The first time he appeared on “Monday Night Football,” Justin Fields led the Bears to 21 fourth-quarter points, the fourth-most in franchise history. Down six with about three minutes to play, Fields marched the Bears 75 yards for a touchdown to take the lead against the Steelers. The Bears would eventually lose on a Chris Boswell field goal with 30 seconds left in the Nov. 8 game.
Fields, though, had given the Bears a glimpse of what their offense could look like when he was at his best.
“We’re real close,” David Montgomery said in the locker room after the game.
Sound familiar?
Eleven months and two weeks later, the Bears are still saying the same thing. Fields played only three more games in 2021 — including a “MNF” loss to the Vikings — and has struggled through six games this season.
Their general manager, head coach and roster construction are different, but the Bears will be in the same place facing the Patriots in Foxborough, Mass., on Monday that they were last year in Pittsburgh: looking for signs that Fields is the franchise quarterback.
Because it’s on “MNF,” all of America will be watching along with them.
“Those are moments you ask for, those are moments you pray for,” receiver Darnell Mooney said. “Those are the moments you get into this league for. You’re the only game on. So it’s like, all eyes are on you and your team. So shine, shine bright. Just play good.”
In a small sample size, Fields has performed better on Monday nights than Sunday afternoons. He has a 93.75 passer rating in two “MNF” games — both losses — and a 68.63 career passer rating in all other games.
“I don’t really necessarily look at the day that we play,” Fields said. “I just play every game my hardest and the best I can.”
Maybe so. But prime-time performances drive national narratives — just ask the Bears, whose play-calling was picked apart after a 12-7 loss to the Commanders on “Thursday Night Football.”
Fields made no secret of his frustration after the Commanders loss. How he and the Bears respond Monday feels like a reflection point for his development.
Head coach Matt Eberflus said Fields was upbeat all week.
“I would say A+ for the week, you know, from my standpoint and being in the meetings with him, working with the other players,” he said. “It’s been really good.”
Halas Hall is littered with quarterbacks who performed well in practice and not on game day. Entering Sunday’s games, Fields was last among 32 quarterbacks in passer rating, second-to-last in passer rating and fourth-from-bottom in passing yards.
The Bears aren’t scheduled to play another night game all season — every contest the rest of the way is scheduled for noon. Monday night marks Fields’ last chance on the big stage.
The first time he played on a “MNF,” the Bears thought he had turned a corner. Fields went 17-for-29 for 291 yards, with completions of 50, 39, 28 and 25 yards in the 29-27 loss to the Steelers.
“He had a helluva game,” running back Khalil Herbert said. “Seeing the growth from him last year and this year, I remember last year him putting together drives, big plays and helping us get into the end zone.”
Afterward, tight end Cole Kmet sought out Fields to commend him on a special showing. Almost a year later, he remembered the promise of that fourth quarter.
“Justin had some explosive plays with his arm,” Kmet said. “You definitely saw what it could be when things were clicking.”
The Bears are still waiting to see it again, consistently. Monday, they’ll look for it in prime time.
