Even Aaron Rodgers Confirmed Justin Fields Is The Real Deal
Aaron Rodgers remains in complete control of the rivalry between the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers. However, he wasn’t the primary reason they won on Sunday. That came courtesy of their steady ground attack and some timely defensive turnovers. Most who watched the game agreed that Justin Fields outplayed him. The 23-year-old completed 80% of his passes (20-of-25) for 254 yards, ran for 71 yards and scored a touchdown. Two late interceptions marred the performance, but it can’t overshadow how much progress he’s made.
Remember, this is the same quarterback Green Bay smothered for only 70 passing yards in September. To go from that to the game he had against the #4 pass defense in the NFL is impossible to ignore. Never mind that he did it with a receiving corps filled with mostly backups and “scrubs,” as Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander put it. As for Rodgers, he’s always one for speaking his mind. He easily could’ve prodded Bears fans further by talking down to Fields. Instead, the future Hall of Fame told the truth.
“They’ve got a talented quarterback who has a chance to be around for a long time.”
Aaron Rodgers might bolt before Fields is ready.
There are rumblings 2022 could be his last season. If Green Bay misses the playoffs, the 39-year-old might choose to retire. While that would be great news after what he’s done to the Bears over the years, some won’t be happy about it. They want a chance to beat the guy before he finally steps away. Fields is undoubtedly one of them. He’s already lost to the Packers four times in his career. That is not a feeling he enjoys. While he respects Rodgers in every way, the young quarterback is more motivated than ever to beat him.
For that, he’ll need help. Part of the problem is this rivalry is the misconception Aaron Rodgers is the sole reason the Bears can’t beat Green Bay. That is incorrect. The issue is the Bears haven’t fielded good teams for most of the past decade. They’ve had a winning record only once between 2013 and 2022. The year they had that winning record, 2018, just so happened to be the year they finally beat Rodgers. Probably not a coincidence. Having Fields is part of the formula for getting things turned around, but this roster needs loads more help before it’s ready.