Justin Fields continues to carry Bears offense with his dynamic runs
Justin Fields continued to dazzle Chicago Bears fans on Saturday afternoon against the Buffalo Bills. Fields once again made several plays with his feet, rushing for 45 yards on just five rushing attempts.
Outside of Fields, the Bears’ had trouble getting their ground game rolling.
How many rushing yards did the rest of the Chicago offense accumulate?
40 yards on 13 carries. Please see the graphic, courtesy of PFF.
Fields’ dangerous rushing skill in the open field provides the Bears with a lethal weapon that’s very difficult for defenses to account for.
Matt Nagy on Fields’ rushing ability
One thing Bears’ head coach Matt Nagy mentioned when scouting Justin Fields was that he was a quarterback first, runner second.
“I think when you watch him play on tape for the 40-time that he ran (4.44), it’s a controlled speed that he has,” Nagy said. “So he plays quarterback first and then uses his legs second.”
Still, his head coach couldn’t help but describe Fields’ dynamic rushing ability as a “whole other element”.
“So what happens when you naturally have that, defenses can collapse the pocket and they still can’t get you and you extend plays with your legs, that’s hard for defensive coordinators. When you become a runner when they take (the pass) away, and not just being able to run for 15 or 20 yards but you’re able to take it the distance and go for 70 or 80 which he can do, that’s a whole other element.”
That “whole other element” Nagy discussed was on fine display in runs such as the one below at Ohio State. Breathtaking speed.
Justin Fields’ Rushing Stats at Ohio State
Justin Fields was a dynamic runner in the open field at Ohio State as well, rushing for 867 yards and 15 touchdowns in his two seasons as a Buckeye.
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He ran an unofficial 4.44 40-yard dash time at his pro day in Columbus, which puts him in rarified air for a player his size. Fields tips the scales at 6-feet-3-inches, 227-pounds; his speed in the open field is truly elite.
The most rushing yardage he had in one season at Ohio State was 484 yards in 2019. When he was at Georgia in 2018, Fields rushed for 266 yards.
Justin Fields’ High School Career
Fields was one of the most decorated quarterbacks in America coming out of high school. He was rated a five-star prospect by every major scouting service. The Georgia native was rated as the number two overall prospect in the 2018 recruiting class, according to 247sports.com.
Fields was also rated as the top dual-threat quarterback in the country by 247sports.com. The Kennesaw, Georgia native was named MVP of the Elite 11 quarterback camp, one of the highest honors bestowed upon any high school quarterback prospect.
A gifted multi-sport athlete, Fields also played high school baseball for Harrison High School (Kennesaw, Georgia). According to his Ohio State bio, Fields was a highly touted baseball prospect as well, with Major League Baseball potential.
Fields and the Chicago Bears are back in action against the Tennesee Titans on August 28th. The preseason contest will be televised at 7:00 PM EST on NFL Network.