Why Tom Waddle says there's no reason to shut down Bears' Fields

There's bad.

And there's historically bad.

Wait.

Didn't I just write that a few days ago about the Blackhawks?

Well, for Chicago sports' teams this was a recurring theme in 2022 and it certainly applies to the Bears. Of course, there's a big difference when it comes to Matt Eberflus' squad as it has been at least highly competitive en route to a 3-12 record.

If they lose to the Lions on Sunday and the Vikings on Jan. 8, the Bears will close out the campaign at 3-14. That would rank as the second-worst winning percentage in franchise history, behind only the 1969 team that went 1-13.

While nothing to play for from a win-loss standpoint, there are still 50-plus guys who want to finish the season strong. Some will be auditioning for jobs in 2023 - whether in Chicago or elsewhere.

One player who has shown enough this season has been Justin Fields. Some may argue that the Bears ought to shut their QB down to avoid a possible serious injury.

There may be a bit of logic in that argument, but Fields is nowhere near a finished product and could use as many live snaps as possible heading into his third season.

"In general terms, I'm a huge advocate of him continuing to play," former Bears WR Tom Waddle told me via text last week. "I think all of these reps are important for his growth and development. And we've seen him grow significantly the last several weeks in these 'meaningless' games."

There are two big things to consider down the stretch, too:

• Fields needs 196 yards to break Lamar Jackson's single-season record for most rushing yards in a season by a QB.

• If the Bears win their finale against the Vikings, it could move them out of the No. 2 spot in April's draft.

So how do they navigate those waters?

If the draft position is in question, Waddle wants Fields sitting against the Vikings - even if it means upsetting Fields in the process.

"Personal achievements are great," Waddle said. "The overall well-being of the organization is much more important from where I sit."

It will certainly be fascinating to see how the Bears proceed.

The other item to keep an eye on is the franchise single-season rushing record. The 1984 squad, led by Walter Payton and Matt Suhey, holds that mark with 2,974 yards. This team needs 279 yards against the Lions and Vikings to take over the top spot.

Of course, it helps that teams play a 17-game schedule now as opposed to the 16-game slate we saw from 1978-2020.

The Bears' highest per-game average is held by the 1934 team (219.0). The 1984 squad actually ranks just ninth in this category (185.9), while the 2022 squad ranks 12th (179.7).