Justin Fields and the Bears Have a Gigantic Problem on Their Hands That Has Nothing to Do With Matt Nagy’s Horrific Play-Calling

The Chicago Bears have a quarterback problem. They fired their coach and hired Matt Nagy, who has been calling plays since he was the offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Chicago Bears are in a mess right now. They have lost their last two games, and the team has no idea what to do. One of the reasons for this is that head coach Matt Nagy’s play-calling has been horrendous.

During Week 3, most NFL fans got exactly what they wanted: Justin Fields finally got to start a game for the Chicago Bears.

Fans and pundits have been screaming for the big-armed gunslinger to start a game under center for the Bears since the team traded up for him. Fields’ failure to reach the 12th overall pick was widely regarded as a major “steal” for Chicago, with some expecting an Offensive Rookie of the Year season for him.

Fields was designated the Bears’ starting quarterback for their game against Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns after Andy Dalton sustained a knee injury in Week 2. To put it simply, things went horribly wrong.

Justin Fields’ first start in the NFL was a disaster.

Emilee Chinn/Getty Images | Justin Fields

Fields only managed 68 total passing yards in his start against the Browns, going 6-for-20 on the day. He didn’t score any touchdowns and only managed to gain an extra 12 yards on the ground. When Fields faced Mayfield, he appeared significantly outmatched, and it showed in the final result.

Mayfield and the Browns rolled to a 26-6 win, lowering the Bears to 1-2 on the season.

Most fans and pundits were eager to point the blame at Bears head coach Matt Nagy after the humiliating defeat. Fields’ abilities was hampered by his play-calling, which was boring and vanilla. Nagy basically avoided any planned QB runs, which is one of Fields’ greatest qualities.

The Ringer’s Benjamin Solak writes, “Nagy’s system looked like it was built for any other quarterback—any other quarterback—besides Fields.”

Another, much more serious issue confronts the Bears.

Against the Bears, Nagy’s play-calling was poor. There’s no denying it. Nagy’s play-calling has consistently been below average for a long time. Following that trainwreck of a football game, Nagy’s seat may be the hottest of all the NFL coaches.

Nagy, though, isn’t Fields’ or the Bears’ only issue. It’s possible that it’s not even their greatest issue.

Against the Browns, Fields was sacked nine times for a 67-yard loss. That’s right, you read it properly.

It happened nine times.

Granted, Nagy may share some of the responsibility for failing to keep Fields out of the pocket on a more regular basis. A look at some of the highlights, on the other hand, reveals a Bears offensive line that is utterly incompetent. Jason Peters, the Bears’ starting left tackle, is almost 40 years old and is coming off a dreadful season with the Philadelphia Eagles.

The remainder of the line doesn’t fare any better. The Browns’ above-average defense had a field day devouring Chicago’s motley crew of pass-blockers.

Nagy was terrible, and Fields was much worse. When an offensive line allows nine sacks, though, it’s difficult to execute any offense.

What does the future hold for Justin Fields and the Bears?

Justin Fields has been sacked nine times this season. Since 2015, this is the most in a single game. Embarrassing.

Obviously, this isn’t helpful for his growth. You have no means of judging his performance. Simply brutal.

Isn’t it true that you have to dismiss someone after this performance?

September 26, 2021 — Dave (@runbackdave)

Fields now has the highest pressure rate in the NFL, which is clearly not a good thing. With Andy Dalton’s injury condition still unknown, it’s uncertain who the Bears’ starting quarterback will be going forward. What is obvious, though, is that Fields’ position behind the Bears’ offensive line isn’t helping him grow.

There’s a case to be made that every experience is a positive one. Fields’ confidence will be crushed if he is pounded all day for a net gain of one offensive yard. He’ll need a much larger group of pass-blockers in front of him to succeed.

It’s conceivable that Nagy may be fired by the Bears in the coming weeks. It’s doubtful, though, that they’ll replace their whole offensive line anytime soon. In today’s NFL, acquiring excellent lineman through trade is almost difficult.

Meanwhile, the Bears must devise a stronger strategy for developing Fields in the future. Either advance the playbook and rebuild the O-Line as best you can, or declare 2021 Fields’ “learning year” and go with Dalton or Nick Foles as quarterback.

Pro Football Reference provided all stats.

Cam Newton’s Shocking Prediction About Bears QB Justin Fields Is Finally Coming True RELATED: Cam Newton’s Shocking Prediction About Bears QB Justin Fields Is Finally Coming True

The justin fields nfl draft is a headline that has been circulating the internet. Justin Fields, quarterback for Penn State, was drafted by the Chicago Bears with the second overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. This is a huge blow to their chances of success and it’s not even because of Nagy’s play-calling.

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