LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Bears quarterback Justin Fields was open and honest Wednesday at Halas Hall when asked about his early struggles and what happened in the Bears’ 27-17 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2.
Fields said he felt like he played “robotic” against the Bucs and wanted to play freely again and not think so much.
When asked why he felt like he was playing “robotic,” Fields detailed how much information the coaching staff gave him and how it slowed him down.
“You know, I think that could be coaching,” Fields said. “At the end of the day they’re doing their job in showing me what to look at, but at the end of the day it can’t be me. “I’ll think about it when the game comes. I prepare all week and then when the game comes, at that point it’s time to play for free. Think less and play more.”
After practice on Wednesday, Fields called reporters to his locker to make it clear he wasn’t blaming the Bears’ staff. It starts and ends with him.
“I don’t blame the coaches,” Fields said. “I will never blame the coaches or my teammates. “Whatever happens in the game, I will take it all. If it was a dropped pass, it should have been a pass. It’s up to me. Put it on me. You will never hear anything come out of my mouth where I would blame someone else, this organization, my teammates, you will never hear that. I just wanted to clear this up. I have to play better. I should have said that first. I tried to provide details. I appreciate you all for what you do.”
In his earlier press conference, Fields explained how the overload of information led to him not playing like himself. Fields said he was “a perfectionist,” which led him to always try to do things exactly the way the team wanted, rather than playing the way he had in the past.
Fields pointed to a strip sack against the Bucs as a moment when he didn’t play instinctive football because he was trying to make things too perfect instead of playing loosely. The 24-year-old quarterback said his body clock went off and he should have gone out and ran. But he wanted to stay in the pocket to get his coaching points, which resulted in him staying in the pocket too long and being released.
“Exactly. I go. I’m gone. Time clock, I went out of pocket,” Fields said. “That’s why that happened, because they wanted me to work on staying in the pocket in the offseason, which you do sometimes, but when your body clock goes off, then you have to go out and extend the game, make one.” Play. So yeah, it’s just like doing their coaching and then there’s always going to be something… you don’t have to do it all the time… it’s not going to work out perfectly every time. Yes, there are times where I could have stayed in the pocket, but specifically on this play I was in the pocket for a long time. I have to extend the play, get out of the pocket, extend the play and do something with it. Make something tremble. But that’s exactly what I’m talking about as I get back into my game and become more of a football player than a thinker on the field.”
Fields also noted that he doesn’t believe offensive coordinator Luke Getsy and head coach Matt Eberflus are trying to force him to be something he’s not. It’s about working in a partnership to find what works best for Fields and the offense.
“I think Luke knows that I am myself, I am my own person,” Fields said. “I think it’s more me not thinking about it as much, like, ‘We want to do it in a certain way.’ Overall, I need to continue to be myself and play the game the way I play it. I think sometimes when I’m being coached, I think I’ve had times where I’m like, “Okay, they want me to do it this way,” so I have to change it somehow. It’s probably more of a me thing than a coach thing. When they tell me things, of course I correct them.
“But overall I still have to be the person and the player.” [that] got me to this point. Instead of changing my whole game, just implement it into my game and make these small fixes. But don’t let that change me as a player overall.”
Fields’ initial comments and clarifications do not contradict each other. He openly expressed why he is having such problems in two games. He said he needed to play better and be himself again. He also said he spoke to the staff about what he thought needed to happen for him to be free to play and get going.
The bottom line remains that Fields feels like he’s been paralyzed by the analysis, not playing with the feeling and instincts that got him to this point. He’s not playing well, but what he said Wednesday shows a young quarterback who doesn’t believe the team’s offensive plan and priorities align well with what makes a special player.
Both Fields and the Bears need to work to change that.
Fields said Eberflus and Getsy were “receptive” to the discussion and no one took it personally. Eberflus said the Bears want Fields to play freely and feel comfortable.
The 0-2 Bears travel to Kansas City to take on the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs this Sunday. The old Justin Fields wants to reappear there.
“My goal this week is just to say it and go out there and play football the way I know how to play football,” Fields said. “Part of it is me thinking less and just going out there and playing on instincts instead of saying so much information in my head and data in my head. I literally just go out and play football. Back to the point it’s a game and that’s all.” Then I play my best when I’m just out there playing freely and being myself, so I’ll say, I’ll say everything I should, this and that, Bag stuff. I’m going to go out there and be me.”
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