At first blush, rookie quarterback Justin Fields had a solid night against the Minnesota Vikings. Fields completed 27 of 39 passes for 285 yards and a touchdown, without an interception.
However, the raw numbers do not tell the full story of Fields’ performance in the 17-9 loss. The lone touchdown came at the end of the game with just seconds remaining, and Fields was responsible for a few of the three sacks the Vikings posted in their victory.
As such, it is a good time to dive into his performance and break it down. In this video we’ll work through ten plays from the game, highlighting some areas where Fields is showing promise, as well as some areas where he can improve:
As with all young quarterbacks, the ultimate question to be answered during their rookie season is this: Are they better at the end of the year than they were at the start? With Fields, the answer might not be a resounding yes — and of course there are some external factors that are contributing to his play — but there are signs that the rookie can build upon his rookie campaign and further develop as a passer.
