Bears must put the blame where it really belongs

[ad_1]

At some point, someone has to ask the question: is anyone ever going to blame Justin Fields for something wrong with Justin Fields?

This particular question has nothing to do with the future of his head coach Matt Nagy even though no one has taken more balls for his rookie QB than Nagy.

Anyone who watched the Bears’ 17-9 loss to the Vikings on Monday knows enough or not – but probably more than fair – the time for a change has come, no matter how we got here.

The team’s embarrassing performance must land at the feet of the head coach. It’s just a reality in the profession he has chosen.

But week after week now, dating back to Field’s first start to Cleveland, Nagy has taken center stage and refused to criticize Fields in any way and has gone out of his way to look for signs of growth and improvement while also taking responsibility for his production history lacking in rookie quarterback standards.

When fans and the media needed a momentary break from Nagy’s relentless demonization and pounding, they immediately turned their anger on the offensive line, receivers and NFL officials.

Everyone is to blame for the young man’s lack of development to date, but Fields?

Stop just a minute and ask yourself, does it really seem possible that this is true or true?

It is clear that Nagy only chose the role of positive reinforcement and a refusal to criticize her student in public.

At his press conference on Tuesday, Nagy was asked what went wrong with a third down pitch from David Montgomery that Fields missed and blamed during his post-game press conference on the fact that Montgomery hadn’t traveled the road as fast as he had expected.

“I thought they were both okay, really,” Nagy said. “David walked his way with the right steps. His depth was good. His steps were right. Justin made the right decision going there. His footwork was good.

“We just didn’t log into it. Sometimes that’s the way it is.”

Not just sometimes, but too often, it has happened that way because Fields just didn’t throw a good shot.

What this absolutely not meant to be is an indictment against Fields.

He’s in pain what almost every rookie who started as an NFL quarterback has gone through, and it’s not his fault everyone wants to go out of their way to protect him.

He is an exceptional athlete with a rare arm talent; mature well beyond his years, brilliant, well spoken and basically in possession of everything you need to develop a franchise quarterback.

I have seen enough of it to continue to believe that it has a good chance of making it.

But I’ve also seen enough in all the years I’ve covered this game to remember dozens and dozens of similar perspectives that have come forward and never got there.

In fact, the overwhelming majority of these young men fail, and if the Bears avoid letting Fields become another statistic, it’s crucial that they – whoever they are, Nagy and Ryan Pace or their successors if their time comes. has passed – stop treating it like rare china, analyze it to find out where it is, and come up with a new plan to get it in the right direction.

Hear from other successful coaches and quarterbacks analyze it, from TV commentators to the many print and online reports available everywhere outside of Chicago.

He always holds the ball for far too long, most often struggling to identify the right options fairly quickly, if at all, his accuracy is as reliable as the Chicago weather and on Monday night he was also uncomfortable and confused. both in the pocket, and even more so when he’s escaped, like any QB we’ve seen in quite some time.

Most want to blame Fields’ struggles on Nagy’s attack when the reality is he would have a hard time any attack he is with right now, and the guy he’s most unfair with. is Fields.

It’s time to stop obsessing over what’s wrong with Nagy’s offense and focus on what’s wrong with Fields if he is to be what Bears fans hope he can. to be.

• Twitter: @Hub_Arkush

[ad_2]