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The Chicago Bears got here into their Week 9 “Monday Night time Soccer” matchup in opposition to the Pittsburgh Steelers sporting the worst statistical offense within the league. They averaged simply 264 yards of whole offense and simply 127 passing yards per recreation. Whereas they fell to the Steelers 29-27, this matchup was a unique story offensively.
Rookie quarterback Justin Fields accomplished 17 of 29 passes for a career-high 291 yards, one landing and one interception. He additionally rushed for 45 yards because the Bears put up a whopping 414 yards of whole offense. Whereas the primary half was a wrestle, Chicago scored 24 factors within the last two quarters. Down 26-20 late within the fourth, Fields led a seven-play, 75-yard drive which resulted in a 16-yard Darnell Mooney landing to amass a one-point lead with lower than two minutes left to play. Fields made a number of huge throws on the possession that quieted a raucous Heinz Discipline. Whereas Ben Roethlisberger answered with what was a game-winning drive minutes later, it was exhausting to not be impressed with Fields’ enormous efficiency.
Earlier than Fields led that late landing drive, Bears head coach Matt Nagy mentioned there was a particular second the place he might really feel the boldness from his squad on the sideline. He even regarded over at his rookie quarterback and noticed that he was excited for the second.
“Once they kicked that area objective and went up six, there was a very fairly neat second simply trying on the sideline and you possibly can really feel it from the gamers, like, ‘OK, we fought again to get up to now the place a landing wins it,’ after which I regarded over at Justin and he had this smile on his face the place it was prefer it was his time,” mentioned Nagy. “And to see that, the boldness that offers you as a coach whenever you see that, I imply it was like he was virtually hoping that this was going to be the state of affairs, after which for him to comply with by means of with that and make these performs that he made, it was a very, actually good feeling on that sideline. So whenever you discuss concerning the development for him and for the offense and simply our workforce generally, that is a second.”
Mooney mentioned that Fields saved the offense calm your entire recreation, though issues have been going very flawed for a lot of the first half.
“He was assured all through the entire recreation, I’d say the entire offense,” mentioned Mooney. “He saved us calm, he was in a position to hold us upbeat in letting us know that we will go on the market and nonetheless rating, we’re gonna win the sport and simply hold us targeted.”
Over the previous few weeks, the No. 11 general select of Ohio State has been enjoying a lot better. Whereas nobody questions his arm expertise, Fields has been extra correct going downfield and extra aggressive generally. He is been higher at discovering a rhythm, and when he has discovered that rhythm, he has proven what he is able to on this league.
“My mindset was like, ‘It is time, we’re right here,'” mentioned Fields. “You may both be the man who all the time will get put in that place that does not present up otherwise you might be that man who reveals up within the huge moments. So I used to be simply calm and simply targeted on displaying up.”
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