NEWSLETTER
Whether it’s Matt Nagy’s offense or Matt Nagy’s Offense (Bill Lazor’s Version), it’s been rough sledding for the Bears offense in 2021.
This is not new territory for us, but it doesn’t make it any easier to bite down and swallow the data.
When it comes to scoring points, the Bears rank 29th in the 32-team league. In total yards, they’re 31st. Passing yards? Dead last. Touchdown passes? Also, dead last. You can dig up any number of advanced or traditional metrics; the result is the same. The Chicago Bears offense STINKS.
However, there is a glimmer of hope.
Thanks to Justin Fields.
CBS NFL insider Jason La Canfora writes Fields is starting to look more comfortable with each game rep that passes. No argument here. The numbers support La Canfora’s observations. After bottoming out against the Bucs in Week 7, Fields has seen his passer rating, throwing yards, and yards/attempt go on an up-tick. And after turning it over five times (!) against the Bucs, Fields has just two turnovers in the two games since the clunker. So things are trending in the right direction.
And you can thank the play-caller for having a hand in the growth.
“Offensive coordinator Bill Lazor has brought him along slowly and gradually catered more things to him,” La Canfora writes. “and they now have the ability to strike quickly to quadrants of the field that were not really in play previously.”
FINALLY! The Bears are catering their offense to Fields’ skills. It shouldn’t have taken this long to reach this point, but I suppose it’s better late than never.
We’re seeing how this offense should be operating with the incorporation of deeper route combinations that allow Fields to let the cannon loose:
Definitely a catch. @marquisegoodwin | #CHIvsPIT pic.twitter.com/RiBNfSMY7i
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) November 9, 2021
https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1457914039355383813
Justin Fields to Cole Kmet pic.twitter.com/8fMBBQMXRq
— Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) November 11, 2021
https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1457925327460569088
Seeing Fields hit vertical concepts is a sign of growth on his part. But the throws down the middle of the field targeting tight ends show how much more confident he is now than he was before. Earlier in the year when those dots were being thrown primarily on the sideline. Now, he is spreading the wealth across the gridiron. As this continues, defenses will have to account for covering more space because of how Fields can attack different areas.
The recent implementation of designed QB running plays has been a nice touch, too. And that mobility has opened the door to let some of the improvisational stuff happen:
https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1454894126068084737
https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1457925735105007621
Ultimately, marrying the vertical passing concepts and the leverage that comes with Fields’ mobility has made the Bears’ offense look competent. It’s been truly a marvelous thing to see Fields not handcuffed by his coaches. This isn’t to say these Bearswillo be The Greatest Show on Turf 2.0 coming out of the bye. But doing the bare minimum in building an offense around your players’ skills (rather than trying to ram square pegs into round holes) is already beginning to pay dividends.
More, please.
