The Chicago Bears already had declared Justin Fields inactive due to a left shoulder harm when extra quarterback uncertainty popped up Sunday morning.
Trevor Siemian, who ready all week to begin if Fields couldn’t play in opposition to the New York Jets, additionally was injured.
During preliminary warmups on the sphere at MetLife Stadium about 90 minutes earlier than the sport, Siemian may inform “something wasn’t right,” that an indirect harm had “flared up on me.” The Bears introduced by means of their media relations employees about 50 minutes earlier than kickoff that third-stringer Nathan Peterman would begin as an alternative.
Siemian went again to the locker room, took some drugs and tried to throw once more throughout workforce warmups. Wait a minute, a Bears consultant advised reporters about 10 minutes earlier than kickoff, Siemian would possibly begin in any case.
The official phrase didn’t come till Siemian ran onto the sphere for the primary offensive snap with 10 minutes, 12 seconds to play within the first quarter. The Fox Sports broadcasters apparently didn’t know till then. Even Bears tight finish Cole Kmet claimed he didn’t know earlier than that second.
“It was like, ‘Here we go. Let’s go,’” Kmet stated after the Jets’ 31-10 victory.
Every week of questions in regards to the Bears quarterback lastly had its reply. After going again on the sphere for workforce warmups, Siemian stated he determined he wanted to attempt to play by means of the harm. He stated it bothered him “a little bit” within the rain-soaked outing as he accomplished 14 of 25 passes for 179 yards with a landing and an interception within the Bears’ fifth straight loss.
“Honestly, I’m more embarrassed to get an injury,” Siemian stated. “There are guys in there that are playing — what are we in, Week 12, 13? — going through hell. And then I have a non-contact thing show up. So, yeah, not ideal, but everybody is going through something at this point of the year.”
The quarterback questions may linger into this week because the Bears attempt to transfer on from the ugly loss in opposition to a tricky Jets protection to Sunday’s recreation in opposition to the Green Bay Packers at Soldier Field.
Fields was restricted in observe all week with what he stated was a separated left shoulder with {a partially} torn ligament. He took throwing reps with Siemian and Peterman earlier than the sport. But after Fields met with normal supervisor Ryan Poles, coach Matt Eberflus and medical employees, the Bears determined he wasn’t able to play, a consequence that was anticipated late within the week.
Eberflus stated Fields has felt higher each day and “if he keeps progressing, then he’s got an opportunity” to begin in opposition to the Packers. The Bears have a open date after that recreation, so additionally they would possibly weigh the advantages of giving Fields two extra weeks to heal.
“The medical staff didn’t clear him to play today,” Eberflus stated. “Justin didn’t feel he could protect himself and perform the way he wanted to perform. It’s about mobility and strength in his left arm. We’ll take it day by day.”
Siemian made his first begin for the Bears and his first total in additional than a 12 months. The eighth-year NFL veteran from Northwestern began 4 straight losses for the New Orleans Saints in November 2021.
He stated he knew there was a very good probability he would play Sunday however didn’t get official phrase that Fields wouldn’t begin till that morning.
“You’re ready to play every week. You’re a play away,” he stated. “Maybe toward the end of the week, I was like, ‘Oh, shoot, I’ve really got to be ready to go.’ But it was not much different than any other week.”
His outing began effectively sufficient, with the Bears scoring on their first two drives.
Cairo Santos made a 22-yard subject aim on their opening drive. Siemian hit Chase Claypool with passes of 20 and 31 yards on their second drive, then related with Byron Pringle for a 4-yard landing move and a 10-7 lead. Pringle caught the move over Jets cornerback D.J. Reed.
“He was just running in the back of the end zone, made an awesome play,” Siemian stated. “Dude is tough as nails. He’s athletic, big catch radius. Made a great play on that.”
But the Bears offense stalled, going three-and-out on the following three possessions and gaining one first down on the following two possessions after that because the Jets shot to a 31-10 lead. Siemian and a working recreation fueled by David Montgomery and Darrynton Evans helped the Bears get into Jets territory twice within the fourth quarter regardless of the Bears enjoying with out prime huge receiver Darnell Mooney.
On the primary drive, Siemian threw incomplete to Dante Pettis on third-and-5 from the 27-yard line on third down and almost threw an interception on a move to Claypool on fourth-and-5. The Bears’ final drive ended with C.J. Mosley’s interception on the 3.
“They were more physical than us in the second half,” Kmet stated. “I don’t assume we executed effectively within the second half. We had plenty of psychological errors, guys simply not doing issues appropriately.
“There at the end, that pick, I put that on myself. I can’t be drifting upfield like that. Little things like that, we’ve just got to get corrected. Despite the elements and what’s going on, we’ve got to be able to execute.”
Mosley and Jets coach Robert Saleh stated they ready all week for Fields to play. Saleh stated as soon as Fields was dominated out, nothing would have modified from their perspective between Siemian or Peterman since they wouldn’t should cope with the specter of Fields working.
“We were definitely expecting Fields to play, just knowing him being a franchise quarterback, being a young quarterback, wanting to be out there with his team,” Mosley stated. “It didn’t happen. We heard about the (Siemian) injury thing outside in warmups, so at that point, we were just ready to execute our game plan. We prepared for Fields, but we were ready for whoever stepped on the field.”
It’s Eberflus’ normal coverage to maintain harm info quiet as to not give a aggressive benefit to the opposing workforce. So it stays to be seen whether or not the Bears quarterback thriller can have a sequel this week.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com