Justin Fields on ending Bears' losing streak against Commanders: 'The hard work paid off'
Justin Fields, the oft-maligned Bears quarterback, certainly flipped the headlines with his sizzling performance Thursday against the Commanders.
For what it’s worth, “it just felt good” to end a 14-game losing streak, Fields told reporters in post game following the Bears’ 40-20 win over Washington.
“Just seeing all the hard work pay off, especially getting a dub after everything that’s happened this year,” Justin Fields said. “Everything in the media. Everything on the outside. It just feels good when you can say that the hard work paid off.
“So again, I’m proud of everybody in the building,” Fields said. “I love everybody on my team. Players, coaches, shoot, everybody upstairs. I might not even know them, but I love y’all. That feeling was, like I said before, a feeling that you never want it to end, and we just got to keep this momentum going and just get ready for Minnesota coming up next week.”
Suddenly, Justin Fields is one of the hottest quarterbacks in the league. Twice this season, he’s thrown three touchdowns in a first half. According to ESPN Stats & Info, the other other quarterback to do so is Josh Allen.
Then there were these comparisons provided by StatMuse. He’s completed 67.2 percent of his passes the past two games, for 617 yards, eight touchdowns and only one interception. In his first three games, the quarterback’s completion percentage was 58, with three touchdowns and four interceptions.
Let’s take it back to late last month, when Justin Fields gave a press conference and talked about how he felt so “robotic.” When those comments exploded throughout social media, Fields felt the need to clarify that he wasn’t blaming the coaches. No one thought then that Fields would snap out his funk so quickly.
The former Ohio State star did have a willing partner Thursday night. Former Carolina Panther D.J. Moore caught 10 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns. In the spring, the Panthers sent Moore to the Bears as part of a trade to acquire the No. 1 draft pick and Bryce Young. So Moore is only now finding his footing with the Bears.
Chicago did build a big lead — 21 points — but then the Bears tried to blow it. It was Fields’ connection with Moore that kept the offense from collapsing. Fields threw a short pass Moore to try to convert a third down. Instead, Commanders cornerback Kendall Fuller tried for the interception. When he missed, Moorehad had a clear path for a 56-yard touchdown, his third score of the night.
Justin Fields said it was only then that he could heave a sigh of relief. The 14-game losing streak was dead.