The Chicago Bears are dead last in the NFL in passing yards, averaging 97.5 yards through the air per game. Starting quarterback Justin Fields has 471 passing yards in four games, which is ranked 31st in the league. His 50.7 completion percentage is ranked 32rd.
The 2-2 Bears have been running the ball extremely well; their 177.3 yards per game is ranked third in the NFL. But when it comes to airing it out, Chicago has been a complete non-threat. In the Bears’ 20-12 Week 4 loss to the New York Giants, Fields completed 11 of 22 passes for a season-high 174 yards (stats via Pro Football Reference).
It was the first game of the year in which Fields didn’t throw an interception, but he also didn’t throw a touchdown pass for the third straight game. That said, it was still a step in the right direction for Fields, who had several nice plays, including a 56-yard completion to wide receiver Darnell Mooney in the first quarter.
After the loss, the second-year QB was asked why the team was struggling in the passing game, and he gave an eyebrow-raising response.
Fields: ‘Who Said the Passing Game Wasn’t Working?’
Fields also added 52 rushing yards to the team’s total of 149, and when he was asked about why the running game was working so well while the passing game wasn’t, his answer was a tad surprising. “Who said the passing game wasn’t working?” Fields responded.
When told the numbers don’t look great, Fields was short in his reply: “Numbers don’t matter, I don’t think, in my opinion, but as long as we win, like I said, that’s all I care about.”
Fair enough — but it’s also fair to point out that the Bears didn’t win, and in the two games they have won, the defense had a huge hand in the victory.
Surely Fields understands that in order to achieve sustained success in today’s NFL, a capable passing game is required.
“For sure,” he acknowledged when asked if he thought the Bears’ passing game needed to improve if the team wants to eventually compete with the best squads in the league. “I think the run game and the passing game have to be good for us to compete with the good teams.”
Part of the problem has been Fields’ inability to complete passes when under pressure. He has been sacked 16 times so far, but has just five completions when under duress, per PFF’s Mike Renner.
Justin Fields has turned 49 dropbacks under pressure this season into only 5 completions
Fields: Biggest Thing Is Consistency
Despite being sacked so much, Fields says he’s feeling better after games this year, at least physically, than he did as a rookie in 2021.
“I think I’ve done a good job compared to last year taking way less hits. I mean my body feels way better than after the games last year for sure,” he said.
While it would’ve been nice for Fields to at least acknowledge that the Bears have issues in the passing game, he knows the importance of putting four good quarters together.
“I think we’ve just got to be more consistent. Whether it’s me, whether it’s O-Line, whether it’s the receivers. Some plays we’re all on the same page, we’re all executing great, and then some plays we aren’t. The biggest thing with that, you know, is just consistency,” the Bears QB added.
Some numbers don’t lie, though, and any team that averages less than 100 passing yards a game in today’s NFL won’t go very far.
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Bears QB Justin Fields Claps Back at Reporter