Bears' Justin Fields Talks Struggles, Suggests They Could Be Attributed to 'Coaching'

Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields acknowledged he did not play up to his capabilities during the team's first two games of the season and then suggested coaching could have something to do with it.

He said that he felt he was "kind of robotic and not playing like myself" during Sunday's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

When asked to explain why he wasn't playing more freely, he told reporters, "It 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 and stuff like that. But at the end of the day, I can't be thinking about that when the game comes. I prepare myself throughout the week and when the game comes, it's time to play free at that point."

Fields notably explained he does not believe there are too many coaching voices in his ear:

The Bears quarterback later addressed reporters in the locker room and clarified that he was not blaming the coaches for his early-season performance.

"I can play better," he said. "Point blank."

Things might not get much easier following an 0-2 start considering the Bears now have to go on the road to face the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. They will also have to do so without starting left tackle Braxton Jones, as head Matt Eberflus told reporters Wednesday he is headed to injured reserve with a neck injury.

Starting offensive lineman Teven Jenkins is already out with an injury, meaning Fields could be under even more pressure after he was sacked a combined 10 times in the first two losses to the Green Bay Packers and Buccaneers.

Yet it sounds like the quarterback will look to play with a different style this time out.

"My goal this week is just to say eff it and go out there and play football how I know to play football," he said. "That includes thinking less and just going out there and playing off of instincts rather than so much say info in my head, data in my head. Just literally going out there and playing football."

Fields needs to play better if the Bears are going to overcome their slow start to the season. There are excuses that can be made with the offensive line situation and the play-calling from the coaches, but he has also held onto the ball too long and failed to make enough strides as a passer.

Still, the coaching from offensive coordinator Luke Getsy is a problem as well.

Fields' best attribute is his ability to make plays with his legs, yet the Bears have called four total designed runs for him in two games. There has not been enough variation in formations, which could be tipping off plays, and wide receivers have even been running the same route next to each other at times during the first two games.

Perhaps nothing was worse than the final minutes of Sunday's loss to the Buccaneers when Getsy called multiple screen passes in a row from similar formations during a potential game-winning drive.

The final one was intercepted and returned for a touchdown by Shaquil Barrett, all but ending the game.

"They called a screen," linebacker Lavonte David told reporters. "It was the same formation, everybody knew what was coming."

The Bears have failed at every level to start the season, and there is plenty of blame to go around. Perhaps Fields playing more freely instead of overthinking when he is out there will help change something.

If it doesn't, it will be a long season.