The first two seasons of Justin Fields‘ NFL career were a big disappointment. During that time, the Chicago Bears quarterback completed just 59.7 percent of his pass attempts while throwing for 24 touchdown passes and 21 interceptions.
There was hope that this season, his third in the pros, would be a different story. But so far, it has been the same old story: a 58.0 percent completion rate, three touchdown passes, four interceptions and a 67.7 passer rating through three games.
The Bears, who are 0-3, will host the Denver Broncos, another team that is struggling, on Sunday at Soldier Field. One NFL scout believes that this will be the week Fields starts to turn things around.
“I think this is the week that Justin Fields puts it all together,” the scout said to NFL Analysis Network. “Personally, I think he’ll throw for 300 yards and three touchdowns. It’s time for him to put everything together.”
When he was in college, Fields looked like a legitimate pro prospect. In two seasons at Ohio State University, he had a high accuracy rate and threw a total of 63 touchdown passes and just nine interceptions while winning the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year award in 2019.
Perhaps his one saving grace in the pros has been his ability to gain yardage by himself with his legs. Last year he put up 1,143 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns while leading everyone with 7.1 yards per carry, although so far this season he’s at just 109 yards and one touchdown on the ground.
After finishing with the NFL’s worst record in 2022, Chicago had the top pick in April’s draft, but it turned down the opportunity to draft Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud by trading the pick to the Carolina Panthers for stud wide receiver D.J. Moore.
However, Moore hasn’t helped Fields one bit, at least yet, and as a result, the team is ranked 31st in passing yards.
Fortunately, the Broncos are ranked last in points and total yards given up, so perhaps Fields will be able to perform better this weekend against a relatively easy opponent.
