The Chicago Bears suffered a 29-22 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 5. But you wouldn’t know it with the optimism surrounding Chicago after the defeat, which has everything to do with quarterback Justin Fields.
Fields is coming off his best game of the season, which isn’t saying much, considering how brutal the first four weeks have been. But with Fields’ development the most important aspect of this rebuilding year, it was the kind of performance that goes a long way in the potential future of this franchise.
Fields looked the most comfortable he’s been all season against a good Vikings defense. He completed a career-high 71 percent of his passes (15-of-21) for 208 yards with a touchdown, no interceptions and a 118.8 passer rating, also a career best.
But it was about more than the boxscore. Fields looked comfortable, confident and poised, despite less-than-stellar protection and a limited receiving corp. He showcased his impressive skillset, where he made plays both with his arm and legs. The swagger we’d been missing for him all season was present.
This is the kind of performance that Fields, and this unimpressive passing offense, can build on moving forward. And they’ll have a good chance to do just that against a struggling Washington Commanders team — assuming the offensive line does enough to keep Fields upright.
As the Bears gear up for a Week 6 prime-time game against the Commanders, host Ryan O’Leary (@RyanO_Leary) and myself (@AlyssaBarbieri) discuss Fields’ growth, discuss the offensive line, and preview the matchup against Washington.
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