As the Chicago Bears enjoy their bye week, fans have the ability to sit back, relax and watch the rest of the NFL in action this weekend.
This is also a great time for fans to begin reflecting on the current season — but that can be dangerous, depending on what type of fan you are.
If you tend to err on the negative side of things, it’s a dark place to be. The Bears are 3-9 and are currently holding the second overall pick in next year’s draft. It’s been a fairly ugly season, you could argue.
On the flip side, the more positive-minded will talk about just how great some of the younger players have looked and why the team’s future is bright. Specifically, Justin Fields has been flat-out impressive. While the offense still has a ways to go, there’s certainly reason to be hopeful, especially thanks to a new set of numbers released Thursday morning.
Without looking at the above graphic, most would have guessed that the number one team in explosive plays would be the Eagles, Bills or Chiefs. And, to be fair, they’re all towards the top of the list.
Yet, sitting right there at number on in all of football in explosive plays is none other than our beloved Chicago Bears.
How is this possible? The Bears’ receiving corps is amongst the worst in the league, they’ve been without one of their weapons for a few weeks now in Khalil Herbert, and the offensive line has been less than stellar, contrary to some belief out there.
It’s all about number 1. It is a completely different offense this year with Fields under center.
Now, credit to Luke Getsy for sticking with the run game. The Bears, to this day, have the best ground attack in all of the NFL, rushing for 189.2 yards per game. The next closest is Atlanta, who totals 158.9 rushing yards per contest.
Fields is currently number 7 in the league in rushing yards with 905, which is still on pace to break Lamar Jackson’s record of 1,205 for a quarterback in a season.
Both David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert have gone over 600 rushing yards on the season as well, giving the Bears a scary trio when all healthy. Since Herbert went out, though, Fields has taken even more on his shoulder in the run game.
Just imagine a Bears offense that is able to add stronger protection up front, combined with another couple of weapons in the passing game. Not to mention, Fields will have even more experience under his belt.
The sky is truly the limit for this guy, and he’s proven that in his second season, operating the number 1 most explosive offense in the league, statistically speaking.