Justin Fields blames Bears ‘coaching’ for struggles

Justin Fields seems to be at odds with instructions from the Bears’ coaching staff.

Fields spoke to reporters Wednesday, as the Bears have gotten off to an 0-2 start in which Fields has averaged 6.5 yards per passing attempt and thrown three interceptions that were returned for touchdowns.

One rationale the quarterback provided for his struggles was that he has been thinking too much.

“Of course, things that I didn’t like, I felt like I wasn’t necessarily playing my game. I felt like I was kind of robotic and not playing like myself,” Fields said.

“My goal this week is just to say ‘Eff it’ and play football how I know how to play football. That includes thinking less and just going out there and playing off of instincts, rather than just so much info and data in my head and just going out there and playing football.

“It’s a game and that’s it, because that’s when I play my best, when I’m just out there playing free, being myself.”

A reporter followed up and asked what he felt is causing him to overthink.

“Could be coaching, I think, but at the end of the day they’re doing their job when they’re giving me what to look at, but at the end of the day I can’t be thinking about that when the game comes,” Field said.

“I prepare myself throughout the week, but then when the game comes it’s time to play free at that point. It’s just thinking less and playing more.”

Fields did not name which specific coaches he was talking about but the offensive coordinator is Luke Getsy and the quarterback coach is Andrew Janocko.

A reporter subsequently asked Fields if there are too many coaching voices in his head.

“I don’t think there’s too many coaching voices, but I just think when you’re fed a lot of information at a point in time and when you’re trying to think about that info when you’re playing that it doesn’t let you play like yourself,” Fields answered.

“You’re trying to process so much information to where it’s just like if I just simplified it in my mind — I saw a few plays on Sunday where we would’ve had a positive play, there would’ve been a few more third-down conversions. I think that’s the biggest thing for me, is playing the game how I know, how I’ve been playing it my whole life.”