Fields not starting is Pace's CYA

[Bearly]

ARGH!!!!! In a weird way, the situation with Fields - despite being a much better situation - is infinitely more frustrating than the Mitch situation.

Obviously, based solely on college careers, Fields > Mitch. Obviously, based on professional careers, Dalton > Glennon. Both Mitch and Fields were/are shiny new toys that you want to get out of the package and start seeing being played. The major difference here is that Fields is probably infinitely more developed at this point than Mitch, and Fields seems (at least to me) infinitely more intelligent than Mitch. So you can feel confident in Fields "getting it" and being the guy we think he will be, BUT, Dalton is not going to be a flat out embarrassment like Glennon.

So, I repeat: ARGH!!!!!

Actually works for me. Dalton is good enough for the coaches to figure out what the O needs to correct before Fields' arrival and also help him see how to address coverages before facing them in live play.

I have never been a Dalton fan but understand he's a genuine experienced pro that won't need the sort of offensive tailoring that Foles and Mitch did. It's not like the O will be drastically held back or need a radical switch in emphasis when the switch is made.

 

[dabears70]

The funny thing to me is how many people are talking about how Pace and Nagy are fighting to keep their jobs when it was all off of speculation that either was actually on the hot seat. All this came from Sweaty Teddy and George McCaskey not giving a solid answer to the media about what contracts each of them are under in their end of the season presser. Then that's when everyone started speculating that they were both working for their jobs. Maybe they are and maybe they aren't. Nobody knows but them and our owner and president.

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

Actually works for me. Dalton is good enough to figure out what the O needs to correct before Fields' arrival and also help him see how to address coverages before facing them in live play.

I have never been a Dalton fan but understand he's a genuine experienced pro that won't need the sort of offensive tailoring that Foles and Mitch did. It's not like the O will be drastically held back or need a radical switch in emphasis when the switch is made.

I'm actually aligned with what you're saying. I *don't think* they need to be as patient as they should have been with Mitch, but I am saying one poor Dalton game (especially given the schedule) doesn't mean you go to the bullpen. Nor do I think two poor games, but if they keep stacking up....

 

[MikeDitkaPolishSausage]

Actually works for me. Dalton is good enough to figure out what the O needs to correct before Fields' arrival and also help him see how to address coverages before facing them in live play.

I have never been a Dalton fan but understand he's a genuine experienced pro that won't need the sort of offensive tailoring that Foles and Mitch did. It's not like the O will be drastically held back or need a radical switch in emphasis when the switch is made.

I agree I think Dalton is good enough to start if that’s what is decided by the coaching staff. I don’t agree that Fields sitting will benefit him from addressing coverages. The only way to address coverages is by being on the field.

We have no idea what kind of offense we will see with either QB so we also can’t make the assumption that the O won’t be held back when/if a switch is made.

 

[Anytime23]

The funny thing to me is how many people are talking about how Pace and Nagy are fighting to keep their jobs when it was all off of speculation that either was actually on the hot seat. All this came from Sweaty Teddy and George McCaskey not giving a solid answer to the media about what contracts each of them are under in their end of the season presser. Then that's when everyone started speculating that they were both working for their jobs. Maybe they are and maybe they aren't. Nobody knows but them and our owner and president.

Actually them not giving an answer made a lot of people who follow the Bears think they're safer than we all assumed.

 

[Discus fish salesman]

The funny thing to me is how many people are talking about how Pace and Nagy are fighting to keep their jobs when it was all off of speculation that either was actually on the hot seat. All this came from Sweaty Teddy and George McCaskey not giving a solid answer to the media about what contracts each of them are under in their end of the season presser. Then that's when everyone started speculating that they were both working for their jobs. Maybe they are and maybe they aren't. Nobody knows but them and our owner and president.

Actually the refusal to mention contract details was why people thought they weren't on the hot seat.

Reasons people thought they were include media reports, their actual performance of their job the last couple years, and the fact they had a long drawn out post season press conference to discuss whether they would be back or not and specifically discussed why they were coming back (collaboration and the awesome 6 game losing streak that saved their season).

 

[Anytime23]

The better QB should be playing, regardless of experience. Point blank.

 

[Anytime23]

Actually the refusal to mention contract details was why people thought they weren't on the hot seat.

Reasons people thought they were include media reports, their actual performance of their job the last couple years, and the fact they had a long drawn out post season press conference to discuss whether they would be back or not and specifically discussed why they were coming back (collaboration and the awesome 6 game losing streak that saved their season).

Ugh oh, one of my alt accounts is at it.

 

[MikeDitkaPolishSausage]

The better QB should be playing, regardless of experience. Point blank.

This should be the mindset for every Bears fan. I don’t know why so many are content with Dalton starting even if Fields proves he’s ready to go.

 

[tgmxd]

Serious question: is there any history for a 1st round pick at QB sitting their entire rookie season and then not being a good starter?

Mahomes, Rodgers, Rivers are all successes but I can't think of anybody who hasn't been

 

[dentfan]

Serious question: is there any history for a 1st round pick at QB sitting their entire rookie season and then not being a good starter?

Mahomes, Rodgers, Rivers are all successes but I can't think of anybody who hasn't been

Jimmy G in SF? Maybe?

I guess it depends on what you mean by good.

 

[Bearly]

I'm actually aligned with what you're saying. I *don't think* they need to be as patient as they should have been with Mitch, but I am saying one poor Dalton game (especially given the schedule) doesn't mean you go to the bullpen. Nor do I think two poor games, but if they keep stacking up....

Yah, I'm hoping it has less to do with Dalton than Fields and we can establish a balanced O.

 

[Bearly]

I agree I think Dalton is good enough to start if that’s what is decided by the coaching staff. I don’t agree that Fields sitting will benefit him from addressing coverages. The only way to address coverages is by being on the field.

We have no idea what kind of offense we will see with either QB so we also can’t make the assumption that the O won’t be held back when/if a switch is made.

Well sure but but you can lose more games seeing D's mix it up for the 1st time live and haven't been through the options before hand. Slower everything while you think about your drops and sequencing instead of automatic. Take more hits with indecision etc. I think Fields will be a fast learner and cerebral enough to get there quickly considering the O he was in at Ohio State but he's still a rookie coming into the big leagues. It would be nice if the O wasn't very compressed simply to allow him to start.

 

[Warrior Spirit]

One of the first ironclad laws people learn in order to keep their jobs is Cover Your ASS (CYA).

Facts are very stubborn things:

The fact is

1. that, at this point in his career, Dalton is a journeyman QB.
2. that Justin Fields has a beautiful and accurate deep ball.
3. that both QBs are learning the offense.

Okay, so why would Pace and Nagy advance the KC model as a blueprint for Fields? Simple. They were worried about what if he fails. It will buy them another year. They knew how hot their seats were, so they advanced a truth that works. They can say, we always wanted for Fields to sit. Look at the interviews. Yup. This is the plan, always has been the plan, we swearsssssss.

Pace is a slick mofo and knows how to set up a smokescreen. He's got Dalton. He can throw him out there or let nature take its course in TC and watch Fields light up the red rocket.

So, I think the deep desire is to start Fields, but they have their CYA ready to go. It's a truth that will work for them.

To save their own asses, they actually need to field a better team. To do that, they'll actually need to use the only draft pick that really mattered...Fields.

 

[tgmxd]

Jimmy G in SF? Maybe?

I guess it depends on what you mean by good.

He did sit but he wasn’t a 1st round pick

But I would argue even he ended up a middle of the pack average starting QB before the injuries piled up.

 

[dabears70]

Actually them not giving an answer made a lot of people who follow the Bears think they're safer than we all assumed.

Maybe but most took that as their jobs were on the line.

 

[dabears70]

Actually the refusal to mention contract details was why people thought they weren't on the hot seat.

Reasons people thought they were include media reports, their actual performance of their job the last couple years, and the fact they had a long drawn out post season press conference to discuss whether they would be back or not and specifically discussed why they were coming back (collaboration and the awesome 6 game losing streak that saved their season).

Yes all of that happened leading up to the end of season presser and then the media felt they confirmed it by not giving an answer to questions about their contracts which they kept asking about over and over and over again to all 4 of Teddy, George, Matt and Ryan. Of course there were debates that immediately started about if it meant they were fighting for their jobs or not but many ran with it meant they were and of course that caught on. The same debate was covered by multiple threads on CCS as well....obviously.

 

[bears51/40]

Serious question: is there any history for a 1st round pick at QB sitting their entire rookie season and then not being a good starter?

Mahomes, Rodgers, Rivers are all successes but I can't think of anybody who hasn't been

The NFL is over 100 years old so I don't know about first round QB's over the leagues whole history, but I have looked at the last 20 years and only Rodgers and Carson Palmer sat for an entire year, even Mahomes started one game.

 

[RubberBanMan]

Actually the refusal to mention contract details was why people thought they weren't on the hot seat.

Reasons people thought they were include media reports, their actual performance of their job the last couple years, and the fact they had a long drawn out post season press conference to discuss whether they would be back or not and specifically discussed why they were coming back (collaboration and the awesome 6 game losing streak that saved their season).

“and the awesome 6 game losing streak that saved their season”

god i love that

 

[NCChiFan]

One of the first ironclad laws people learn in order to keep their jobs is Cover Your ASS (CYA).

Facts are very stubborn things:

The fact is

1. that, at this point in his career, Dalton is a journeyman QB.
2. that Justin Fields has a beautiful and accurate deep ball.
3. that both QBs are learning the offense.

Okay, so why would Pace and Nagy advance the KC model as a blueprint for Fields? Simple. They were worried about what if he fails. It will buy them another year. They knew how hot their seats were, so they advanced a truth that works. They can say, we always wanted for Fields to sit. Look at the interviews. Yup. This is the plan, always has been the plan, we swearsssssss.

Pace is a slick mofo and knows how to set up a smokescreen. He's got Dalton. He can throw him out there or let nature take its course in TC and watch Fields light up the red rocket.

So, I think the deep desire is to start Fields, but they have their CYA ready to go. It's a truth that will work for them.

The one glaring unknown you're missing... Dalton has experience reading NFL defenses... Fields does not. He can have the most beautiful long ball in the NFL but if he can't read man to man vs. Cover 3...............