{"id":126554,"date":"2021-12-23T15:14:32","date_gmt":"2021-12-23T20:14:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/?p=126554"},"modified":"2021-12-23T15:14:32","modified_gmt":"2021-12-23T20:14:32","slug":"chicago-bears-measuring-justin-fields-progress-is-a-fools-errand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2021\/12\/23\/chicago-bears-measuring-justin-fields-progress-is-a-fools-errand\/","title":{"rendered":"Chicago Bears: Measuring Justin Fields’ Progress is a Fool’s Errand"},"content":{"rendered":"

For Chicago Bears<\/a> fans, signs of progress from Justin Fields<\/a> are tantamount to actual wins at this point in a lost season. See, because if he progresses enough to look like \u201cthe guy\u201d next season, then the season wasn\u2019t lost. Right? Not quite, and it doesn\u2019t have anything to do with the Bears being officially eliminated from the playoffs following their loss on Monday.<\/span><\/p>\n

Many viewed the Bears postseason chances like quarks. We knew they existed but they are so minuscule that we could never be sure.<\/span><\/p>\n

With Fields, the data can pull you in different directions depending on what you are looking at.<\/span><\/p>\n

Chicago Bears: The Pitfalls of Trying to Measure Justin Fields’ Progress<\/h2>\n

Like a Band-Aid<\/span><\/h3>\n

There have been plenty of poor statistics to come out of Fields\u2019 season. So much so that Kevin Siefert wrote<\/a> about how the 11th-overall pick in last April\u2019s NFL Draft compares to some of the worst quarterbacks to draw starts in league history. It has become the perfect \u201ctold you so\u201d memento for those ready to bail after 10 starts in 12 games.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the heart of the article is QBR, a metric in which Fields \u2013 and Zach Wilson whom the article only mentions in passing \u2013 is on pace for historic numbers of the bad kind.\u00a0 It also mentions his fumbles, his tendency to hold onto the ball, and, in general, the wild swings in his \u201cwow\u201d plays.<\/span><\/p>\n

All of those are big areas of concern for any quarterback, let alone one selected just outside of the top-10.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the end, the article is simply suggesting that while Fields certainly <\/span>can<\/span><\/i> prove to be better than his numbers suggest, it would seem very unlikely given the historical data. And Siefert isn\u2019t alone. A simple search on Twitter will bring up any number of graphics and charts depicting just how bad Fields has been.<\/span><\/p>\n

It is almost as if the loudest voices demanding Fields be given a shot \u2013 even after it was known he wasn\u2019t given a fair shake in the leadup to the season \u2013 are now trying to go in the opposite direction.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

I thought @justnfields<\/a> played really well overall last night:
-less sacks
-play faster in pocket<\/p>\n

But I really like just the subtle nuance of this play\u2014doing plays like this consistently\u2014on top of the it play talent\u20142022!! @ChicagoBears<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/UN09UkWA19<\/a><\/p>\n

— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) December 21, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n