The Chicago Bears’ preview and award of the Justin Fields Bowl is what everyone finds surprising.
The Atlanta Falcons and Chicago Bears will play their most crucial away game of the season on Sunday when they travel on the road. Despite the lack of a clear favorite to go to the postseason, both teams are still in contention for an NFC wildcard position. However, that might not even be the most captivating plot in this game. This game is centered around one player, quarterback Justin Fields, who will be keenly observed by both sides.
The NFL Draft of 2021 featured an abundance of talent at many positions where players were expected to become stars. The tight end Kyle Pitts, who was selected by the Falcons with the fourth overall pick, was thought to be the most likely player to be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame because of his exceptional athleticism and college success.
Fields, who had perhaps even more athleticism and collegiate production, was selected by the Bears with the No. 11 choice after they traded up to get him. Since then, each athlete has seen varied degrees of success. While they have all occasionally shown glimpses of their superstar potential, none of them have lived up to the high expectations that were put on them when they were selected. Chicago must now make a choice in the current selection.
The Bears gave the Carolina Panthers the top pick in a trade from the previous season. They will receive that team’s first-round pick this year, which is presently ranked No. 1 overall in a class that includes Caleb Williams and Drake Maye, two potential high-end starting quarterbacks, as payment for that pick.
Atlanta is presently in tenth place with a record of 7-8, while Chicago, with a current record of 6-9, holds the ninth pick in the draft. While it is true that neither team currently has a franchise quarterback, Fields has guided his team to victories in three of the last four contests, giving supporters of the once-promising Ohio State QB prospect optimism. Many Falcons supporters, who had been hopeful the team will trade for the athletic blue-chip quarterback prospect with receiver-like speed, are among the believers.
It looks like Atlanta is just one quarterback away from winning the NFC South for the next five years. With rookie Bijan Robinson, perhaps the second-most talented running back in the league, Drake London, one of the best young possession receivers in the NFL, a strong offensive line, and possibly the best tight end combination in the league in Pitts and Jonnu Smith, this offense may be elevated to the level of an elite scoring machine with the addition of Fields.
Fields has the arm talent to potentially unlock the potential Pitts have shelved since his rookie year, when Matt Ryan helped him cross the 1,000-yard mark. However, every Falcons quarterback since has failed to recapture Fields’ speed and ability to run for 1,000 yards a season if used properly. On Sunday, Fields will be given another opportunity to wow fans and the executive offices of both teams, allowing them to determine if he is their guy going forward.
Perhaps Chicago will give up and realize Fields is not the right fit for its system after all, and he will become available to the Falcons via trade this offseason if Atlanta shows up and conclusively eliminates the Bears from playoff contention. Alternatively, Fields might have a great game and win more playing time for the Bears while dismantling Atlanta’s defense, which has been led by All-Pro safety Jessie Bates III. In any case, both teams will be watching Fields, a guy who still seems to have a lot of unrealized potential, in this game.
