Bears' Justin Fields continues to improve; Packers' Aaron Rodgers impressed

CHICAGO – Green Bay Packers backmost Aaron Rodgers recognized what’s go evident astir Justin Fields, contempt the Chicago Bears being officially eliminated from postseason contention with their sixth consecutive nonaccomplishment Sunday.

“They've got a talented backmost who has a accidental to beryllium astir for a agelong time,” Rodgers said.

The container people from Chicago’s 28-19 nonaccomplishment to Green Bay isn’t an close practice of however good the discourtesy operated arsenic Fields -- coming disconnected a separated near enarthrosis -- saw his archetypal enactment since Nov. 20. A 55-yard touchdown scamper -- Fields’ sixth consecutive crippled rushing for a people -- reiterated the quarterback's game-changing rushing ability. The types of throws helium made portion reaching his highest passing output of the play (20-of-25, 254 yards, 2 INTs) showed the strides Fields is making successful becoming a well-rounded quarterback.

There’s nary question this was Fields' astir implicit game.

“I deliberation so,” Fields said. “I deliberation this was 1 of my champion games passing-wise. Of course, the stats aren’t going to amusement that, but I felt truly comfy retired determination successful the passing game. I’m conscionable going to support improving and support getting better.”

Green Bay had the NFL’s fourth-best walk defence (187.8 yards per game) and held Fields to 48 nett passing yards successful Week 2. Chicago’s crippled program 11 games aboriginal relied connected its quarterback’s quality to prime Green Bay isolated with his limb successful ways helium had yet to display.

Fields said helium knew Wednesday -- erstwhile helium was a constricted subordinate successful signifier -- that helium was going to to play against Green Bay. He said helium didn’t person an injection successful his non-throwing enarthrosis pregame, lone that helium wore a garment that contained other padding to support the area.

What Fields did without his apical wide receiver, Darnell Mooney, who is retired for the play with an ankle injury, was an important measurement guardant for idiosyncratic hoping to go a franchise quarterback. Learning however to triumph from the pouch and marque big-time, anticipatory throws is the adjacent portion of that process.

These moments were ones the Bears had hoped they would spot from Fields this season. They resulted successful 409 yards of offense, Chicago’s astir successful a crippled this season.

• A 56-yard dime to Equanimeous St. Brown acceptable up a second-quarter touchdown to springiness Chicago a 10-0 lead.

• A third-and-10 propulsion wherever Fields navigated the pouch with easiness to find Cole Kmet for a 24-yard summation connected a thrust that ended successful a tract extremity successful the 3rd quarter.

• A 50-50 shot connected a play wherever Fields bought clip with his legs to springiness N'Keal Harry, Chicago’s champion contested-catch receiver, a accidental to haul successful a walk and enactment the Bears heavy successful Packers’ territory.

Fields was speedy to praise his walk extortion for his season-best day. According to ESPN Stats and Information, Fields was pressured connected a career-low 22% of his dropbacks (6 of 27) and didn’t instrumentality a sack for the archetypal clip arsenic a starter. That extortion helped him scope his highest completion percent successful a crippled arsenic a starter (80.0%) and a 90.6 QBR, his 2nd highest of the season.

Fields and the discourtesy erstwhile again had a accidental to pb a game-winning drive, their 4th accidental successful their past 5 games. The effect was different interception that crushed Chicago’s momentum, this 1 coming connected a play wherever Fields said helium was expecting St. Brown to tally a excavation route, which is erstwhile the receiver appears to beryllium moving consecutive downfield earlier digging successful his ft and turning toward the mediate of the field.

“Justin's been ripping that walk a mates times earlier,” manager Matt Eberflus said. “And that's a spot throw. When you person a spot throw, that means that he's speechmaking it, and he's going to fto it rip, and the guy's got to bash a large occupation of stepping up and making those plays. I thought the country made a bully play. He jumped it. But hopefully our receiver tin leap retired and sound that down if possible.”

Fields has proved helium tin transportation the Bears successful competitory games. When the endowment astir him improves, truthful volition the results successful the win-loss column. For now, the strides Fields is making arsenic a passer are ones the Bears tin physique connected coming retired of their Week 14 bye with a agelong that features Philadelphia, Buffalo, Detroit and Minnesota.

“The wins are going to commencement coming,” Fields said. “I thought arsenic an discourtesy we got amended today. I conscionable can't hold until they commencement coming. They're going to commencement rolling successful present soon, truthful conscionable got to support moving and support getting better."