What has been the most impressive part of Justin Fields’ development? What is Matt Nagy’s future? 4 questions for the Chicago Bears as they head into the 2nd half of their season.

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The Chicago Bears are coming retired of their bye week connected a four-game losing streak with a 3-6 record. But plentifulness of shot is inactive to beryllium played with 8 games remaining this season.

Our squad of Bears writers weighs successful connected 4 timely topics heading into the Week 11 crippled Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens astatine Soldier Field.

1. The astir awesome portion of Justin Fields’ improvement to day has been _______________.

Brad Biggs: His quality to support the football.

Yes, helium has 8 interceptions and has mislaid 2 fumbles successful 9 games (seven starts). But not each of the interceptions person been his fault, and with the objection of the five-turnover meltdown past period astatine Tampa Bay, helium has been fantabulous successful this regard. This is 1 of the archetypal steps for a young quarterback, and Fields is without question up of the curve. You knew helium would look arsenic a dual menace astatine the position, and helium has showcased the quality to flight the pouch to widen plays and onslaught defenses with his moving ability. The maturation process is dilatory for quarterbacks, who are speechmaking defenses pre-snap astatine the assemblage level and person to go nuanced astatine speechmaking defenses post-snap successful the NFL. He should show incremental advancement arsenic a pouch passer and won’t beryllium a polished merchandise astatine the extremity of the season, but this astir apt is an country successful which helium tin amusement sizeable maturation successful the last 8 games.

Colleen Kane: His quality to grip the adversity that comes with being a rookie.

There were ever going to beryllium potholes during Fields’ rookie season, though the Bears astir apt didn’t envision it looking rather arsenic disfigured arsenic the discourtesy did successful the losses to the Cleveland Browns and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But Bears coaches person praised Fields for his stoic, determined committedness to his growth, and helium turned successful his 2 champion performances of the play aft the Bucs game. They’ve besides noted however Fields embraces large moments, wanting to beryllium successful power with the crippled connected the line. It showed up during his chaotic 22-yard touchdown tally against the San Francisco 49ers and successful his large connections with Allen Robinson and Darnell Mooney during the Bears’ go-ahead touchdown thrust against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now they conscionable request that enactment and hunger to pb to a victory.

Dan Wiederer: His accordant concern successful fueling the maturation process.

In the outpouring and summer, Bears coaches praised Fields’ quality to fastener successful connected adjacent the astir insignificant details. Once the play began, the Bears noticed Fields’ determination and resoluteness successful moving done conflict and aggravation. His quality to rapidly crook the leafage aft peculiarly unsmooth games (see: roadworthy losses to the Browns and Buccaneers) proved reassuring. And present his playmaking prowess is being seen connected a much accordant basis. In October, violative coordinator Bill Lazor praised Fields’ connection skills and eagerness to learn. “One of the things that’s been awesome astir him from the opening is that he’s consenting to beryllium coached,” Lazor said. “Everyone wants to beryllium great, right? But he’s consenting to bash what it takes.” That has shown up successful Fields’ survey habits, mentation regular and the mode helium practices and stays attentive astatine meetings. The rookie has brought a self-assuredness and an unruffled demeanor successful games that proves infectious. The adjacent step, of course, is converting each of those things into victories. But implicit the past six months, Fields’ moxie and dedication to the grind person been undeniable.

2. The Bears’ nonaccomplishment to the Steelers successful Week 9 was _______________.

Biggs: Frustrating.

The nonaccomplishment was frustrating from the standpoint that immoderate captious calls — and not the taunting punishment against Cassius Marsh — went against them astatine cardinal moments, decisions that nary uncertainty swung the result of the game. That being said, the offense’s quality to rally successful the 2nd fractional and Fields’ composure successful the two-minute discourtesy were affirmative signs for a squad that has struggled truthful consistently to prolong drives and enactment points connected the board. The Bears rolled up 414 yards of discourtesy and yet got immoderate skill-position players regularly involved. It led to sustained drives and a season-high 27 points (with 1 touchdown coming via peculiar teams).

Kane: A bully measurement guardant for Fields — but inactive a loss.

It felt a small astonishing to work and perceive immoderate Bears fans’ excitement aft the loss, but that goes to amusement however starved for promising backmost play Chicago has been. I’m not criticizing the excitement. Fields made immoderate big-time plays portion totaling 291 passing yards and 45 rushing yards and starring a second-half comeback. But the anticipation is that volition go regular alternatively than a crushed for celebration. Ultimately, the Bears didn’t enactment unneurotic a implicit game. The discourtesy started dilatory and ended with conscionable 2 touchdowns. The defence gave up 29 points aft allowing 38 and 33 successful the 2 erstwhile losses. And penalties killed the Bears’ momentum again and again, adjacent if immoderate were the incorrect calls. They apt volition person to beryllium amended wide Sunday against the Ravens if they privation to support their losing streak from reaching 5 games.

Wiederer: Encouraging. And oddly so.

With the Bears rallying from 14 points down successful the 4th fourth and taking a precocious 27-26 pb with a Fields-led 75-yard thrust and a nifty 16-yard touchdown walk to Mooney, the sting of the team’s eventual two-point decision someway didn’t consciousness truthful crisp oregon ominous arsenic truthful galore different losses person implicit the past 3 seasons. Against a prime defense, connected the roadworthy and connected the “Monday Night Football” stage, the Bears amassed 287 yards aft halftime and should person had 3 second-half violative touchdowns had it not been for a bogus debased artifact telephone that negated a 1-yard Fields touchdown walk successful the 3rd quarter. It was lone 1 game. One fractional of 1 game, actually. But for immoderate reason, it felt similar a large measurement successful the close absorption and provided a invited jolt of vigor heading into the bye week. It’s imperative to retrieve the Bears haven’t won since leaving Las Vegas successful Week 5. That’s astir fractional a play ago. And the team’s drought without a Club Dub enactment volition walk 40 days this week. That can’t beryllium lost. But the Bears present person an accidental to amusement that the comeback and the hints of an existent violative breakthrough were morganatic and indispensable beryllium utilized arsenic fuel.

3. With 8 games remaining, Matt Nagy’s aboriginal with the Bears seems _______________.

Biggs: Very overmuch successful limbo.

The team’s four-game losing streak is problematic arsenic it is the 3rd consecutive play successful which the Bears person had a skid of 4 oregon much games. Figure Chairman George McCaskey volition beryllium taking a batch of criteria into information astatine the extremity of the season: the team’s record, Fields’ show and the trajectory of the offense. It’s a captious juncture for Nagy, who has to station immoderate victories with a defence that, entering the season, was considered playoff-ready. Can helium and his unit manager a rookie backmost to elevate the discourtesy to a competitory level? If the Bears stumble to the decorativeness enactment — and the 2nd fractional of the docket remains challenging — it volition beryllium hard for Nagy to authorities a lawsuit for wherefore helium should beryllium fixed a 2nd twelvemonth with Fields. But if the Bears tin rotation disconnected immoderate wins and Fields continues progressing, McCaskey volition person plentifulness to consider.

Kane: To beryllium riding connected Fields’ growth.

We don’t cognize for definite however McCaskey and squad President and CEO Ted Phillips are evaluating this play for wide manager Ryan Pace and Nagy due to the fact that they haven’t spoken to reporters since January. The buzzword past — erstwhile drafting Fields was conscionable a imagination — was “progress.” If Fields tin proceed to marque strides guardant arsenic helium did successful his past 2 games and assistance the discourtesy supra bottom-of-the-league status, possibly that volition beryllium capable to person the Bears that Nagy and his unit merit much time, careless of the Bears’ record. Nagy besides volition person to support the locker country unneurotic and support his squad playing hard, thing that mightiness gully oculus rolls from immoderate but seemingly helped transportation McCaskey past play to clasp him arsenic the Bears rebounded from a six-game losing streak to marque the playoffs. But what if Fields and the discourtesy person much atrocious showings similar the 1 against the Buccaneers? In conjunction with past violative failures nether Nagy with Mitch Trubisky and Nick Foles, specified hiccups could seal Nagy’s exit. Nagy has much to beryllium than anyone connected the Bears successful the 2nd fractional of the season.

Wiederer: Cloudy astatine best.

There’s a cardinal operation successful that question: eight games remaining. That’s a batch of clip and should supply plentifulness of further grounds astir the team’s direction. It can’t beryllium ignored, adjacent amid the excitement Fields is generating, that Nagy’s teams person suffered losing streaks of astatine slightest 4 games successful 3 consecutive seasons and, including the playoffs, person mislaid 14 of their past 20 games. It can’t beryllium disregarded that the lone NFC squad the Bears are up of are the winless Detroit Lions. It shouldn’t beryllium overlooked that the broadside of the shot Nagy prides himself successful overseeing ranks 31st successful yards per crippled and dormant past by a wide borderline successful passing offense. The Bears are besides 1 of lone 7 teams done Week 10 with a constituent differential worse than minus-70. Most of the others — the New York Jets, Houston Texans, Lions, Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins — are NFL punchlines. Ten months ago, McCaskey and Phillips made vague pleas for advancement successful 2021 but steered distant from publically declaring the benchmarks they’ll beryllium utilizing to measure Nagy and Pace. Said McCaskey: “All 4 of america volition cognize whether there’s been capable betterment oregon capable advancement to proceed past 2021.” To this point, it’s intolerable to accidental the Bears person made capable progress. They do, however, person 8 games remaining to alteration that conversation.

4. Aside from Justin Fields’ development, the astir important precedence for the Bears implicit the adjacent 2 months is

___

Biggs: Multifaceted.

For the enactment to consciousness bully astir Fields and the discourtesy moving into 2022, the Bears request to spot much accordant play from an violative enactment that surely volition acquisition immoderate level of change. They besides volition necessitate much accordant show from young skill-position players, particularly with Robinson apt to participate escaped agency. Mooney needs to elevate his crippled and choky extremity Cole Kmet needs much impactful games similar helium had successful Pittsburgh. This is each captious for the Bears to participate the offseason feeling arsenic if they person much answers than questions astir the formed of players surrounding Fields. Otherwise, you’re looking astatine an offseason successful which the Bears volition beryllium constricted successful presumption of draught superior to adhd morganatic gathering blocks connected offense.

Kane: Determining whether Nagy and his unit are the close radical to proceed Fields’ development.

Bears determination makers request to look astatine Nagy’s record, including the yearly violative showings, but besides whether helium and his unit are showing an quality to accommodate this twelvemonth and bring retired the champion successful Fields. The priorities astatine the coach/player levels see the improvement of immoderate of their young corps, including tackles Teven Jenkins and Larry Borom, Mooney, Kmet and moving backs David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert connected discourtesy and cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kindle Vildor connected defense. Defensive coordinator Sean Desai needs his portion to get steadfast aft injuries to Khalil Mack and Eddie Jackson, and the defence needs to acceptable a amended code for what it tin beryllium moving guardant aft a unsmooth fewer weeks.

Wiederer: Establishing a halfway for the squad they privation to physique astir successful 2022 and beyond.

Offensively, that means supporting Fields’ maturation with young and dynamic accomplishment players who tin go every-week playmakers. To that end, the accumulation of Montgomery, Mooney and Kmet is worthy monitoring implicit the adjacent 2 months. The Bears besides should beryllium making each effort to springiness Robinson reasons to instrumentality around. Defensively, the squad needs to prioritize the improvement of younger contributors specified arsenic Johnson, Vildor and borderline rusher Trevis Gipson portion hoping to compression much retired of their younger established standout starters specified arsenic Roquan Smith and Jackson. The Bears can’t spell into the 2022 offseason with holes each implicit the extent chart. These last 8 weeks necessitate an oculus connected the future.

Biggs: Multifaceted. For the enactment to consciousness bully astir Fields and the discourtesy moving into 2022, the Bears request to spot much accordant play from an violative enactment that surely volition acquisition immoderate level of change. They besides volition necessitate much accordant show from young skill-position players, particularly with Robinson apt to participate escaped agency. Mooney needs to elevate his crippled and choky extremity Cole Kmet needs much impactful games similar helium had successful Pittsburgh. This is each captious for the Bears to participate the offseason feeling arsenic if they person much answers than questions astir the formed of players surrounding Fields. Otherwise, you’re looking astatine an offseason successful which the Bears volition beryllium constricted successful presumption of draught superior to adhd morganatic gathering blocks connected offense. Kane: Determining whether Nagy and his unit are the close radical to proceed Fields’ development. Bears determination makers request to look astatine Nagy’s record, including the yearly violative showings, but besides whether helium and his unit are showing an quality to accommodate this twelvemonth and bring retired the champion successful Fields. The priorities astatine the coach/player levels see the improvement of immoderate of their young corps, including tackles Teven Jenkins and Larry Borom, Mooney, Kmet and moving backs David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert connected discourtesy and cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kindle Vildor connected defense. Defensive coordinator Sean Desai needs his portion to get steadfast aft injuries to Khalil Mack and Eddie Jackson, and the defence needs to acceptable a amended code for what it tin beryllium moving guardant aft a unsmooth fewer weeks. Wiederer: Establishing a halfway for the squad they privation to physique astir successful 2022 and beyond. Offensively, that means supporting Fields’ maturation with young and dynamic accomplishment players who tin go every-week playmakers. To that end, the accumulation of Montgomery, Mooney and Kmet is worthy monitoring implicit the adjacent 2 months. The Bears besides should beryllium making each effort to springiness Robinson reasons to instrumentality around. Defensively, the squad needs to prioritize the improvement of younger contributors specified arsenic Johnson, Vildor and borderline rusher Trevis Gipson portion hoping to compression much retired of their younger established standout starters specified arsenic Roquan Smith and Jackson. The Bears can’t spell into the 2022 offseason with holes each implicit the extent chart. These last 8 weeks necessitate an oculus connected the future.

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