QB-Receiver Connections Continue To Grow

[soulman]

Receiver-QB Connection Allowed to Grow

Originally posted on FanNation Bear Digest
By Gene Chamberlain  |  Last updated 11/10/21

It was a simple explanation by tight end Cole Kmet about how the passing game started clicking in Monday night's second half of a 29-27 loss to Pittsburgh.

Once again, however, it speaks to the way the Bears brought rookie quarterback Justin Fields along in the offseason, training camp and preseason.  

Or rather, didn't bring him along.

"You know as we've gotten more reps with Justin and you know kind of having had him at the helm and things and whatnot, things just naturally have been getting better and we're kind of having a feel for each other," Kmet said. "You know, not only me but I think the other receivers, as well.

"And you know we're just kind of getting better in that so I think that's going to keep progressing as the year goes on."

Kmet made a season-high six receptions for a career-high 87 yards in the game, and five receivers caught six passes of 20 yards or longer, the most explosive pass plays by the Bears in a single game since November of 2018.

If it came against a struggling defense, then it would be easily forgotten. However, the Steelers had the 13th-ranked pass defense coming into the game and were protecting a two-touchdown lead.

Fields rolling left and throwing right-handed across his body to Kmet for 25 yards and to Darnell Mooney for a 16-yard TD directly on target only showed how much better the receivers are in tune with their quarterback. 

Just Another Year Chicago

 

@OfficialJAYCHI

 

The Chicago Bears have found their franchise QB.

 

@justnfields

is that dude. #DaBears

 

Both Kmet and Mooney had been frequent targets in the past for Fields but when he found Allen Robinson for four receptions and 69 yards, got a 50-yarder to Marquise Goodwin and a 28-yarder to an almost unused Jimmy Graham on a tightly covered seam route, it showed the work is paying off.

"You know as me and Justin get, you know, more acquainted and, you know, more reps with one another, I think that's just going to continue to grow," Kmet said. "So obviously good for the both of us and for other receivers as well.

"You know like I was saying, in practice things have been a little bit better and just kind of having a better feel for each other in the game."

Exactly. 

If Fields had been throwing more to first-team receivers in training camp it would have helped, but especially in the offseason when there's really less urgency to have a first-team passer throwing to first-team receivers. Then they might have had a better connection going at this point.

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They wouldn't have had to go through three or four games when Fields was struggling to see receivers coming open.

Of course, it all was done that way because the Bears had decided Andy Dalton would be the starting quarterback and would get all the first-team snaps. 

There's no telling whether it would have made a difference in the win-loss record. But maybe Fields doesn't look so ill-prepared against Cleveland or doesn't start so slowly against Green Bay. It's tough to say. Maybe he lights it up in the first half against the Steelers, as well, and the Bears are 4-5 and in the thick of a wild-card battle in the anemic NFC.

The coaching staff was a little late to the party and as a result so, too, was the passing game. 

It's here now, apparently, and Fields, Kmet and the rest can move forward to properly threaten defenses. 

All it took was figuring out who should be working together and wasting a lot of time in training camp as well as preseason.

Edited November 11, 2021 by soulman

[Madmike90]

Anyone else notice that in the 2nd to last clip above 3 receivers all run the same route with the same timing...in the last clip all 3 inside receivers again run the exact same route with the exact same timing...two outside guys basically just turn and face in...as much as Fields is making some of this stuff work the play design is so vanilla and predictable that there is no way we are getting the best out of these guys.

[soulman]

On 11/11/2021 at 2:09 PM, Madmike90 said:

Anyone else notice that in the 2nd to last clip above 3 receivers all run the same route with the same timing...in the last clip all 3 inside receivers again run the exact same route with the exact same timing...two outside guys basically just turn and face in...as much as Fields is making some of this stuff work the play design is so vanilla and predictable that there is no way we are getting the best out of these guys.

Yup.  But all three of those passes were as perfect as anyone could ever throw them.

1) To Graham throwing into a very tight window with confidence.  No hesitation.  Four weeks ago he never even attempts that pass.

2) Beautiful throw to ARob who got some nice separation.  Man coverage.  That's where that ball was going all along.

3) TD pass to Mooney was unbelievable.  Two weeks running Fields has thrown pinpoint TD passes rolling to his right left.

DCs who are beginning to review these vids and also see Fields mobility, evasiveness, and speed know that once this kid gets fully dialed in he's gonna be a handful to defend.  In my entire lifetime as a Bears fan I have never seen any Bears QB ring up two TD passes like those to Mooney this week and James last week.  In both cases it was TD or nothing.  No defender could stop either pass.  All the receiver had to do was catch it.

Edited November 13, 2021 by soulman

[HuskieBear]

18 hours ago, soulman said:

Two weeks running Fields has thrown pinpoint TD passes rolling to his right.

left cuzzo, which is what makes it more impressive

[soulman]

1 hour ago, HuskieBear said:

left cuzzo, which is what makes it more impressive

Oh damn.......Yup, left......my other right.

Edited November 12, 2021 by soulman

[HuskieBear]

22 hours ago, soulman said:

Oh damn.......Yup, left......my other right.

so here's a good trick. take both your hands and put them in front of you. make both of them into a fist, then extend both thumbs and pointer fingers straight out. the hand that forms an "L" is your left. pretty convenient. 😉

[soulman]

2 hours ago, HuskieBear said:

so here's a good trick. take both your hands and put them in front of you. make both of them into a fist, then extend both thumbs and pointer fingers straight out. the hand that forms an "L" is your left. pretty convenient. 😉

But what if I'm dyslexic?  😁