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Of course, Justin Fields should have slipped because if you put yourself in danger like he did on Friday night, you will get a lot of damage in the NFL, more injured than when Clemson LB James Skalski dropped his head and nearly broke his ribs in half. scrambling on a second quarter with a hit that gave Skalski a debatable ejection for aiming.
There will come a time, again and again, and over the years, when Justin Fields will be reminded that when you are the face of an NFL franchise and you play for a fee, it is critical that you are in Broadly speaking If it’s the old school, discretion is the better part of courage, and you better keep your competitive juices in check around bigger and faster bloodthirsty predators with evil intentions.
But this was the College Football Playoff National Semifinal, and this was a holster-to-holster gunfighter duel against the great Trevor Lawrence.
The NFL will nod its head and understand it completely, remembering Justin Fields more for how he met the moment and stared at Lawrence and lead Ohio State to a 49-28 Sugar Bowl breakdown of Clemson in New Orleans and a national championship date with Nick Saban’s Alabama.
All Fields (22-for-28, 385 yards) laughed off the pain and threw six touchdown passes. Bombs away. Accuracy and leadership and the will to win at best.
It doesn’t mean Justin Fields will give the Jacksonville Jaguars a break with the # 1 overall pick. Not a chance, in any way.
It does mean that Justin Fields Jets may have given GM Joe Douglas a break from second choice if he and Adam Gase’s successor decide they need a Sam Darnold successor.
The kid looked like someone’s dream fields.
That successor would be Fields of BYU’s Zach Wilson.
What if Douglas and the next head coach decide to build around Darnold?
Well, the cost for the No. 2 overall pick just went up for a desperate quarterback team Justin Fields will covet.
This was Justin Fields’ testing ground after a few substandard runs against Indiana (3 INTs) and Northwestern (2 INTs) who had doubts about his ability to handle effectively.
This was Justin Fields’ big, bright stage to fool Clemson coach Dabo Swinney for disrespecting the Buckeyes when he chose them at number 11.
Forgive Swinney and defensive coordinator Brent Venables for having flashbacks to Joe Burrow shredding them (31-for-49 for 463 yards and 5 TDs, 58 rushing yards and 1 rushing TD) in LSU’s 42-25 national championship win last January.
Fields had crushed his right side by the crown of Skalski’s helmet. He lay on his back on the turf of the Superdome and stayed there for a painful minute.
Justin Fields definitely did not stay put. Or out.
He walked to the sidelines. He grimaced. He missed a play. When he returned, he immediately fired a 9-yard TD pass to WR Chris Olave. He was examined in the medical tent. He couldn’t figure it out. He finished the first half 16-for-18 for 223 yards and 4 TD’s. Nobody mentioned the right thumb he sprained against Northwestern.
There was a tipped interception in the end zone early in the third quarter.
And not long after, a 55-yard TD dime to Olave, making it Ohio State 42, Clemson 21.
And then: a rainbow to Jameson Williams for a 45-yard TD that hit Ohio State 49, Clemson 21.
Six TD passes.
Six incompleteness.
Second career loss for Trevor Lawrence.
Second overall choice for Justin Fields.
Fields of dreams. For someone.