‘This is Justin Fields:' Bears QB issues reminder of grand potential just as hope was starting to wane

LANDOVER, Md. -- What a roller coaster the first five weeks of the NFL season have been for the Bears and quarterback Justin Fields.

A clunky offensive scheme, poor execution, and robotic play through the first three weeks saw Fields post numbers that would easily have him listed as one of the worst starting quarterbacks in the NFL. Some suggested he might be "broken." Others wondered if he might need to be benched for a mental reset.

In three weeks, Fields went from franchise savior to the latest in a long line of quarterbacks the Bears franchise has wrecked.

But while outside doubts about Fields' future as the Bears' franchise quarterback started to swirl, the Bears never seemed to waver. They know the player and the person. They understood the work ethic and the focus. They listened to Fields' suggestions about how to get things going in the right direction. They believed the Fields they saw all offseason -- the one who made significant strides with his command of the offense -- would arrive.

They just had to unlock him.

Then, the pendulum swung back.

Fields started the Bears' Week 4 game against the Denver Broncos 23-for-25 for 285 yards and four touchdowns. The decisions were quick, the accuracy pinpoint, and the confidence grew.

Fields was outstanding against the Broncos until the fourth quarter when a strip sack fumble and game-ending interception sealed the Bears' fate in a 31-28 loss.

The signs of progress were evident. Week 4 was a reminder of Fields' potential, but reminders aren't enough. Sometimes, you have to see things over and over again for them to transform from hopeful mirage into concrete proof.

Four days after for 335 yards and four touchdowns against the Broncos, Fields, and star wide receiver DJ Moore lit up the Washington Commanders in a 40-20 win at FedEx Field. Fields finished Thursday's game 15-for-29 for 282 and four touchdowns, while Moore caught eight passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns.

With Moore's help, Fields has gone 43-for-64 for 617 yards (699 total), eight touchdowns, one interception, and a passer rating of 131.1 in the last two games.

The Justin Fields the Bears put their chips behind this offseason, the guy whom Moore was supposed to help elevate from hopeful prospect to bonafide star, is reappearing.

“You can see him on the sideline. He’s always cool. Try not to get too hype," wide receiver Darnell Mooney said of Fields after the win over the Commanders. "I’ve been telling him since the first game, ‘Hey, just stay locked in. Keep playing how you are playing.’ Every drive I see him, I just say, ‘Hey, stay locked in. Don’t let anybody distract you, and get out of your zone.’ He’s been doing that. He’s been playing really good.

"This is Justin Fields.”

There were moments in 2022 when you could see what Fields might become if the Bears quit fiddling around and fully supported his development. There was the second half against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 5, the barrage against the Patriots in Week 7, the rushing bonanza against the Dolphins, and his efficient game against the Packers.

But while the flickers were there, the light never stayed on long enough to give us a complete view of what might be. The protection was too poor, the weapons too few, the play-calling too questionable.

The addition of Moore, a revamped offensive, and the second year strengthening the bond with offensive coordinator Luke Getsy was supposed to change all of that.

Through the first three weeks, it looked like a near certainty that Fields was destined for the bust bin—a victim of cruel NFL fate and circumstance that spoiled a rare talent.

But there's always time to be what you might have been.

“You can just see the confidence," head coach Matt Eberflus said Monday of Fields' growth. "When you have growth in your profession or my profession or him being a pro quarterback, you can just feel it. And you can feel the guys around him, the comfort level and the confidence that they’re having, the chemistry that they’re having. You can see it in practice, you can see it in the games. To me, it’s just about the growth, it’s about the execution and then the consistency of that execution. In the games and practice, we’ve seen it.

"He’s 43 of 64 for almost 700 yards the last two games. Eight TDs, one interception. That’s growth. That’s really where it is. And then the consistency of that, just stacking games like he had the last two. Just keep stacking them up. That’s what he wants to see and what we want to see.”

First, Fields and Getsy had to stop the bleeding. They needed to work together to discover the offense's identity, find a rhythm, and get the 'effing ball to DJ Moore.

Mission accomplished.

Over the past two games, Moore has caught 16 passes for 361 yards and four touchdowns. On the season, Fields is 27-for-34 for 531 yards, five touchdowns, and a perfect 158.3 rating when targeting Moore.

So it was only natural that Fields and Moore hooked up on a 56-yard touchdown pass late in Thursday's game to ice the win and snap the Bears' 14-game losing streak.

"For Justin, that's a close out for him," safety Jaquan Brisker said. "That's huge. That's big momentum."

"He has played so well and free," linebacker T.J. Edwards said. "It's something I've seen all too well playing against him last year. It's exciting."

With Thursday's performance, Fields became just the fourth quarterback since 1970 to throw for 5,000 yards and rush for 1,500 in his first 30 starts.

"He's been that," Brisker tweeted after the game about Fields. "Stop playing."

Things change fast in the NFL. Six days ago, Bears fans were planning a Caleb Williams draft party while mourning what might have been with Fields.

Six days later, the third-year quarterback has reminded them of how good he can be. In life and football, progress and growth aren't linear. It's the patient ones, the diligent ones, who find their way through storms that wash away the ordinary.

Two stellar games don't make Fields the Bears' long-term answer, just as three stinkers don't mean he should be ejected from the franchise.

In eight quarters, Fields has sent a sharp reminder of why hope and possibility are such powerful tools—a sign that the potential for greatness that has always lived within him still resides.

To quote Darnell Mooney, perhaps "this is Justin Fields."

If it is, the Bears have to hope he's here to stay. This time, for good.

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