Justin Fields

Chicago Bears: Week 9 takeaways, quick tidbits, and bye week preview

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justin field, bears

With the Chicago Bears losing a fourth consecutive game, it’s time to wrap up week nine and look ahead to week 10.

1) The Bears lost Justin Fields a very winnable game. 12 penalties isn’t going to help a team win a football game. The Bears are lucky to have scored 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter and Fields heroics kept Chicago in the game. The 11th overall pick found a rhythm towards the end of the first half and never looked back.

2) Speaking of Fields, the Bears rookie had his best game as a starter in week nine. Going 17-for-29, averaging 10.0 yards per pass attempt, along with one touchdown doesn’t tell the full story of FIelds performance. Fields was sharp all evening, completing seven passes beyond 15 yards, including one touchdown.

3) Talk about needing a big game from pass catchers and the Bears delivered. Cole Kmet, Allen Robinson, and Darnell Mooney combined for 13 receptions for 196 total yards as the Bears averaged 17.1 yards per reception. Such a significant increase shows Fields is getting more comfortable with his playmakers as time progresses.

4) The Bears need to get Eddie Jackson back and healthy quickly. Ben Roethlisberger picked apart the secondary all evening. Two straight games without Jackson roaming the defensive backfield shows Jackson’s importance in coverage for an already weak secondary.

5) Something you can’t deny when looking back at Monday night’s Bears loss: Justin Fields, Khalil Herbert, and Larry Borom have become instant impact players. Another phenomenal job scouting talent by Ryan Pace and the front office. Pace’s knack for scouting and finding talent on day three of the NFL Draft is yet another reason the much-criticized general manager continues to be employed.

6) Louis Riddick summed up the Bears perfectly on Monday night as players met at midfield for postgame handshakes: “Matt Nagy and Justin Fields can walk out of here with their heads held high.” Riddick isn’t wrong. Fields progress was apparent and the McCaskey family is seeing the difference a good QB can make in games.

7) Let’s talk about Robert Quinn. Chicago is seeing some returns on Quinn, who’s a $70M investment but Quinn’s crucial offsides penalty on the Steelers’ final drive cost the Bears big time. Chicago can’t afford to lose any momentum in critical situations and Quinn shot the Bears in the foot twice in the fourth quarter. A second penalty was on a third-and-seven from the Steelers 41-yard line.

8) In his postgame presser, linebacker Roquan Smith said the defense let the offense down. Smith, who talks to the media after nearly game is conveying one message: The Bears defense didn’t get the job done on Monday but the offense did. Here’s the significance of such a comment: It’s the defense that lost the game, not the offense. The Bears offense is also on the rise and the defense sees that.

9) Let’s talk about the Bears newest running back duo: David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert. With 17 total carries and 76 rushing yards, Nagy failed to figure out how to utilize both players effectively. The Steelers defense keyed in on both running backs all evening but with the identity of the Bears offense being the run, Chicago needs to feature more two-back sets with Montgomery and Herbert being mismatch weapons.

10) Let’s give some love to Cairo Santos. The Bears kicker has been automatic this season and has stabilized the position that was once the only weakness on the Bears roster back in 2019. Touchdowns should be the goal but field goals with a consistent kicker figure to get the job done at times too.

Bears Bye Week: What have we learned?

Through the first nine games of the Bears season, we’ve learned a lot about what to expect during the second half of the season. The Bears offense has developed an identity through the run game but the most significant change that defined the first half of the season was Nagy relinquishing playcalling duties to offensive coordinator Bill Lazor.

Between weeks nine and 10, Chicago has started to develop more into a pass-first offense. Fields’ development as a passer has been noticeable, with the 11th overall pick processing quicker and completing short and intermediate throws. This comes as a result of improved decision-making and Fields’ willingness to take what the defense gives him.

What we’ve also learned is the Bears’ defense is significantly worse without star pass rusher Khalil Mack, who’s been nursing a foot injury over the last few weeks. While the Bears totaled four sacks in week nine, Mack’s presence would’ve slowed down the Steelers’ offense and forced Roethlisberger to get rid of the ball quicker.

Two objectives need to be accomplished during the bye week for Chicago: Getting healthy and then shuffling the offensive line while figuring out how to cater gameplans to further develop Fields. With eight games left, the Bears can still turn around a tumultuous season.

Chicago Bears: Holes apparent in week eight loss

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Trevis Gipson, bears

In what was deemed a very winnable game for the Chicago Bears in week eight at home, the Bears struggled, failing to put together a complete game in all three phases. Chicago averaged 4.8 yards per play, with rookie quarterback Justin Fields rushing for a 22-yard touchdown on fourth-and-one to give the Bears some life.

The Bears season isn’t necessarily over but Chicago has now lost three straight games to NFC opponents. Since week six, losses to the Green Bay Packers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and now San Francisco 49ers have put the three win Bears on the outside looking in, in the context of a playoff spot.

Sunday afternoon was an eye-opening moment for the Bears as a whole. Through the first seven games of the season, the assumption was that Chicago featured a solid defense while the offense would struggle. Sunday afternoon proved to be different.

The 49ers gashed the Bears’ defense throughout the second half, with multiple throws down the middle of the field late in the fourth quarter. Chicago simply wasn’t playing with enough speed on the defensive side of the ball to warrant slowing down the 49ers’ offense. The Bears pass rush failed to generate any sacks, even with Khalil Mack out

Mack’s absence leads to an important question regarding Akiem Hicks and Robert Quinn, both of whom failed to record a sack on Sunday. How much of Hicks and Quinn’s success in 2021 is the result of Mack’s presence? Mack may not always pad the stat sheet but his impact was felt on Sunday afternoon.

The Bears offense did show signs of life but there wasn’t enough. It’s clear that the Bears aren’t a very good team around Fields, with the inability to execute prevalent from the wide receiver, tight end, and offensive line.

The Bears have a long way to go before being relevant again. Fields provides hope for the future but Chicago’s holes were visible on Sunday afternoon for a team that has struggled mightily in 2021.

Chicago Bears: Week 7 takeaways with Usayd Koshul

by
Marquise Goodwin, bears

After a blowout loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in week 7, it’s time for the Chicago Bears to look ahead to week 8. But first, some quick takeaways.

1) Let’s be honest, the Bears gameplan was bad in this one. On the offensive side of the ball, the pass protection was very average, with the coaching staff choosing to start Lachavious Simmons at right tackle instead of Alex Bars, who started eight games for Chicago last season. The Bears need to do a better job of identifying which talent to replace when players go down.

2) Kudos to rookie running back Khalil Herbert, who had his first career 100-yard rushing performance. The 2021 sixth-round pick racked up 18 carries for 100 rushing yards, averaging 5.6 yards per carry. Not bad for a player who’s emerged as a centerpiece for the Bears offense.

3) Allen Robinson and Darnell Mooney were underwhelming. Whether you want to admit it or not, the Bears wide receiver duo has been uninspiring. A lack of chemistry with Justin Fields is the major issue but Robinson and Mooney combined for just four total receptions in week 7. Not the production you want to see from a WR duo that had 163 total receptions a year ago.

4) The Bears had zero sacks this game, marking the first time all season Chicago failed to record a sack. Khalil Mack was injured and while the star pass rusher played, the Bears missed Akiem Hicks and Robert Quinn due to injuries and COVID-19. The Bears hope to get both back and healthy for week 8 to get the defense back up to full speed.

5) There was growth from Justin Fields in this game. Trust me, I spent Sunday night analyzing two losses that showed why Fields progressed, even if it was a little bit. Also, Fields isn’t Mitchell Trubisky 2.0, so let’s quit with that narrative.

6) This was a game that cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kindle Vildor will clearly want to forget. Johnson was beat twice by Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans for touchdowns, while Vildor was beaten by Evans and wide receiver Chris Godwin. Here’s to hoping that both players have a major bounceback game against the San Francisco 49ers.

7) Fields statline is a hot point of debate. The 11th overall pick was 22-for-32 with 184 passing yards, zero touchdowns, and three interceptions. Part of Fields struggles are warranted but stat lines don’t define a quarterback’s progress or growth. Nor are final stats factored into development. Fields continues to make rookie mistakes, which is fine. Would you rather Fields makes mistakes as a rookie or in year three or four, when we’ll have a good read on what Fields is as a quarterback.

8) Bilal Nichols’ punch was unacceptable. For the “Nagy is a players coach” crowd, if Nagy was really a players coach, long-term building blocks like Nichols wouldn’t be out there punching opponents in a game that was pretty much over. Have some respect for the guys in the other uniform and play with discipline, something the Bears have been lacking in 2021.

9) The Bears were never winning this game but losing by 35 points is a bad look. Chicago didn’t even attempt to be competitive, which is an issue since the Bears have now lost to Tampa Bay, the Green Bay Packers, and Los Angeles Rams, three playoff-caliber teams in the NFC.

10) At some point, Matt Nagy needs to acknowledge and understand the Bears are out of options on offense. Chicago needs to solidify the offensive line and it starts by benching Sam Mustipher, who was manhandled by Buccaneers defensive tackle Vita Vea on what seemed like every play. It’s time to switch Cody Whitehair back to center, kick James Daniels out to left guard, and slot in Alex Bars at right guard.

Chicago Bears: There was growth from rookie Justin Fields in week 7

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justin field, bears, matt nagy

A hot topic of debate among Chicago Bears fans through the first five starts for rookie quarterback Justin Fields has been development. For some, the week-to-week growth is apparent while others have a hard time seeing any sort of growth.

If you don’t believe me when I say that there are Bears fans out there who believe there hasn’t been growth from Fields, just go look at comments made on social media. There are literally people who will argue that Fields is playing as bad as former Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. There’s a massive difference between the two. Fields has started just five games. Meanwhile, Trubisky had just over three years, including two full seasons as a starter to prove himself. It’s simple math that screams something: Slow down the clock on making conclusions on Fields. Give him time and a chance to prove himself.

Week 7 showed us that while Fields threw three interceptions, the growth was still there. Let’s look at Fields’ first interception of the game. On a third-and-five from the Bears 40-yard line, the Bears trotted out in the shotgun formation. Fields intended to target wide receiver Allen Robinson on the right side of the field. It just so happened that Robinson slipped.

After the game, Fields explained what he saw on a play that inevitably gave Tampa Bay their touchdown of the game.

“In the headset they were telling me we had 12 men on the field, so I was trying to snap the ball quick,” Fields said via the Bears official YouTube channel. “And then me snapping the ball quick, I think it caught our receivers off guard, because we were trying to get a flag, so me thinking that we had 12 men on the field, that’s a free play. So I’m thinking, ‘All right, scramble around and stuff like that. And then, of course, I see A-Rob downfield and I think he slips and of course the pick. I mean, that’s just trying to get 12 people on the field, and then it just went bad from there.”

This isn’t the first instance of Fields quickly identifying the Bears offense can get some extra yards via a free play. In week six against the Green Bay Packers, Fields saw another opportunity for a free play after seeing a Packers defensive lineman jump offside. Unfortunately, the referees opted to not give the Bears the call in a play that ended with a Fields interception. Being able to identify when the opportunity for a free play arises is growth from Fields in the context of knowing and understanding the situation and how to take advantage of it.

Let’s switch over to the second quarter. Remember how throughout the earlier portions of the season, Fields would try to make too much happen with his legs. It seemed like every time the 11th overall pick would take off and scramble, Fields would expose his entire body by using a spin move. Except against the Buccaneers, when Fields took off to scramble, he didn’t use a spin move. He simply decided to slide, ending the play, taking what the defense gave him.

Fields did admit earlier in the season that he needed to retire the spin move. And while it’s taken a few weeks, it worked. The rookie is quickly learning that when quarterbacks take big shots in the NFL, it can shorten a player’s career.

While many will look at Fields final statline 22-for-32, 184 passing yards, and three interceptions with zero touchdowns as a means of justifying whether or not Fields is progressing, film truly shows whether or not a player is improving.

So is it too early to write off Fields? Absolutely. This much I promise you: Nobody inside Halas Hall expected Fields to come in during his rookie season and magically light it up. Every team and every quarterback is presented with a different situation. So give it time. It took time for Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson. It took at least three seasons for Josh Allen and two full seasons fro Kyler Murray. So give Fields the same time in what is the most anticipated rookie athlete since the Chicago Bulls drafted Derrick Rose in 2008.

Chicago Bears: No answers in loss to Buccaneers

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justin field, bears

It was another long week for the Chicago Bears in a 38-3 loss on the road against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. To start, Chicago was never in the game, to begin with. After failing to score on the first six possessions of the game, the Bears offense once again struggled to get anything going until Cairo Santos hit a 28-yard field goal with just 6:13 to go in the fourth quarter.

Throughout the afternoon, the Bears struggled on both sides of the all. The defense allowed three touchdowns in the first half and failed to record a sack. Chicago’s pass rush was non-existent with defensive tackle Akiem Hicks and outside linebacker Robert Quinn being sidelined due to injuries and COVID-19.

Rookie quarterback Justin Fields struggled at times throughout the afternoon. Fields was 22-for-32 with 184 passing yards, zero touchdowns, and three interceptions. The 11th overall pick posted a passing rating of 44.3 while being sacked four times. The lone bright spot for the Bears’ offense was running back Khalil Herbert, who rushed 18 times for 100 yards, averaging 5.6 yards per carry.

Vintage Tom Brady showed up for his seventh career game against Chicago. Throughout the afternoon, Brady was sharp, connecting with Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans for three touchdowns. While Brady averaged just 5.9 yards per pass attempt, the future hall of fame quarterback was aided by a strong rushing attack that averaged 5.9 yards per carry.

With Chicago now on a two-game losing streak, losses against key NFC opponents continue to pile up for the Bears. Through the first seven weeks of the season, the Bears have lost to the Los Angeles Rams, Green Bay Packers, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, three teams who will likely be competing for the Lombardi Trophy when the playoffs begin in mid-January.

After the game, head coach Matt Nagy stressed the importance of not letting the Bears’ latest loss feel like multiple losses. This wasn’t a game that anyone expected the Bears to win by any means but many hoped the Bears would be competitive enough to at least warrant not being blown out.

What’s next for the Bears? Chicago will return home to face the San Francisco 49ers in week 8, which will mark the first time the Fields will face fellow rookie quarterback Trey Lance, the third overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Chicago Bears: Situationally, the Bears can’t execute.

by
justin field, bears, matt nagy

Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field for the Chicago Bears was a classic case of what to expect when playing the Green Bay Packers. The Bears may have marched down the field with an eight-play, 54-yard drive that took a little over four minutes off the clock and scored a touchdown on their opening posession, however, Chicago failed to execute when it matters most on offense.

Throughout the first half, the Bears did manage to keep the game close. Both rivals did trade punches early on in what appeared to be a heavyweight fight in the making. Then Aaron Rodgers decided to takeover, doing what he does best against the Bears: Dominate.

Four years into the Matt Nagy era and the Bears offense still fails to execute. The Bears would punt on four straight possessions after Justin Fields’ interception, which was questionable after a Packers defensive lineman was in the neutral zone.

“We got to understand that where we’re at in the season right now and where we want to go,” said Nagy via the Bears official YouTube channel. “We got to look at and say okay together where was it? Was it a couple plays here or there? Was it big picture? “

Losing to the Packers isn’t a matter of losing by a few plays. Losing to Green Bay is about playing mistake-free football on both sides of the ball. Chicago’s defense showed up to play on Sunday but the offense failed to put up points when it matters most. Two of Chicago’s four punts came when the Bears crossed midfield and successfully entered Packers territory.

This simply isn’t a case of the Bears turning on the film and figuring out what went wrong and where. The Bears need to figure out why execution was lacking on Sunday afternoon and do so quickly. Chicago is heading to Tampa Bay next week to face the Super Bowl champion Buccaneers, another game that the Bears will need to be near-perfect in order to come away with a victory.

Chicago Bears: Reality now sets in after loss to Packers

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The scoreboard may look closer than expected but one takeaway from the Chicago Bears‘ loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday afternoon is the Bears still have a lot of work to do. After opening the game with an eight-play, 80-yard drive that ended with rookie running back Khalil Herbert scoring a one-yard rushing touchdown, the Bears’ offense stalled in the second and third quarter.

With two straight wins, Chicago seemed to be riding a hot hand heading into this week, showing some signs of hope that the Bears could knock off the Packers at home for an upset win. Instead, Aaron Rodgers had other plans in what could be his final game at Soldier Field as a member of the Packers.

Chicago scored just once in the fourth quarter, closing the gap to just three points. Rodgers and the Packers offense would then

While the Bears’ defense did sack Rodgers three times, the Bears’ offense struggled to get anything going when it was just a three-point game. Fields did show some maturation on a 10-play drive in the fourth quarter, hitting wide receiver Allen Robinson and tight end Cole Kmet for 20 and 21-yard passes on back-to-back plays to move the chains.

Rookie running back Herbert was a bright spot on Chicago’s offense. After getting the nod as starter, Herbert rushed 19 times for 97 yards, averaging 5.1 yards per carry. The sixth-round pick broke off a big run for 25 yards to give the Bears some momentum in the first quarter on a drive that would end in a questionable interception by Fields.

Chicago now drops to 3-3 through the first six games for the third time in the last four years under head coach Matt Nagy. The story seems to remain the same for Nagy’s Bears. Over the last four seasons, the Bears have beaten average teams but struggled to get past good teams in the NFC. Losses to the Rams and Packers further prove the Bears have a long way to go in order to close any sort of talent gap in the NFC North.

Chicago Bears: Physicality now a part of offensive identity

by
Cody Whitehair, bears

Every year in the NFL is a different team and for the Chicago Bears, 2021 has been much different than most expected. After an up-and-down start to the regular season, Chicago opted to make changes on offense. Veteran quarterback Andy Dalton was benched in favor of rookie Justin Fields while offensive coordinator Bill Lazor was dubbed as the primary playcaller, taking duties from head coach Matt Nagy.

Switching to Lazor and Fields has given the Bears new life. No longer are the Bears are dink and dunk offense each week. Over the last two games, the Bears have been running the ball consistently, employing a run-first philosophy. This shift in offensive philosophy has the Bears’ offensive line playing more physically, dominating opponents at the point of attack.

“You could just tell the mentality changed throughout the team in practice, meetings, and then everything’s translated over into games,” said offensive lineman Cody Whitehair. “I like where we’re at right now and we just got to keep it going moving forward.”

The undisputed leader of the offensive line, Whitehair and right guard James Daniels are the only remaining pieces that were on the 2018 Bears, a team that featured a solid offensive line, A unit that struggled over the last two seasons has quickly stabilized itself and hopes to turn into a strength for the Bears moving forward.

“Guys just coming out to practice and wanting, the coaching wanting to get better, the relentless effort to try and get things right,” said Whitehair.

On paper, one would look at Chicago’s offensive line and assume it’s a unit that is still learning how to play together. However, the numbers speak for themselves. On offense, Chicago averaged 4.2 yards per play against the Las Vegas Raiders in week 5 and controlled the line of scrimmage, allowed just two sacks. The Bears are quickly turning into a more physical brand of football which should cater to the offenses’ strengths as the weather continues to change over the next two months in the Windy City.

Chicago Bears: Week 5 wrap up, takeaways, and week 6 preview

by
justin field, bears

With week 5 officially in the book for the Chicago Bears, let’s breakdown everything as Chicago leaves Las Vegas with a win. The Bears are over .500 for the first time since December 27th, 2020, a stat that doesn’t look noticeable to many but should be considered noteworthy as the Bears are on a two-game winning streak.

1) No David Montgomery, no problem for the Bears running game. Running backs Khalil Herbert and Damien Williams combine for 34 carries, 139 rushing yards, and one touchdown. Herbert and Williams averaged 4.1 yards per carry, which means the Bears running game shouldn’t miss a beat with David Montgomery out for the foreseeable future.

2) Speaking of Damien Williams, he’s been a sneaky good option for the Bears as a receiver this year. Williams averaged 10 yards per reception on Sunday, his highest of the season. Williams has continued to be an impact player for the Bears despite playing behind Montgomery.

3) Khalil Mack got his revenge game. The Bears pass rusher was all over the field on Sunday afternoon, quieting any doubters who used sack production as a means of saying Mack was too old or overpaid. The eighth-year pass rusher now has five sacks on the season and was constantly in the face of Raiders quarterback Derek Carr on Sunday, including sacking Carr on a two-point conversion attempt, giving the Bears an eight-point advantage.

4) Linebacker Alec Ogletree seemed to play more than Danny Trevathan, who made his season debut had just three tackles. Trevathan played just 15 percent of snaps on defense, while Ogletree played 52 percent of snaps. Two possibilities exist when looking at Trevathan’s decreased snap count in his season debut: The Bears are easing Trevathan back from a knee injury or Ogletree legitimately played well enough during Trevathan’s absence, impressing the coaching staff enough to hold down the starting job.

5) Safety Eddie Jackson seemed revitalized when speaking to the media during his postgame press conference. The Bears secondary still has communication issues to hammer out but Jackson was clearly proud of the way the Bears secondary performed. Wide receiver Henry Ruggs and tight end Darren Waller had just seven receptions combined.

6) Chicago rushing defense limited the Raiders to just 3.2 yards per carry, just the second time this season the Bears have allowed just under 3.5 yards per carry. The other time was week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams. Despite missing Akiem Hicks in week 5, the Bears rush defense was more than solid, proving that the defensive line is playing at a high level.

7) One area of concern for the Bears is the lack of finishing opponents off. Week 5 marked the third time this season the Bears had the opportunity to put Raiders away but failed to do so. Cairo Santos’ two field goals in the fourth quarter helped but Santos’ first field goal came on the end of a 10 play, 57-yard drive that lasted just over six minutes. Field goals are fine with a lead but touchdowns usually end up being the final blow when putting opponents away for good.

8) Justin Fields threw the ball just 20 times against the Raiders, completing just 12 passes. At some point, the Bears need to open up the offense more and allow Fields to throw the ball more, especially with two tough games against the Green Bay Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers coming up.

9) The Robert Quinn revenge tour continues. The 11th-year veteran wasted no time getting involved on Sunday afternoon, tackling Raiders running back Josh Jacobs for no gain on Las Vegas’ first offensive play. Quinn didn’t register a sack but still made his presence felt, consistently generating pressure. Fun fact: Quinn’s play in 2021 has earned him a grade of 75.2 from Pro Football Focus.

10) The Bears are good but not good enough on third down. Chicago converted 46 percent of third downs on Sunday, still eclipsing the Bears season average of 32.75 percent. The Bears do need to improve in this area to ensure the offense can keep stacking up strong performances together.

Looking ahead to week 6

The Green Bay Packers are coming to town and there’s something different about this Bears-Packers matchup. Maybe it’s the Justin Fields effect but the Bears have been playing well enough to warrant hanging with the Packers and making this a slugfest. Green Bay narrowly escaped the Cincinnati Bengals on the road in week 5, with Packers kicker Mason Crosby missing three potential game-winning field goals.

The Bears’ secondary will have its hands full trying to slow down Aaron Rodgers and Packers wide receiver Devante Adams but Green Bay’s secondary is also banged up with star cornerback Jaire Alexander unlikely to play, while CB Kevin King is injured too.

Matt Nagy has never beat Packers head coach Matt LaFleur and the Bears have beaten the Packers just once since 2018. With Rodgers not expected to return in 2022, the NFC North crown is wide open and for a changing of the guard to begin, the Bears will need to come away with a win on Sunday afternoon.

Chicago Bears must evolve and adapt with team identity

by
justin field, bears

The Chicago Bears will be leaving Las Vegas with a big road win and some momentum heading into a Week 6 home matchup against the division-rival Green Bay Packers. Over the last three weeks, we’ve gotten a sense of what the Bears’ identity is as a team: The defense is the backbone while the offense is built on a solid running game.

Chicago’s formula for success has worked so far. Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders was a clear example of how the running game has quickly become a strength of the Bears’ offense. Damien Williams and Khalil Herbert combine for 34 carries, 139 rushing yards, and one touchdown, averaging 4.1 yards per carry.

“When the running game is going like this, we can do a lot of things on offense,” quarterback Justin Fields told CBS Sports Evan Washburn after the game. “Hopefully we can keep that going and keep winning games.”

The numbers also reflect that the Bears identity is run first. Chicago controlled the ball for just over 32 minutes on Sunday afternoon, which equates to around 50 percent. As a passer, Fields was 12-for-20 with one touchdown and 111 passing yards. This is the second straight week Chicago has taken a somewhat conservative approach with Fields as a passer.

The Bears will need to open up the offense more, allowing Fields to make plays through the air. With games against explosive offenses such as the Green Bay Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers looming, a solid ariel attack will allow Chicago to keep pace with both teams.

The Bears passing game did have some bright moments in week 5, including a 13-yard pass from Fields to wide receiver Darnell Mooney on 3rd-and-12 with just 7:26 to go in the fourth quarter. Fields fit the ball into a tight window between two Raiders defenders, giving Mooney a chance to make a play.

“That’s just a timing throw,” Fields said after the game. “So we practice that all throughout the week. Just that look, just trying to get a first down, trying to keep the drive going, it was a great catch by Mooney, and a great call.”

Chicago’s identity has been solid so far, however, as the season continues to progress, the Bears will need to adapt to continue winning games, and prevent other teams from figuring out a way of stopping the offense.