Justin Fields was a revelation in the first half of Thursday Night Football against the Commanders. But in the second half, just like last week, the Chicago Bears offense couldn't quite get things going. Of course, that was the least of Bears fans' worries.
That's because the quarterback had a scary moment when Jonathan Allen lifted him in the air and brought him back down onto the grass head-first.
Field's helmet made contact with the ground before the rest of his body, prompting fans to wonder two things instantly: Is he okay, and how was that hit not flagged?
Jonathan Allen suplexed Justin Fields and no flag was thrown
It's pretty unbelievable the refs didn't throw a flag on that play considering how quarterbacks are protected in today's game. You can't land on a quarterback the wrong way when you sack them for fear of injury. But you can toss a QB headfirst to the ground like you're on WWE?
There were also valid questions about whether the NFL's independent spotter made a note of that play and the need to evaluate Fields for a possible brain injury. However, he didn't appear to stumble or show any other obvious adverse signs of a problem.
Because of his rushing ability, Fields took a bunch of hits in the second half. So he's always going to be in the firing line more than the average non-dual threat QB. However, that doesn't mean the officials don't have a responsibility to protect him when he's in the pocket. That hit was a textbook example of taking a quarterback to the ground in a dangerous manner.
The Bears jumped out to a 27-3 lead at halftime with Fields and DJ Moore lighting up the Commanders' defense.
However, in the third quarter, Washington responded with 10 points to give themselves a chance at a comeback.
