‘We believe in the process:’ Luke Getsy has Justin Fields’ back as the Chicago Bears QB works through growing pains

With the Chicago Bears at 0-2, his offense struggling and his quarterback expressing frustration this week about playing “robotic” and wanting to more freely use his instincts, Luke Getsy had a lot of ground to cover during his weekly session with reporters Thursday morning.

Acknowledging the abnormal nature of the week, the offensive coordinator expressed patience and optimism amid what quarterback Justin Fields has referred to as “a storm” the team is going through. Getsy also believes the Bears must take a deep breath and reset as they press on.

Still, the Bears are headed to Kansas City, Mo., to play the Chiefs on Sunday. It would be a challenging test in any week but is elevated given the chaos that has ensued in Lake Forest in recent days. Getsy knows what the Bears are up against and offered insight on how they can take the right steps in Week 3. Here are three things we learned from the Bears coordinator.

1. Getsy was unfazed by the hubbub that amplified Wednesday after Fields openly acknowledged his struggles and pointed to an overflow of information from coaches as part of the cause.

Fields has owned his responsibility in getting himself and the offense on track and publicly has stated his desire to play free. So what can unlock that?

As the outside world debates the quarterback’s wishes and what it might imply, Getsy has pointed to the strength of the relationships the coaches have with Fields as a significant plus during a time like this. That’s Getsy. It’s coach Matt Eberflus. It’s quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko.

“That relationship and partnership Flus and Justin have is amazing,” Getsy said. “And to be honest with you, with Justin, myself and Coach Janocko, it’s even better. So that part of it is an everlasting journey. We’re going to continue to grind through that. We believe in the process we’re going through. Justin believes in the process we’re going through. We’re going to keep working and sticking together. It’s going to keep getting better.”

Regarding the volume of information Fields has had to digest and apply inside games, Getsy pointed to Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as particularly challenging with the number of different looks and pressures Fields had to account for from Todd Bowles’ defense.

“There are a lot of different procedures you have to handle pre-snap before you get to go play the play,” Getsy said. “But that’s where he has done a fabulous job. From this point last year to now, he handles that pre-snap stuff so well. He’s not getting caught off guard by stuff. So then you take it from that point on and go play the play (successfully).

“That comes from playing. That comes from the experience. It’s the job of the coach to give (players) the information, let them absorb it and then go out and practice it and try it and do it each week. And I think each week he handles it much better.”

2. Getsy understands the growing pains Fields is experiencing — and detailing — as he continues his growth as a quarterback.

Fields’ gifts as a runner have been established and well-documented. But for the Bears, 2023 is all about complementing that gift with skills that will make Fields a more complete quarterback, one with faster processing speed, improved pocket presence and a knack for knowing how to navigate each play.

So no, it hasn’t caught Getsy off guard that Fields has not only struggled in the first two games of the season but that he has been agitated by those struggles while looking for remedies.

“As we talk about his evolution, he’s becoming an NFL quarterback,” Getsy said. “I think with that part of it, that experience and that style of play, there are a few plays in the game where he wishes he had different reactions. He refers to that as instincts. (He wants to) let his instincts take over, right? And that is real. That is where he has special talent. He has special instincts.”

But with those playmaking instincts, the Bears are pushing Fields to develop with how he sees plays and responds when things don’t unfold exactly as drawn up.

“Whether that’s moving on in your progression or whether that’s moving on with your feet,” Getsy said. “We’re working on pocket presence. We’re working on those situations — when it’s time to go (as a runner) and when it’s time to progress (as a passer). That’s the evolution of a quarterback.”

3. Getsy addressed the ill-fated screen pass on the second-to-last possession Sunday that became a loss-sealing turnover.

Down 20-17 against the Buccaneers but with plenty of time remaining and momentum from their previous touchdown drive, the Bears had a chance to rewrite the script. But on the first play of their penultimate possession, Fields’ screen pass to Khalil Herbert was intercepted by outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett and returned for a touchdown.

Getsy was skewered in the court of public opinion for the play call. He understands that criticism. He also saw an opportunity for the Bears to make the play work with guard Ja’Tyre Carter clearing Barrett out of the throwing lane and Lucas Patrick working to the second level to block Lavonte David and open a huge lane for Herbert. Instead, things went haywire. The offensive line wasn’t sharp enough. Fields made a questionable throw. Barrett read the situation well and made a big play.

Said Getsy: “The fact is a great player made a great play. You always want to go back and say you should have did this or you should have done that. And it didn’t work. So yeah, I should have done something different. For sure. But that’s the reality of what our job is and what we do.”