NEWSLETTER
Any time Aaron Rodgers says something about anything, my initial reaction is for my eyes to roll to the back of my head.
But in his most recent appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, something he said about quarterbacking stuck with me.
In an episode in which Rodgers showered Fields with praise, he also gave some unsolicited advice.
“The most important thing for young players is to continue to work on the little things, the little details,” Rodgers said, as transcribed by NBC Sports Chicago. “Even as an older player, every year you go back and watch the previous year’s film, and try to work on one specific thing during training camp. I think it’s too much to ask, ‘I’ve got to work on six different things to improve.’ Take one or two things that you really want to work on in the offseason. It could be ball handling, it could be footwork in the pocket, just little things to improve on. And if you start stacking years and years of trying to work on one, or maybe even two specific things, you can really become a star.”
It’s been a rough year for Fields. An up-and-down campaign has yielded what you might normally expect from a rookie quarterback. Highs that inspire you to dream about the possibility that Chicago has finally found its franchise quarterbacks. Lows that make you question sports fandom in the first place. And a not-so-creamy middle that leaves you saying to yourself: Hey, at least it’s not Cade McNown.
I’m unsure if Rodgers’ words got to Fields at some point before tonight’s game. But if it did, I hope it resonates with him. Development isn’t linear. And franchise quarterbacks aren’t built in a day. Or even in one year. Sometimes, it is a gradual process that grows over time. Take something here, apply it there, and grow with it moving forward. Considering tonight’s challenge against the Vikings, it would be unfair to expect the world. But it would be nice to see some growth.
Game Info
Chicago Bears (4-9) vs. Minnesota Vikings (6-7) on ESPN, ABC-7 (Chicagoland market only) (Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Louis Riddick), WBBM-AM 780 and WCFS-FM 105.9 (Jeff Joniak, Tom Thayer, Mark Grote), Westwood One (Kevin Harlan, Kurt Warner)
Kickoff time: 7:15 p.m. CT
Site: Soldier Field
Referee: Scott Novak
Odds: Bears +7 (-110), O/U 46.5 (via DraftKings Sports Book)
Game Thread (Week 15 Preview)
Your game thread is down in the comments, so let’s have some good, clean (safe-for-work) fun.
Hype Video
Coaches
Bears Matt Nagy (32-29) vs. Vikings Mike Zimmer (70-54-1)
Starting Quarterbacks and Projected Game Stats
BEARS: Justin Fields: 19/31, 223 passing yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 8 carries, 46 rushing yards
versus
VIKINGS: Kirk Cousins: 22/34, 263 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT; 2 carries, 7 yards
Projected stats via ESPN projections
Bears Offense (Projected Starters in Bold)
QB Justin Fields
Reserves: Nick Foles
RB David Montgomery
Reserves: Khalil Herbert, Damien Williams
WR Darnell Mooney, Damiere Byrd, Jakeem Grant Sr.
Reserves: Nsimba Webster, Dazz Newsome
TE Cole Kmet
Reserves: Jimmy Graham, Jesper Horsted
LT Teven Jenkins
LG Cody Whitehair
C Sam Mustipher
RG James Daniels
RT Germain Ifedi
Reserves: Lachavious Simmons, Alex Bars, Elijah Wilkinson
Bears Defense
DT Akiem Hicks
NT Eddie Goldman
DE Bilal Nichols
Reserves: Angelo Blackson, LaCale London
OLB Robert Quinn, Trevis Gipson
Reserves: Bruce Irvin, LeDarius Mack, Charles Snowden
ILB Roquan Smith, Alec Ogletree
Reserves: Caleb Johnson, Christian Jones,
CB Thomas Graham Jr., Kindle Vildor
Reserves: Dee Virgin, Michael Joseph, BoPete Keyes
S Deon Bush, Teez Tabor
Reserves: Marqui Christian
Bears Special Teams
Cairo Santos (kicker), Pat O’Donnell (punter), Patrick Scales (long-snapper), Jakeem Grant Sr. (kick and punt returns)
Bears Inactives
Inactives for #MINvsCHI: pic.twitter.com/x0H3mWUeKk
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) December 20, 2021
Vikings Projected Starters
Offense
• QB Kirk Cousins
• RB Dalvin Cook
• WRs Justin Jefferson, KJ Osborn
• TEs Tyler Conklin
• LT Christian Darrisaw, LG Ezra Cleveland, C Garrett Bradbury, RG Olisaemeka Udoh, RT Brian O’Neill
Defense
• LEs D.J. Wonnum, DT Dalvin Tomlinson, NT Michael Pierce, RE Tashawn Bower
• WLB Nick Vigil, MLB Eric Kendricks, SLB Anthony Barr
• LCB Patrick Peterson, RCB Kris Boyd
• FS Xavier Woods, SS Harrison Smith
Specialists
• Greg Joseph (kicker), Jordan Berry (punter, holder), Andrew DePaola (long snapper), Ihmir Smith-Marsette, K.J. Osborn (kick and punt returns)
Vikings Inactives
#Vikings inactives
QB Kellen Mond
WR Adam Thielen
LB Chazz Surratt
G Wyatt Davis— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) December 20, 2021
