Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields has been the target of criticism since Week 1. He hasn't played well, and with the Bears' 2023 season spiraling out of control, the biggest loss for Chicago won't appear on any scoreboard; it'll be the irreparable harm done to Fields.
After Sunday's 41-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, Fields may be entering the danger zone that's doomed many young quarterbacks before him. It's the point in a talented QB's career that they lose confidence in their physical ability, making their mental state fragile or, worse, broken.
Now in his third season and with 28 starts on his resume, Fields is beginning to sound like a broken quarterback.
"I'm looking at it like the big picture, life in general to be honest with you," Fields said after the game Sunday. "I think this past week has had me kind of look at it like: What are the important things in life? Because you know when things are going good, you feel me, not, say, whatever.
"I think these past couple of weeks have made me appreciate the little things in life, like being able to play this game. Every opportunity I get to go out there and play, I'm going to have fun. I'm going to play my hardest and, you know, just thank God for giving me the ability to play. So, no matter what the scoreboard is, I'm going to keep doing the same mindset and just pushing to keep moving forward."
Fields is trying to convince himself that his on-field struggles are minor in the grand scheme of life. Perhaps it's because he's coming to the realization that he can't fix them, and when a player hits those crossroads, accepting a reality that's less than you expected is critical for good mental health. Fields sounds like a guy who's arriving at that NFL intersection.
I want to believe Fields is the franchise quarterback for the Chicago Bears. I do believe in his exceptional natural ability. But it comes back to accepting reality, and right now, having blind faith in Fields may be a mistake that dooms this franchise.
Fields is completing just 58% of his passes this season. He's thrown for 526 yards in three games, with three touchdowns and four interceptions. His numbers are pedestrian and made worse because he hasn't run the ball with the record-breaking success he enjoyed in 2022. He's run for just 109 yards and one score. It's a pace that would put him at 617 rushing yards on the season, down from 1,143 last year.
Fields needs a massive breakout game next week against the Denver Broncos, who gave up 70 points to Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins in Week 3. If the Bears can't score a few touchdowns with Justin Fields looking like a star along the way, it'll be time to sound the all-too-familiar quarterback alarm in Chicago.
