35

[Neckbeard]

Admittingly I was watching at the bar, but it seemed like Fields had a good minute in the pocket, then evaded pressure and threw it away from my recollection. I normally will overlook an open receiver or two as it happens. But ESB has no one within a mile of him.

The visual was a close in shot. Couldn't tell who was 5+ yards away. I'll believe Aikman when he said that wasn't an option.

 

[cubsforlife]

Maybe the Bears org should invest in an actual OLINE

Normally, I'd agree. But the oline is not the problem here. This is not the same oline trubisky had, or year 1 of fields. This is much improved. A developing rt who's good now and has all the potential in the world. Jenkins is a beast. Davis is at least solid, and can be good. Same with Braxton Jones. Literally just need a center. Get some 3rd and 4th round picks to develop underneath the starters and we set.

I like fields, but not crazily. The fumbles are a problem that's his, not the oline. He needs to tighten up that part of his game. Three years in though, and it still being an issue is concerning. Kmet ad early fumble issues, and he fixed it by year 2. Or at least half way through year 2.

 

[dbldrew]

Then the offensive game plan should include throws past the line of scrimmage instead of him running for his life every play.

it did, remember in the beginning of the year when that was the game plan to keep him in the pocket and go through progressions and he was terrible at it and then cried about it being getsy fault for not having him run more? well here we are..

 

[Neckbeard]

Normally, I'd agree. But the oline is not the problem here. This is not the same oline trubisky had, or year 1 of fields. This is much improved. A developing rt who's good now and has all the potential in the world. Jenkins is a beast. Davis is at least solid, and can be good. Same with Braxton Jones. Literally just need a center. Get some 3rd and 4th round picks to develop underneath the starters and we set.

I like fields, but not crazily. The fumbles are a problem that's his, not the oline. He needs to tighten up that part of his game. Three years in though, and it still being an issue is concerning. Kmet ad early fumble issues, and he fixed it by year 2. Or at least half way through year 2.

Fields needs to understand when the play is lost. Just go down. This happens 2-3x a game where he does something risky instead of just taking a throw away or sack instead but tries to make something happen. Throw away is fine! If the pocket is just crumbling, even a sack is ok if there's no good way out. I'd like to think as time goes on he'll know this better.

 

[NCChiFan]

One thing that bothers me about Fields is that when he decides he's running, he abandons other options. I watch other QBs in the league, and when the play breaks down, they begin to scramble, but they're still aware of guys breaking open and making the play with their arms instead. Fields seems to lock in on the run and not even notice guys who have gotten open and he misses bigger plays as a result.

CJ Stroud's TD pass to Nico Collins yesterday was a good example of that. There was nothing there, so Stroud stepped up and looked to run for the first (which he would have gotten with his legs), but once he saw Collins work to the middle of the field, he dumped it to him instead and it turned into a TD. I feel like Fields routinely misses these types of plays. Makes them sometimes, but not enough.

That's not a true statement. Fields has rolled out plenty, stopped his run to dump a pass off. In fact the TD throw he had to DJ against the lions he pulled up on a break out of the pocket and tossed it.

 

[cubsforlife]

Fields needs to understand when the play is lost. Just go down. This happens 2-3x a game where he does something risky instead of just taking a throw away or sack instead but tries to make something happen. Throw away is fine! If the pocket is just crumbling, even a sack is ok if there's no good way out. I'd like to think as time goes on he'll know this better.

I agree. The strip sacks when he's throwing I can live with. Happens to everyone. It's the trying to do too much and not knowing when to quit or just protect that's the issue. Which also brings into it his biggest issue in quick decision making. He's a second slow, which makes him miss a throw he could have hit and instead hold onto it too long. I think it can be learned a bit in this case, only cause he has shown flashes of speeding that up and having success. We need the consistency to start showing.

I wouldn't mind giving Fields another year to make damn sure we can't tap further into that tremendously high potential, while also drafting one high (but not 1 or 2 high). Would allow the rookie to really have that year of development under fields (you'd even have bagaent to step up in a backup role if you really want the kid sitting and learning.) My favorite is Penix Jr. Hopefully the knees will let him fall a bit. But say we trade down out of 1 (if we get it) and still end up with mhj with that pick. And we use our pick on penix jr. Then grab a center somewhere with one of our next picks and focus on defense (s and dline).

What are the thoughts on Penix Jr on here? I like him better than Williams and Maye. How far do you all think he will last in the draft?

 

[Neckbeard]

I agree. The strip sacks when he's throwing I can live with. Happens to everyone. It's the trying to do too much and not knowing when to quit or just protect that's the issue. Which also brings into it his biggest issue in quick decision making. He's a second slow, which makes him miss a throw he could have hit and instead hold onto it too long. I think it can be learned a bit in this case, only cause he has shown flashes of speeding that up and having success. We need the consistency to start showing.

I wouldn't mind giving Fields another year to make damn sure we can't tap further into that tremendously high potential, while also drafting one high (but not 1 or 2 high). Would allow the rookie to really have that year of development under fields (you'd even have bagaent to step up in a backup role if you really want the kid sitting and learning.) My favorite is Penix Jr. Hopefully the knees will let him fall a bit. But say we trade down out of 1 (if we get it) and still end up with mhj with that pick. And we use our pick on penix jr. Then grab a center somewhere with one of our next picks and focus on defense (s and dline).

What are the thoughts on Penix Jr on here? I like him better than Williams and Maye. How far do you all think he will last in the draft?

Penix tore both of his ACLs already. He scares me that at some point in the NFL a leg will fall off.

 

[pdxbearsfan]

Don't know about that, but even great QBs have had fumbling issues. Elway, Warner, hell even Favre had 33 in his first three years in the league. Ball security will probably be an issue for Fields whole career.

Why do you think Favre improved after 3 years and that Fields can't or won't?
Just curious, JF seems like a pretty smart guy.

 

[pdxbearsfan]

That's not a true statement. Fields has rolled out plenty, stopped his run to dump a pass off. In fact the TD throw he had to DJ against the lions he pulled up on a break out of the pocket and tossed it.

You're right and thanks for correcting that before I had to.

 

[pdxbearsfan]

Penix tore both of his ACLs already. He scares me that at some point in the NFL a leg will fall off.

No thanks on Penix even w/o the 2 ACL tears. Watch the PAC 12 title game tomorrow and see how much better Bo is.
if I wanted a QB, which I don't I'd take Nix over anyone else in this class.

 

[cubsforlife]

Penix tore both of his ACLs already. He scares me that at some point in the NFL a leg will fall off.

I think he's the best qb prospect in the draft. The injuries do scare me. But if he didn't get hurt, I would take him number 1 (if I were to take a qb). Since he did get hurt, that will likely lower his draft position (hopefully at least) to where I wouldn't mind taking a risk outside of the first couple picks. Especially if we were to get #1 and trade down for a haul. Where do you think he'd be taken?

 

[cubsforlife]

No thanks on Penix even w/o the 2 ACL tears. Watch the PAC 12 title game tomorrow and see how much better Bo is.
if I wanted a QB, which I don't I'd take Nix over anyone else in this class.

I watched them play against each other and came away more impressed with penix. Better arm. He can sling it with great accuracy.

 

[UChiLAbear]

I'm not frustrated at him for simply throwing the ball away. Taking less sacks is great. He still has taken 5 total in the last two games with a healthy OLine wheras Bagent averaged 1 per game.

Either way, my frustration was more about how he held the ball, staring down a receiver until the three man pass rush eventually got to him. He didn't seem to progress through reads or do anything but staredown his guy and wave the football around. The broadcast even focused in on ESB waving his arm wide open on one of those throwaways after multiple seconds of free time in the pocket.

If the Vikings brought more pressure, instead of being conservative, I'm not sure the results are the same. In the end you can't change reality. But I'm not sure I saw any improvement in game winning situation other than being fortunate a few downs that pressure didn't get home.

 

[UChiLAbear]

Agreed...but Not losing yardage on any play is crucial, by any player. He's getting better at it. What I want to see is for him to 'step-up' in the pocket and make down-field completions, instead of ' taking off.' Until he learns to do that, he will never be the 'Franchise' guy. But that takes acute pocket awareness, which he hasn't shown overall, but since his return, and watching Bagent from the sidelines, I think he might be getting it. When JF said, I've learned from watching Bagent', I believe him. And I think he was being honest.

This should be with post #73