3 Chicago Bears to blame for ruining Justin Fields career
Just when it felt like Justin Fields was back on track, the QB suffered a hand injury in Sunday's loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
The play happened in the third quarter. The Vikings only sent a three-man rush, but the Chicago Bears' offensive line collapsed, forcing Fields to scramble before he was driven hand-first into the turf.
A closer look at the injury Chicago Bears Quarterback Justin Fields suffered. Appears his throwing hand jammed into the turf pretty hard. pic.twitter.com/jIkGj38KF0
— Packers Total Access- Clayton (@packers_access) October 15, 2023
Fields immediately went to the tent before walking to the locker room shaking his hand. He was initially listed as questionable before being downgraded to out. His replacement is rookie Tyson Bagent, who quickly fumbled into a scoop-and-score.
Not ideal for the Chicago faithful.
The final verdict on Fields' injury has not been passed. The obvious hope is that it's a short-term setback, but this is all an unfortunate reminder of the non-ideal circumstances Fields has faced to begin his career.
As Fields battles another barrier to success in a cutthroat league, let's pin blame on who has made life so difficult for the 24-year-old.
3. Everybody on the offensive line
Certain members of the offensive line deserve more blame than others, but the Bears have continually failed to place Fields behind a stable front wall. Fields has managed to stave off significant injury for the majority of his career, but he's a frequent victim of bumps and bruises — cracked rib, pulled groin, strained shoulder — much of which can be tied back to poor pocket protection.
Fields opens himself up to additional scrutinty with his tendency to scramble (and not always with the safest technique), but the Bears' inability to keep defenders off their QB has been a huge deterrent for Fields, both on the injury front and in terms of production. It's hard to play efficient, mistake-free football with a hand in your face.
Since 2022, Fields has been sacked 75 times. That's the most of any NFL QB. Fields is not blameless — he holds the ball a lot and is a natural risk-taker — but the numbers are irrefutable. The Bears simply do not protect Fields enough to expect sustained, elite-level production from the No. 11 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.