It isn’t a victory week for the Chicago Bears after suffering a 35-32 loss in Week 9 against the Miami Dolphins, but in many ways, it feels like the Bears won something much bigger than the standings can reveal. For the first time in franchise history, the Bears have a superstar quarterback.
Not just a legitimate starting quarterback or even a franchise quarterback. A bonafide superstar.
That’s the label applied to Justin Fields now that he owns the NFL’s regular-season record for rushing yards in a game by a quarterback. His 178 yards eclipsed the previous record-holder, Michael Vick, whose name stood atop the record book for 20 years. Vick was an undeniable superstar. And it took another one to topple him from his perch.
Fields’ Week 9 performance was about more than just his legs, though. The game has slowed down for him as a passer, too. He completed 17-of-28 passes for 123 yards and three touchdowns. He didn’t throw any interceptions, was in total control in the pocket, and ended the game with a 106.7 rating.
Like most superstars, Fields was the beginning, middle, and end of the Bears’ offense. He had help from pass-catchers like Darnell Mooney, who scored his first touchdown of the season, and TE Cole Kmet, who finally looked like the red-zone threat he was drafted to be in 2020. But Fields was the engine that made it all go.
