Getty Allen Robinson was asked about his lack of chemistry with rookie Justin Fields.
Allen Robinson has gotten off to a slow start this year.
The Chicago Bears wide receiver is coming off his worst game of the season, catching just two passes on four targets for 16 yards in Chicago’s ugly 38-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Week 7. A-Rob has just 23 catches for 250 yards and a touchdown through his first seven games, which is less than half the yardage he had gained by this point in 2019 (46 catches, 526 yards, 3 TDs through seven games) and last season (44 catches for 544 yards and two TDs).
One reason for his slow start has been an apparent lack of chemistry between himself and rookie quarterback Justin Fields. For several weeks now, Fields has thrown in Robinson’s direction with results that have rarely been successful.
Justin Fields and Allen Robinson never seem to be on the same page.
When speaking with the media on October 26, A-Rob was asked about his on-field chemistry with Fields, and he had a very strong response.
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Robinson Explains Miscommunication on Recent Fields INT
In Chicago’s loss to Tampa Bay, Fields threw three interceptions, one of which was on a route that saw Robinson fall down while attempting to return to the ball.
“I actually didn’t think he threw it to me, because he because as I’m rolling he wasn’t really looking at me. Looked like he was like looking further down the field and then once I saw the ball thrown I try to turn back and make a play,” Robinson said about the play, adding:
“It’s off-coverage. I’m running a go-ball. The defender was at about 10 yards or so. So as I close the cushion to him and then I get a step on him, I’m still digging for the go-ball. Once I look back, the ball was in the air, I tried to slam on the brakes and maybe come back. But at that point in time, it was too late for me. There wasn’t too much that I could do because I’m thinking that it’s off-coverage, a go-ball, I’m chasing down a DB, and then once I get to him, now I’m really digging and then looking up for the ball as I’m continuing to build speed downfield.”
It was just one play, but it was indicative of how things have gone for Fields and A-Rob since the rookie got his first start Week 3. Robinson also took a veiled shot at his head coach, Matt Nagy, when discussing why his chemistry has been off with Fields.
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Robinson ‘Trying to Build’ Rapport With Fields, Wishes They’d Had More Practice
Nagy was steadfast in his assurance that Andy Dalton would be the team’s starter from March of this year up until the day before Fields was officially named the starter on October 6. Dalton wound up starting just two games, but he was the benefactor of nearly every first team snap the Bears had leading up to the regular season. Nagy could have insisted on Fields getting some time with the team’s top receivers, but that didn’t happen — and Robinson revealed that’s a big reason why he and Fields are still trying to get on the same page.
“That’s something that we’re continuing to build on, continuing to get reps in practice,” Robinson said, before pointing the finger directly at his head coach. “There weren’t any snaps that we kind of took in training camp. A lot of these things, we’re trying to build on.”
It was negligent of Nagy not to let the rookie QB get snaps with the first team more, and Nagy has been criticized for the error by analysts for months. Now, his own players are letting it be know they weren’t happy with how it went down.
Robinson is slated to become a free agent in 2022, and his market could very well be determined over the next 10 games. If he and Fields can develop a good on-field connection in that span, it’ll help his market value, as well as assist the young QB. We’ll see how it all shakes down.
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