With two wins from their first four games under their belts, the Chicago Bears travel to Minnesota to take on the Vikings. The most important question, however, remains unanswered after the first quarter of the season: can Justin Fields lead the Bears to long-term success?

Munich – There are moves that are so exotic and inhuman that they are said to have animal characteristics. And that’s how Justin Fields wriggled out of defensive pressure on this third-and-goal against the Houston Texans, outrunning two defenders and amassing 29 yards of space with his run.

It’s those snapshots that keep hopes alive for one of the league’s youngster quarterbacks. However, they are also snapshots of a film that is still searching for its story.

Justin Fields, selected tenth overall as the potential face of the Bears franchise in the 2021 NFL Draft, has yet to emerge as a long-term solution.

Justin Fields: bumpy start to season

In the young season, the quarterback regularly overlooks and overthrows his kickoffs, holding the ball an average of 3.4 seconds before throwing it. The league average is just under 2.6 seconds. Just under a second in real time, half an eternity difference in the NFL.

With 471 passing yards, 50.7% completion percentage and two touchdowns to four interceptions, the 23-year-old is among the league’s most inefficient and statistically weakest quarterbacks.

“It’s simple, I’ve got to play better. That was rubbish,” Fields said in a press conference after Game 3.

Bears: Responsibility isn’t just on Fields

It’s important to say: Fields should ideally become the face of the Bears, but he shouldn’t shoulder the burden alone. Already in the offseason, the Bears used relatively few resources to build a functional offense around Fields.

And so, after just a few weeks, the foundation is crumbling. The offensive line was already allowing 37 pressures (with relatively few dropbacks). None of the receivers, even if they are sometimes overthrown or overlooked, have been able to establish themselves as reliable and good face-off stations.

“It’s hard to take anything positive out of a game when you’re not scoring,” wide receiver Darnell Mooney said after the recent loss to the New York Giants, though he added: “It’s little things we can change, and then it’ll be round again.”

Bears offence against Vikings: liberation blow or continued crisis?

Against the Vikings, Fields and the Bears offense now have a chance to play themselves out of a slump. After a rocky start to the season against the Packers, in which the Vikings allowed just one touchdown, the defence has settled into the middle of the league (measured since Week 2).

The Vikings are especially vulnerable through the air. They allow an average of eight yards per pass attempt, fourth highest in the league. “But then we have to score in the RedZone, in this league you don’t win if you don’t score,” warned head coach Matt Eberflus.

Against the Vikings, Fields will once again be in the spotlight, a step towards becoming the franchise quarterback can be taken. For example, with a bearish performance.