Next Gen Stats: Bears QB Justin Fields is the NFL’s most explosive rusher
NFL teams are quickly learning just how dangerous Bears quarterback Justin Fields is with his legs.
Look no further than last week’s narrow loss to the Dolphins, where Fields set an NFL record with 178 rushing yards, the most by a quarterback in a regular-season game. That included an impressive 61-yard rushing touchdown, where Fields reached 20.3 mph.
According to Next Gen Stats, Fields is the NFL’s most explosive rusher heading into Week 10 of the 2022 season. Fields has an explosive score of 95.
The next closest? Jaguars running back Travis Etienne at 87. Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson is the only other quarterback in the top-five (86) with Arizona’s Kyler Murray (81) landing at six.
This week, the NGS team breaks down the top 10 most explosive rushers from the season heading into Week 10 based on our new composite score methodology.
📰: https://t.co/mUOu4Tv97G pic.twitter.com/oi7XMknRb7
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) November 10, 2022
Here’s what Next Gen Stats had to say about Fields’ explosiveness as a run threat:
Fields has put the Bears’ offense on his back (or better yet, his legs) over the last few weeks, keeping them competitive in matchups against some of the league’s best offenses. He gained a whopping eight first downs on scrambles in Week 9 (including five on third down), two more than any quarterback in a game since the start of the NGS era (2016). It’s hard to overstate how important Fields’ scrambles have been for the team’s offense this season. The Bears have gained a league-high 46.6 expected points added when Fields tucks the ball and scrambles. For reference, only three quarterbacks have generated more than 46.6 EPA on pass plays this season (Patrick Mahomes, Tua Tagovailoa and Josh Allen).
Fields is also tied with Etienne for a league-best five rushes that have exceeded 20 mph this season. Two of Fields’ five came in Sunday’s game to the Dolphins.
List
National reaction: Bears QB Justin Fields is developing into a star
List
What the Bears, Dolphins are saying after Justin Fields' record-setting performance in Week 9
