Preserving Delicate Bears Balance

The Bears want to count on Justin Fields' runs less when it was the move to more designed QB runs that boosted their attack last year.

USA Today

Throughout off-season work, there were suggestions and hints Justin Fields could be relied upon less for his legs and more his arm this year.

This is fine, and it's best for Fields' health as well as the overall growth of the Bears offense.

Then again, this can be removing the crutch Fields provided for a collapsing offense.

There are two aspects to Fields' running—scrambling and designed runs. One eventually made the difference to their attack more than the other.

How much all of this is changing for 2023 and how it all blends could depend more on both Fields' ability to be consistently more accurate as a passer but also the running game's ability to churn out yards conventionally instead of with a quarterback carrying the ball like he's a halfback.

Tinkering with What Worked

Make no mistake about it: The Bears offense changed drastically when Fields began to run the ball like a back instead of only out of the shotgun on scrambles.

At no point did offensive coordinator Luke Getsy say this off-season there are plans to turn off tap on planned Fields running plays. It's been implied, however. 

There were comments by coach Matt Eberflus suggesting Fields would ideally be more judicious in how or when he uses his legs. Eberflus thought the best place would be in the red zone or to extend drives.

Getsy doesn't think of Fields' running as a hinderance to the offense.

"That's an element that we're fortunate to have with him in that position," Getsy said.

It's an element he would ideally have in his back pocket as a play caller ideally, rather than one he constantly relies upon at risk of getting his passer injured. 

Fields' scrambling yards would give way to passing yards as his command of the offense grows. The backs would pick up some of the slack as Fields has fewer designed runs.

"Putting that all together, you're just increasing the football IQ so you know better when to take those (running) opportunities and when not to, because there are plenty of times on film that he shouldn't do it (scramble), and even though it worked out for us, in the long run, there's a better decision," Getsy said. "There's a better way."

Finding that better way requires better pass blocking, and Getsy says they have seen this from the offensive line even without pads on during OTAs and minicamp. It's not just an assumption that position changes, the drafting of Darnell Wright in Round 1 and signing of Nate Davis make the line automatically better.

"How quickly the guys are adjusting because the defense has given us looks that we’re not preparing for," Getsy said. "So usually you go into a game and you're preparing for particular fronts, particular pressures, particular whatever. So we're just trying to play by our rules and to learn the reason whys and then react the way that we need to accordingly.

"So, those guys, seeing how quickly they're responding from where they were last year has been really good."

Next Step in Offensive Evolution

Gauging how far to take the designed QB runs out of it all is the real question here because the scrambles naturally are going to happen even with better pass blocking . 

The blend is so important because Fields' planned running last year triggered the offense when the passing game was failing.

According to game-by-game totals from Pro Football Focus upon film review, the Bears had only 18 yards on designed runs by Fields in their first six games. Then they had 404 yards from him on designed runs over the final 11 games.

If you'll recall, it was the seventh game, the Monday night game against New England, when Getsy turned more to an attack with Fields running. It meant an extra available blocker in the running attack with a back blocking for Fields and they went from 3 yards per game rushing from Fields on designed plays to 36.7 yards a game over the final 11 games.

Fields' scrambling yardage actually decreased over the final 11 games. He had 264 yards scrambling the first six games. He averaged fewer yards scrambling (41.5) over the final 11 games than in the first six (44).

Those extra 33.7 yards rushing from the QB on designed runs made a huge difference, as the Bears were able to keep the ball for more plays and for longer drives, allowing Fields' passing to improve with more time on the field.

They had a 72% increase in their number of drives lasting eight plays or longer over the final 11 games. They scored 15.5 points a game while Fields gained 18 yards on planned runs during the season's first six games. When they went to more designed QB runs over the last 11 games they averaged 21.2 points a game.

Fields' passer rating then shot up from 70 to 92 in those 11 games, which shouldn't be surprising considering the shorter down-and-distance he faced. It was a situation made possible because of those extra rushing yards he provided on planned running plays.

So when Getsy makes game plans, he's going to need to balance those fewer planned runs with how far the passing game and conventional running attack have come. 

It's entirely possible the addition of receiver DJ Moore becomes the crutch the Bears offense can lean on more this year instead of planned runs. 

It needs to be the next step in Bears offensive evolution.

At the very least, it would expand their offensive capability and make it look different, even more explosive than when they had to rely so much on Fields risking so much with all of those planned runs.

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