INGLEWOOD, Calif. — It took Justin Fields all of four plays to make his NFL debut.
On the Bears’ first drive against the Rams on Sunday night, coach Matt Nagy ran out his rookie quarterback for a special package on second-and-10 from the 12-yard line. Fields looked right and completed a nine-yard pass to receiver Marquise Goodwin. Fields ran off the field and was replaced by Andy Dalton, who started the game.
The Bears had a false start, followed by a timeout, followed by an interception in the end zone after Dalton’s third-and-6 pass was tipped.
Fields returned on the Bears’ third drive, tossing an end around handoff to Marquise Goodwin for a loss of two.
In the past few weeks, Nagy had been coy when asked whether he’d put in a special package for his rookie quarterback. He acknowledged the risk, and the reward, involved; last year, he used quarterback Mitch Trubisky in a special package, and he hurt his shoulder on the first play.
“Theres’s always risk,” Nagy said, “but it is football, and we want to make sure that whatever we’re doing with whatever players, we understand that comes with the territory.”
Fields and the 49ers’ Trey Lance were the two of the five first-round pick quarterbacks to not be named the starter this preseason. Lance was used in special packages in the 49ers’ game against the Lions, throwing a touchdown and running twice.
