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Of course Justin Fields should have slipped, because endangering yourself like he did on Friday night will hurt you a lot in the NFL, worse than it was when Clemson LB James Skalski lowered his head and almost he broke his ribs in half in a second-quarter fight with a blow that brought Skalski a questionable ejection for targeting.
There will come a time, again and again, over the years, when Justin Fields will be reminded that when you are facing an NFL franchise, when you play for a fee, it is essential to refrain from giving if you try the old college, discretion is the best part of courage and you better limit your competitive juices near larger and faster bloodthirsty predators with bad intentions.
But this was the national semifinal of the college football playoff, and it was a toilet gun duel against the great Trevor Lawrence.
The NFL will nod and fully understand and remember Justin Fields for the way he knew the moment and looked at Lawrence and led Ohio State to the demolition of the Clemson 49-28 Sugar Bowl in New Orleans and a national championship meeting with Nick Saban Alabama.
All Fields did (22-for-28, 385 yards) was laugh at the pain and throw six touchdown passes. Bombs away. Accuracy and leadership and the desire to win to the fullest.
It doesn’t mean Justin Fields will give the Jacksonville Jaguars a break with choice no. 1 in general. No chance, no way.
It means Justin Fields has given Jets GM Joe Douglas a second-chance break if he and Adam Gase’s successor decide they need a Sam Darnold successor.
The child certainly looked like someone’s Dream Fields.
This successor would be either Fields or Zach Wilson of BYU.
What if Douglas and the next head coach decide to build around Darnold?
Well, the cost for the general election no. 2 has just grown for a desperate team that will covet Justin Fields.
This was Justin Fields’ test ground after a pair of inferior performances against Indiana (3 INT) and Northwestern (2 INT) that questioned his ability to process efficiently.
It was Justin Fields’ big break to fool Clemson’s coach Dabo Swinney into disrespecting the Buckeyes when he voted 11th.
Forgive Swinney and defensive coordinator Brent Venables if they had flashbacks to Joe Burrow, who shredded them (31-for-49 for 463 yards and 5 TDs, 58 yards and 1 TD in a hurry) in the national championship 42-25 of LSU won last January.
Fields had his right side sprayed with the crown of Skalski’s helmet. He was on his back on the Superdome turf and stayed there for an agonizing minute.
By no means did Justin Fields stay down. Or outside.
He walked on the edge. He grimaced. He missed a play. When he returned, he immediately pulled out a 9-yard TD license to WR Chris Olave. He was examined in the medical tent. He wasn’t coming out. He finished the first half 16-for-18 for 223 yards and 4 TDs. No one was talking about the thumb he pressed against the northwest.
There was a spiked interception in the final area at the beginning of the third quarter.
And not long after, a 55-foot TD bench for Olave that made Ohio State 42, Clemson 21.
And then: a rainbow for Jameson Williams for a 45-yard TD that made Ohio State 49, Clemson 21.
Six passes TD.
Six incomplete.
The second career loss for Trevor Lawrence.
The second general choice in the game for Justin Fields.
Fields of dreams. For somebody.