Interesting Press Conference from Fields Today

[BearFan PHX]

A very interesting press conference from Fields today, with a lot of points.

In a nutshell, Fields said that he's being coached too much, and needs to play from his instincts more. At first this sounded like making excuses, or throwing the coaches under the bus. Don't be surprised if that's the narrative that sports writers take from this press conference, and it blows up into a media thing.

But if you listen closely, especially as he clarifies what he means, he's saying that he himself is thinking too much and trying too hard to do everything the way the coaches want him to. And it's not so much that they're wrong, as that when the reality of the play happens, sometimes you cant execute perfectly the way they taught you. And I think this is a very important point.

One example would be the play we all saw where Roschon was wide open, and so were other players and Fields pump fakes, but doesn't throw the ball. JT OSullivan's QB school struggles to understand it, and eventually he guesses that maybe Fields is reading Kmet on the wheel and then the outlet receiver, and neither is open. But the RB and WR Scott are wide open for big gains, DJ Moore is open on the backside too. But Kmet is covered. Scott fails to clear out the space for Kmet underneath, but in doing so, Scott found himself wide open. And Roschon is tragically an obvious touchdown, both ignored.

Now, in the real world, I don't care what the read is. If you see a wide open player for a TD, you pull the trigger. Period.

But what if you're being told that you're a too much of a freelancing athlete that needs to learn to play disciplined pocket QB instead. And you think about this and work on it all off season. What if you trust your coaches and try to do everything they way they tell you - robotically. Because you trust them, and you are willing to do whatever they tell you to succeed. Even if it feels constraining.

I think this is what he was trying to say. That he's been trying SO hard to run the plays exactly the way he's told, that he's stifled his creativity and closed off possibilities. And that all adds up to the slower tempo of his drops, the hesitancy to throw the ball - everything.

I was done with Fields. 100%. I was talking to my Dad about it, and we were saying that he just looks like hes unsure and thinking too much. JT OSullivan says the same based on the slow speed of his drops. You can see him locked into receivers - probably correctly in order - but he's not reading the routes simultaneously. It's like the difference between tossing one ball in your hand and juggling. If you're juggling, you cant really think about or lock into any one of the balls or you'll drop the others. It's more like the combination of balls in the air becomes one thing - one gesture. In the same way, routes are happening at the same time and affect each other. If you lock into each receiver in order of your read, individually, without feeling the rest, and the way they all affect each other, you're going to look slow, unsure and robotic.

I think that's what's been wrong with Fields. I think we all know Fields is on his last legs in Chicago, I think now is the time to stop trying to take all the coaching points and just go play the game to win. If a WR is open, throw him the ball, whether you were supposed to be reading that guy or not.

This is good news. This (to me) is the only path left that could bear fruit for Fields.

So ignore the coming media misinterpretations that Fields isn't taking responsibility and throwing the coaches under the bus. He didn't actually do that. He said he himself is thinking too much and trying to be perfectly coached, and it's not working. This is excellent news. And it is Fields' last chance really to save himself and the season.

I'm not saying it's going to work, but I am saying that this is the only move he has left to take that next step. And I'm glad to see him see it, and hopefully attempt it.
 

 

[DABEARSDABOMB]

I love and agree with everything he said and am excited to see these next few games and what happens. His quotes match what my eye test was saying too. 

[BearFan PHX]

7 minutes ago, DABEARSDABOMB said:

I love and agree with everything he said and am excited to see these next few games and what happens. His quotes match what my eye test was saying too. 

Yup, and it's all he has left anyway. I'm glad he sees it and is willing to act on it. That's leadership.

Theres a great story about a Lawrence Taylor and a play in which he was supposed to drop into coverage like a zone blitz. Parcells called the play, and LT ignored his responsibility, and rushed in to sack the QB. On the sidelines, Parcells chewed him out. Told him that he needs to follow his assignments on plays. Later in the game Parcells calls is again, and again LT rushes the QB and gets a sack. On the sidelines Parcells is going crazy. He says "what the hell are you doing out there?! We dont even have that play in the playbook!!" and LT says "well we got two sacks, maybe we should add it in"

No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy. All the presnap reads and progressions in the world can fail once the defense starts to move. You have to be able to improvise and find open receivers, even if they arent next in the progressions, even if they werent eligible receivers on the play.

Glad to see Justin will finally get back to playing football. It's his only chance now anyway.

[adam]

Just let him go with left foot back. The biggest change that Fields simply cannot deal with is which foot start in back. He has been using his left foot back for his entire life and they recently made him swap. Why? Because as a right handed QB, once he receives the ball, he can immediately throw with the right foot back. He can't do that without one step the other way. Brady introduced this during the Edelman years on those instant bubble screens. Rodgers has been doing it for years, and now they want Fields to, when it's clearly not natural for him.

That one change alone would help a ton. 

Check out this video from CHGO with Tim Jenkins (QB Guru) who outlines this in more detail. This is a great listen for those interested in the detailed nuances of QB play. 

 

[Alaskan Grizzly]

1 hour ago, BearFan PHX said:

In a nutshell, Fields said that he's being coached too much, and needs to play from his instincts more. At first this sounded like making excuses, or throwing the coaches under the bus. Don't be surprised if that's the narrative that sports writers take from this press conference, and it blows up into a media thing.

Ironically he’ll be playing against the current master of improv in Mahomes.  You think all the off foot and shovel pass throws he makes are designed by Reid?  My guess is Reid draws out the play and says use this as a guideline (I’m paraphrasing of course).  

I agree it looks as though the coaching staff is trying to make Fields more a pocket passer and after all the years of him not being a pocket passer are working against this.  They need to let him be him.  He knows the consequences and is quite aware of what people have been saying. The worst that will happen is we’ll continue to lose and Bagent will probably get called up at some point.  Let Justin be Justin.  

[BearFan2000]

I really do hope this is the light bulb moment for Fields, the coaches and the offense as a whole. It’s been very well articulated here in this thread. And his comments match what the eye test sees.

What has baffled me over the years (not just this regime or player) is that we have a history of trying to fit a round peg into a square hole. Trying to make fields a try pocket passer goes against his DNA. That play style is not what makes him special and dangerous.  

[AZ54]

i finally got to watch his press conference.  In some aspects I liked what he said in a couple aspects it made me nervous.  Especially with the one play he talked about where he took a sack.  Justin said in that scenario in the future he'll be leaving the pocket.   IIRC there were receivers open on that play.   So mostly he alluded to just getting out of the pocket but nothing about just making the quick easy pass to an open receiver even if it's not the normal read for that play.  

That makes me a bit nervous but I do agree he needs to get back to doing what makes him comfortable early in the game and then let the rest of it come to him.  

[madlithuanian]

11 hours ago, BearFan2000 said:

I really do hope this is the light bulb moment for Fields, the coaches and the offense as a whole. It’s been very well articulated here in this thread. And his comments match what the eye test sees.

What has baffled me over the years (not just this regime or player) is that we have a history of trying to fit a round peg into a square hole. Trying to make fields a try pocket passer goes against his DNA. That play style is not what makes him special and dangerous.  

Waiting for lightbulbs to go off every 5 years for our QB of choice isn't a healthy way to go about life.  I think the only hope is to give warren all the power to do whatever he feels is right.  Whether that's retaining Poles or not.  Whether it's Poles getting rid of FLose or not.  But, if we retain FLOse...I will only watch it as a dumpster fire.

[Stinger226]

I think they are trying to grow him into a more prolific passer and why the stay in the pocket verbiage. Its obvious not working so they go back to playing  up to Justin's strengths.  I think they all get on the same page and present a better product on the field. https://x.com/danwiederer/status/1704847789866307971?s=20

[Mongo3451]

Flus was interviewed and responded to Fields comments.  One thing that stuck with me was, "you have to pass from the pocket to win in the NFL".  Looking back at every Superbowl winning QB, they ALL pass well from the pocket.

[ChileBear]

2 hours ago, Mongo3451 said:

Flus was interviewed and responded to Fields comments.  One thing that stuck with me was, "you have to pass from the pocket to win in the NFL".  Looking back at every Superbowl winning QB, they ALL pass well from the pocket.

That strikes me as "square peg-round hole" thinking. This is clearly not Field's strength, so a great coaching staff would use his strength instead of trying to make him something he's not.  Also, let's not do things just because it's always been done that way. Try thinking outside the box. It just makes me think Flus is not the guy.

[Stinger226]

Time will tell who is worth keeping and who will move on in the future. I understand that some of his reps need to be from the pocket but they  need to roll him out and have simpler reads mixed in.  I guess this is their way of developing a QB . I think this week will look much different. Everyone needs to do better.

[BearFan PHX]

13 hours ago, AZ54 said:

So mostly he alluded to just getting out of the pocket but nothing about just making the quick easy pass to an open receiver even if it's not the normal read for that play. 

exactly. a-freakin-men.

If youre concentrating on making the reads int he order youre supposed to, and playing robotically, then you gotta start looking for other open receivers. The answer isnt to devolve back into a running back.

[Mongo3451]

2 hours ago, ChileBear said:

That strikes me as "square peg-round hole" thinking. This is clearly not Field's strength, so a great coaching staff would use his strength instead of trying to make him something he's not.  Also, let's not do things just because it's always been done that way. Try thinking outside the box. It just makes me think Flus is not the guy.

Definitely trying to force him.  I get that they want him to learn it, because he needs to.  But, please don't shackle him to the point of messing with his head.  I can also see where the coaches are on a timetable to gauge if Justin is the QB of the future.  So much pressure and so little time...

[Stinger226]

8 minutes ago, Mongo3451 said:

Definitely trying to force him.  I get that they want him to learn it, because he needs to.  But, please don't shackle him to the point of messing with his head.  I can also see where the coaches are on a timetable to gauge if Justin is the QB of the future.  So much pressure and so little time...

Agree with all of that.