Justin Fields arrived in New York with a point to prove.

A first-round pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, the quarterback struggled through his first three seasons with the Chicago Bears, and departed Soldier Field with a 10-28 record as starter.

Fields mightily impressed in Week 1 but it was still not enough to beat the SteelersCredit: Getty
Fields then landed in Pittsburgh for 2024, where he backed up Russell Wilson for much of the season, even after going 4-2 to open the year with the veteran sidelined by injury.

Riding the bench was never going to cut it for a quarterback who once had dreams of being the face of an NFL franchise, and he soon found himself with a new opportunity to make that reality once again.

The 26-year-old signed a two-year, $40 million contract with the New York Jets back in March, and stepped into the shoes of Aaron Rodgers — who had a turbulent time with Gang Green.

In a rather strange turn of events, the pair lined up on opposite sidelines in Week 1, as Rodgers made his return to MetLife Stadium as a Steeler.

It was the returning vet who stole the headlines, throwing for 244 yards and four touchdowns as he led Pittsburgh to a 34-32 opening day win.

Rodgers admitted post-game that he was ‘happy to beat everyone’ associated with the Jets.

But even on the losing team, Fields caught the eye.

He threw for 218 yards and a touchdown in his Jets debut, while adding two more scores on the ground.

Despite a tight loss, Fields also led all Week 1 quarterbacks in Expected Points Added (EPA) per dropback — an advanced statistic that measures the efficiency of a passer on a per-dropback basis, and provides insight into their effectiveness in contributing to a team’s scoring potential.

His impressive debut might have come as a pleasant surprise to Jets fans, but to teammate Olu Fashanu, it was only a matter of time.

Fields bringing new ‘edge’ to Jets

“He’s just super detail oriented, from the moment that he’s been in the building,” the offensive tackle exclusively told talkSPORT.

Fields impressed with his passing and running against the SteelersCredit: Getty

Despite being beaten in Week 1, Fields has instilled confidence in the JetsCredit: Getty
“You could tell that he came to the team with the edge on him, and I felt like everyone saw that last week.

“We know that he’s the type of guy, through good and bad, that’s always going to be there.

“He’s always going to help lead the entire team.

“And for me personally, having the ability to block for someone like that just gives me a ton of confidence.”

Fields performance breeds confidence ahead of tough test

With an impressive showing against the Steelers, Fields has instilled confidence in the Jets as they prepare for a Week 2 showdown against the Super Bowl favorite Buffalo Bills.

The quarterback arrived in New York with the hope of resurrecting his career, and in the season-opener, exceeded many expectations for head coach Aaron Glenn, who is attempting to rid the Jets of mediocrity.

Fields struggled with the Bears and has hopes of becoming the face of the JetsCredit: Getty
He displayed impressive accuracy, putting the ball into some tight windows, and was a force with his feet.

Fields finished the game with a 79.4 Total QBR, his seventh highest in 45 starts, and the 10th highest amongst passers in Week 1.

Fashanu, who has the tough task of blocking for Fields again on Sunday, believes the confident Jets offense can cause some problems.

“They have a lot of talented players,” he said of Buffalo’s defense.

“I think the biggest thing that comes across the screen is just how disciplined they are. They’re a very disciplined group.

“They’re very athletic. They’re always in the right spot. So for us, we just see it as a great challenge.
“And for me personally, I just can’t wait for that match up on Sunday.”