(670 The Score) Despite Bears quarterback Justin Fields’ prolonged struggles in an 0-3 start, coach Matt Eberflus believes Fields and the team are on the verge of a breakthrough.
“We’re real close,” Eberflus responded Monday when asked to assess Fields’ performance in the Bears’ 41-10 loss to the Chiefs on Sunday. “I really do. I know a lot of people say it’s far away. I don’t believe that. I think we’re close. I think it’s more about the details of the individual person. If we just keep doing that right, the right things are going to happen.
“If you just keep doing right and keep your head down and focus on what matters, good things happen.”
The 24-year-old Fields was 11-of-22 for 99 yards, one touchdown and one interception in the loss Sunday, when he posted a 58.7 passer rating. Fields has a 67.7 passer rating this season, which is tied for 31st among the 34 qualifying quarterbacks in the NFL. His 21.5 QBR figure is dead last among the 34 qualifying quarterbacks, according to ESPN.
Still, Eberflus believes Fields is about to turn a corner.
“He’s been doing it in terms of the work,” Eberflus said. “Now we’re going to see the fruits of the labor. He’s just got to keep doing the things – the platform, the rhythm and timing, the things that we’ve been discussing. I thought we did a good job of moving him out of the pocket yesterday.
We had a couple quarterback designed runs, a couple run-pass options. We took those shots down the field. I thought those were really good. We’ve got to capitalize on those. I thought he did some things that were OK in Sunday’s game that looked like we wanted it to look. It’s getting better.”
Eberflus has met with every Bears position group lately. The message he shared is to focus on individual improvement and positional group improvement, his way of preaching to his players to focus on what they can personally control.
“We’re going through adversity right now,” Eberflus said. “I said, ‘All these guys in the room are tough-minded, tough people, and that’s why you’re sitting in the room. We built these relationships together during this offseason just for this. No one said it was going to be easy. No one said that. And this is a difficult time. So how do we get through that? By leaning on each other. And then focusing on the improvement of the individual man and then the position groups. That’s how you get better execution.’”
The Bears host the Broncos, who are also off to an 0-3, on Sunday at Soldier Field.