Nearly a month after he awkwardly tried to say these losses mean more to the players than anyone else following a loss to the Packers, Justin Fields sounded like just another frustrated Bears fan Thursday night.
“Everybody is feeling this way. Everybody is mad. Nobody is happy about this loss,” Fields said after a 12-7 loss to the Commanders on Thursday night at Soldier Field. “We always get told that we’re almost there, we’re almost there. I’m tired of being almost there. I’m tired of being just this close. I feel like I’ve been hearing it for so long now.”
Playing on three days rest after a promising performance against the Vikings on Sunday, Fields and the Bears offense reverted to training-wheels form against the Commanders. Fields completed 14-of-27 passes for 190 yards, one touchdown, one interception and a 71.5 passer rating. He also was sacked five times and hit seven times.
Fields also had 12 rushes for 88 yards (7.3 avg.) but that was a mixed bag. His exhilarating 39-yard run for a first-and-goal at the Washington 5-yard line with 52 seconds left gave the Bears a chance to win. Three other carries gave the Bears a first down, including a 10-yard gain on third-and-eight early in the fourth quarter and a fourth-and-one quarterback sneak in the first quarter.
But it’s the same old thing at this point. Fields is running too much, getting exposed to hits he shouldn’t be taking. And most of all, his scrambling is too much of the Bears’ offense and isn’t leading to enough production. The Bears gained 392 yards but scored only seven points.
And even Fields is expressing frustration at his own inability to make simple plays. He overthrew tight end Ryan Griffin in the end zone on a well-designed play on second-and-goal from the 3-yard line in the second quarter.
The Bears, in fact, reached the Commanders 1, 5 and 4 yard line and did not score. On fourth-and-goal at the 1, Khalil Herbert was stuffed for no gain. On second-and-goal from the 5, Fields was intercepted when his pass hit defensive tackle Efe Obada in the helmet. On fourth-and-goal from the 4 with 35 seconds left, wide receiver Darnell Mooney juggled a pass at the goal line and fell inches short of the end zone and a game-winning touchdown.
That’s a problem.
“Finish — that’s it,” Fields said when asked what the offense needs to do better. “We didn’t finish. Missed a wide-open touchdown pass [to Griffin]. Fourth-and-one, handed the ball off to [Herbert] — couldn’t finish it. Last play [to Mooney], couldn’t finish it.
“There were multiple plays that we could have made to change the game. We didn’t finish. [It] doesn’t matter if you drive down to the 5-, 1-yard line and don’t score. It’s the same thing as three-and-out when you punt inside the 10. So it’s the same thing. The biggest thing is finishing.”
Fields frustration also was evident when he was asked about a solution to that problem. It’s no longer a matter of experience or reps or building chemistry with receivers or getting acclimated to Luke Getsy’s offense. He just has to play better.
“When the play is there, make it — plain and simple,” Fields said. “There is logistics. It’s not complicated. It’s when you have that opportunity, finish. It’s that simple. We just didn’t do that tonight. You don’t have to make it harder than it is — pitch and catch.”
Fields called himself out for his role in that problem. “The one that’s making me mad is the one to Griff in the end zone. He probably could have run a little bit more, but he’s wide open. I’ve got to hit that. I’m an NFL quarterback. I’ve got to hit that.”
Fields’ emotions were running high after a poor performance in a game the Bears’ should have won. His exasperation was the story of the post-game. But he’s not on tilt. He said a lot of other things that indicated his head is in the right place.
“All you can do is get back to work. That’s the only reaction you can have,” he said. “Live and you learn and get back next week and keep going. Keep getting better.”
Still, his frustration bears watching. Teammates have made it clear they follow his emotional lead. Channeling his emotions into better performance could be problematic on a team with a modest supporting cast.
Therein lies the biggest red flag about Fields’ frustration after the loss to the Commanders. He’s being told “we’re almost there,” when they aren’t even close. This offense has a long way to go. And the evidence through six games indicates it’s not a matter of time. It’s a matter of talent.
