fields has taken a huge step forward in his development. And you saw that in how the coaching staff made some aggressive play calls against the Steelers, which showed their trust in Fields to make those throws.
“We feel a lot different now,” Nagy said. “We feel better as to the types of plays we’re putting in that fit him, that fit our offense. Trying to find that match and that balance. The last two weeks, his decision making and timing has been really, really good, and then he’s taking shots downfield, which is great. We’re not hitting on all of them, but when you still take those downfield [shots], they can’t sit on you all the time.
“But then you get to these moments, these critical parts of the game that you’ve seen in back-to-back weeks now that he’s making plays, I think what you’re seeing and feeling is a guy who’s getting more and more confident, not just by every game but by every play. The game is getting a little slower for him on defense. He’s seeing things.”
With the Bears sitting at 3-6 at the bye week, the final eight games of the season should be all about Fields’ continued progression. And if Fields’ breakout game on Monday night is any indication, it’s going to be a lot of fun for Bears fans to watch.
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