Week 2 - Bears @ Packers, SNF

[BigSlick]

Do we think Eberflus and Poles are that motivated to make sure to win 7 games rather than 5? This isn't the end of the Matt Nagy era where he felt desperate to keep his job, these guys have at least this year to develop people. They aren't getting fired if they bottom out this year.

[UMFan83]

I think the important point here that most people are agreeing with is that they need to allow him to fail through opportunity. He may be holding the ball too long, and he isn't finding the open receiver, but they also aren't allowing him enough opportunity to learn. Maybe they see it in practice, if so their job is to correct it, not design running plays in games on 2 and 16 down a few scores.

Yea, you said it much better than I've tried to.

 

We as fans are looking for hope. The coaching staff is trying to win games.

 

The coaching staff believes the best way to reach its goal is to essentially make Fields make as few decisions as possible and throw as few passes as possible.

 

We as fans (or at least, most of us) understand that success in the NFL all but requires top-tier quarterback play. We understand we're not getting that now and that it's highly unlikely we'll get that at any point this season. But it'd be nice to know if there is any chance we *ever* get that with Fields. I'd rather know the answer definitively--even if that answer is no--than scratch out 7 or 8 wins with gimmicky sets, an old-timey run-based approach, and 10 passing attempts a game. None of those things (individually or collectively) prove or disprove whether Justin Fields can actually be a starting NFL quarterback and would/will simply leave us back where we started--"too soon to tell," "needs more time," "can't evaluate him with this supporting cast," "needs an opportunity to show what we can do in a 'real' offense," etc. etc. etc.

 

This doesn't make sense though. Eberflus was hired presumably knowing what Poles plan was the first couple of seasons. It doesn't take a genius to know that step one of building an NFL team is to get the QB right. So while he absolutely should be trying to win, I don't think he should be doing it at the expense of what should be the organization's priority number 1 - develop Fields. Even if you don't believe in him - this is basically a free year to evaluate. Maybe you'll surprise you and you'll get praised for fixing Fields and you can use your 1st round pick on a WR or something instead of a QB. But if Fields fails no one is going to hold it against them (unless they cut him loose and he becomes an elite QB elsewhere)

[gflore34]

I think the important point here that most people are agreeing with is that they need to allow him to fail through opportunity. He may be holding the ball too long, and he isn't finding the open receiver, but they also aren't allowing him enough opportunity to learn. Maybe they see it in practice, if so their job is to correct it, not design running plays in games on 2 and 16 down a few scores.

Yea, you said it much better than I've tried to.

 

We as fans are looking for hope. The coaching staff is trying to win games.

 

The coaching staff believes the best way to reach its goal is to essentially make Fields make as few decisions as possible and throw as few passes as possible.

 

We as fans (or at least, most of us) understand that success in the NFL all but requires top-tier quarterback play. We understand we're not getting that now and that it's highly unlikely we'll get that at any point this season. But it'd be nice to know if there is any chance we *ever* get that with Fields. I'd rather know the answer definitively--even if that answer is no--than scratch out 7 or 8 wins with gimmicky sets, an old-timey run-based approach, and 10 passing attempts a game. None of those things (individually or collectively) prove or disprove whether Justin Fields can actually be a starting NFL quarterback and would/will simply leave us back where we started--"too soon to tell," "needs more time," "can't evaluate him with this supporting cast," "needs an opportunity to show what we can do in a 'real' offense," etc. etc. etc.

 

This doesn't make sense though. Eberflus was hired presumably knowing what Poles plan was the first couple of seasons. It doesn't take a genius to know that step one of building an NFL team is to get the QB right. So while he absolutely should be trying to win, I don't think he should be doing it at the expense of what should be the organization's priority number 1 - develop Fields. Even if you don't believe in him - this is basically a free year to evaluate. Maybe you'll surprise you and you'll get praised for fixing Fields and you can use your 1st round pick on a WR or something instead of a QB. But if Fields fails no one is going to hold it against them (unless they cut him loose and he becomes an elite QB elsewhere)

 

It's analogous to the MLB' minor leagues or the NBA' G league, every play, every facet should be about development, Poles and company can't that dense, can they?

 

Even if the goal, for whatever reason, is to win 7 instead of 5 games they'll have a hell of better chance by actively trying to score points on every possession, especially with a defense that's not really going to stop anyone. Mr. defensive minded head coach has got to know that about his defense by now.

Edited September 19, 2022 by gflore34

[raw]

 

This is what they mean by processing time. He sees St. Brown and if he pulls the trigger right away he's got 6. But he delays for a second and in that time it seems like the CB has recovered to close some of the gap and ultimately he doesn't think its a safe throw because if its underthrown its an INT. At least that's how I see it as a complete amateur film watcher.

 

Beyond a doubt, nearly any other QB would have pulled the trigger, overthinking, lack of confidence, playing scared, fearing a TO, is not going to work. He should know that if he doesn't, he 's as good as gone.

 

I'm talking myself more and more into the belief that they just need to let him play freely and sink or swim. I think back to the Browns preseason game (yes I know it was a meaningless preseason game with starters sitting) but you could just see Fields start to get comfortable after a few throws and then suddenly he was electric and confidently throwing bombs all over the field. I think back to the Steelers game last year. In the first half he struggled with a gameplan that didn't involve many passes, in the 2nd half he hit a couple of perfect throws and then became unstoppable. I think if you give someone only a handful of attempts to make something happen, they're going to play more tentatively and scared because the margin for error is razor thin (like WrigleyField22 said). It certainly seems like the case with Fields.

 

It was like that every game last year too. The offense would do nothing 1st quarter (or entire half in most cases) and then Fields would get into a rhythm and just play. Hell, he did that last week. But Pittsburgh, SF last year also come to mind.

[SouthSideRyan]

That's only clear if you're high. It's literally unclear. It's a mess to decipher.

 

I'm really confused on why you want this to not be a TD so badly, but let me make it crystal horsefeathering clear to you.

I want Bears fans to not embarrass themselves

 

Good luck with that

[d_money]

By week 5, we could be seeing Semian

[Tim]

By week 5, we could be seeing Semian

And here we are, Bears fans embarrassing themselves.

[d_money]

By week 5, we could be seeing Semian

And here we are, Bears fans embarrassing themselves.

Ok Tim

[Hairyducked Idiot]

By week 5, we could be seeing Semian

 

I wanted so bad to be the first one to say something like this but I was saving it for at least one more week

[WrigleyField 22]

I don't know if it's a weird small sample size issue or what, but this is not how I would describe my recollection of the Bears offense.

[UMFan83]

I don't know if it's a weird small sample size issue or what, but this is not how I would describe my recollection of the Bears offense.

 

I’m a bit lost on why this separates QB play from playcalling. I did see that Fields had the second highest Depth of Target in the league this week which immediately makes me question the validity of this statistic

[d_money]

By week 5, we could be seeing Semian

 

I wanted so bad to be the first one to say something like this but I was saving it for at least one more week

Haha. Hey, he hasn’t been good, it’s only week 2 and I’d love to see him play better and succeed but I find myself searching for positives.

 

Week 5 may have been a little aggressive but if there are plays that can be made - and he’s simply not progressing and pulling the trigger - another move is necessary.

[UMFan83]

By week 5, we could be seeing Semian

 

I wanted so bad to be the first one to say something like this but I was saving it for at least one more week

Haha. Hey, he hasn’t been good, it’s only week 2 and I’d love to see him play better and succeed but I find myself searching for positives.

 

Week 5 may have been a little aggressive but if there are plays that can be made - and he’s simply not progressing and pulling the trigger - another move is necessary.

 

You already know what Siemien can bring to the table which is adequate backup QB. Siemien will not start unless Fields is injured or he’s still garbage in week 16 and both parties have mutually agreed to move on after the season.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I don't know if it's a weird small sample size issue or what, but this is not how I would describe my recollection of the Bears offense.

 

I’m a bit lost on why this separates QB play from playcalling. I did see that Fields had the second highest Depth of Target in the league this week which immediately makes me question the validity of this statistic

 

Well he only made 11 throws and one of them was the super deep ball he overshot, so it wouldn't take much else to keep the average high. Feels like a statistic that's maybe better with the median, or maybe that doesn't matter as much unless you throw it so few times.

[WrigleyField 22]

 

I’m a bit lost on why this separates QB play from playcalling. I did see that Fields had the second highest Depth of Target in the league this week which immediately makes me question the validity of this statistic

It just helps show how constrained or not a QB is by the depth of routes being called by they OC.

 

But yea the Bears one doesn't seem right, but maybe there's a "actually they've had a lot of deep routes/targets when the denominator is only 28" so it just doesn't feel like it.

[Soul]

Probably doesn’t make anyone feel better but I can imagine Viking fans are saying similar things about their defense that we were last night about the Bears.

[jersey cubs fan]

By week 5, we could be seeing Semian

 

I wanted so bad to be the first one to say something like this but I was saving it for at least one more week

Haha. Hey, he hasn’t been good, it’s only week 2 and I’d love to see him play better and succeed but I find myself searching for positives.

 

Week 5 may have been a little aggressive but if there are plays that can be made - and he’s simply not progressing and pulling the trigger - another move is necessary.

necessary? There is no necessity to bring in Seman. It may become necessary to move on from Fields after 2023, but this (week 5 of 2022) is a really stupid premise.

[minnesotacubsfan]

I don't know if it's a weird small sample size issue or what, but this is not how I would describe my recollection of the Bears offense.

 

this might be why we thing Fields holds onto the ball too long..the routes are long

[WrigleyField 22]

I don't know if it's a weird small sample size issue or what, but this is not how I would describe my recollection of the Bears offense.

 

this might be why we thing Fields holds onto the ball too long..the routes are long

Are the targets exceptionally long, because I feel like it's been a lot of RB dump offs on actual targets.

 

But I guess I can remember like 4 long targets off the top of my head so that is 14% of passes to help bump the average...?

[jersey cubs fan]

I don't know if it's a weird small sample size issue or what, but this is not how I would describe my recollection of the Bears offense.

It includes average route by RBs and maybe the bears have relatively few rb routes out in the flat since they have to stay in and help with pass protection. It’s also 2 games with barely any passing plays, probably incredibly pointless stat.

[Brian707]

Why on earth would the Bears bring in Semian? They aren't a playoff team trying to salvage the season. The only way he plays is if Fields gets injured

[WrigleyField 22]

Why on earth would the Bears bring in Semian? They aren't a playoff team trying to salvage the season. The only way he plays is if Fields gets injured

Virginia will die and Pat Ryan will buy the team from the McCaskey estate and then force the coaches to start Siemian because he has a boner for everything Northwestern.

 

 

 

That's the best I got.

[CubinNY]

Hurts is the model for Fields. They should be trying to emulate what Philly has done with him.

[raw]

Hurts is the model for Fields. They should be trying to emulate what Philly has done with him.

 

What Philly has done with him is put him behind the best OL in the league. Also drafted and traded for WRs with 1st round picks. Bears are a long way from being able to emulate that.

[WrigleyField 22]

Isn't Hurts a much better natural runner than Fields (and a weaker passer).

 

I think Fields is still more the mold of a moving pocket guy who punishes you when you leave the run open, but he has the arm talent to develop into a primary passing threat more than a run-led threat. It's the recognition that isn't up to par with the arm talent right now though. That still has to be developed (with lots of reps and coaching).