Chicago Bears: 3 Standout performers from Preseason Week 1

1. Justin Fields, QB

The biggest reason for all of the excitement for Chicago Bears fans has to do with Justin Fields. When Chicago pulled the trigger on the trade to move up and draft him, the fans became delirious. With all the reports about how well he did in minicamp and then seeing how well he’s been throwing in training camp, the hope and expectations grew by leaps and bounds.

Fields made his debut on the field and did not disappoint. Yes, he had a slow start, but once he got the jitters out and got his feet planted he played well. He played the second and third quarters and finished the game 14-of-20 for 142 yards and a touchdown. His passer rating was 106.7 and added five rushes for 33 yards and a touchdown.

Fields showed off all the skills that made him such a successful quarterback in college. He used his legs to make big plays and displayed a strong arm. He made big throws downfield and also threw well on the run. Furthermore, he showed calm in the pocket. He went through his progressions and didn’t panic when something broke down.

Yes, this was just his first game. Former Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky also had a big game in his preseason debut and we saw how that relationship ended. As Fields’ critics pointed out throughout the game, he went up against the Dolphins’ third stringers. What we need to keep in mind, though, is that Fields also played with third-string players.

Fields has had a good rapport with Rodney Adams. Adams is not a well-known player and many considered him a training camp body. However, he’s been impressing the coaches with how he plays with Fields. That continued in the game, as he made 4 catches for 57 yards. With his connection with Fields, Adams might find himself on the roster when the regular season begins.

Much of that has to do with Fields.

This was a good start for Fields. He earned a chance to play with the starters. Head coach Matt Nagy constantly said that no matter what happens Andy Dalton will be QB1 when the season starts in a few weeks. After Fields’ debut, though, can there be a change of plans?

When asked about Dalton continuing to have a hold on the starting quarterback job, Nagy didn’t shut down the idea the way he had previously.

"All I want him to do is make it really hard on all of us… All I want them to do, seriously, is… create the best competition and be the best quarterback you can be for the Bears."

That decision won’t be made after one performance. Let’s see how he does with the starters. As I mentioned, he earned the right to play alongside them and show whether his performance was the result of playing against future cab drivers or if he’s already set to take over as the franchise quarterback ahead of schedule.

At any rate, Fields did nothing to stop the fans from tempering their hope. If he continues his play in the preseason, Nagy will have a big, difficult decision to make before Week 1 of the season.