The Chicago Bears misplaced quarterback Justin Fields to a proper hand harm within the third quarter of a 19-13 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
The loss dropped the Bears to 1-5 however extra importantly introduced into query the standing of their beginning quarterback.
Fields was attempting to eliminate the ball as Vikings outdoors linebacker Danielle Hunter took him down for a sack. Fields’ hand reached out to toss the ball after which hit the bottom earlier than his physique did.
Fields held his hand as he walked to the sideline and sat on the bench briefly earlier than heading into the medical tent after which the locker room. The Bears dominated him out of the sport earlier than the third quarter was over.
Bears coach Matt Eberflus mentioned after the sport that X-rays on Fields’ hand had been unfavourable and that he may have an MRI on Monday. Eberflus mentioned Fields wished to return to the sport however couldn’t grip the ball.
Undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent, who performed at Division II Shepherd and earned a roster spot and the backup job with a powerful preseason efficiency, took over at quarterback.
Bagent accomplished 10 of 14 passes for 83 yards with an interception and likewise had a misplaced fumble and a landing run.
The Bears had an opportunity to take the lead with 6 minutes, 44 seconds to play and down 19-13.
Bagent led the Bears to the Vikings 35-yard line however threw an interception to cornerback Byron Murphy Jr., who was properly in entrance of goal DJ Moore.
It was Bagent’s second turnover. On his third NFL snap, Bagent fumbled on a strip-sack by Vikings security Josh Metellus. Jordan Hicks recovered and returned it 42 yards for a landing and a 19-6 Vikings lead.
Bagent did, nonetheless, lead the one Bears landing drive.
On his third drive, Bagent sparked the Bears with passes of 18 and 24 yards to Moore. He linked with D’Onta Foreman for a 2-yard achieve on third-and-1 and adopted it with an 11-yard cross to Robert Tonyan to get the Bears to the 9-yard line. Two performs later, Bagent scored on a 1-yard landing run to chop the Vikings result in 19-13 with 7:46 to play.
The Bears offense had a tough day earlier than Bagent entered. Fields accomplished 6 of 10 passes for 58 yards with no touchdowns, an interception and a 36.7 passer score. He was sacked 4 instances.
Facing a Vikings offense with out star huge receiver Justin Jefferson, the Bears held the Vikings to 1 landing and two discipline targets.
Here’s how the sport unfolded.
Inactives introduced
The Bears may have their total beginning secondary energetic for the primary time because the season opener after they play the Vikings on Sunday at Soldier Field.
Cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon and security Eddie Jackson are energetic after absences, although Gordon didn’t heat up with the beginning protection pregame. Greg Stroman Jr. was on the nickel spot in warmups.
Gordon hasn’t performed because the opener after he went on injured reserve with a damaged hand. Johnson missed two video games with a hamstring harm. Jackson missed three video games with a foot harm he mentioned was completely different than the one which ended his season in 2022.
Center Lucas Patrick is also energetic after going by means of concussion protocol final week.
The Bears beforehand dominated out operating backs Khalil Herbert, whom they placed on IR with an ankle harm, Roschon Johnson (concussion) and Travis Homer (hamstring).
Cornerback Terell Smith is out with an ankle harm and an sickness. The Bears put huge receiver Equanimeous St. Brown on IR on Friday.
Nathan Peterman is inactive however would be the emergency third quarterback behind Justin Fields and Tyson Bagent. Offensive lineman Aviante Collins can be inactive.
For the Vikings, security Lewis Cine, tight finish Nick Muse, outdoors linebacker Andre Carter II, offensive sort out Hakeem Adeniji and defensive lineman Jaquelin Roy are inactive.
Halftime: Vikings lead 12-6 after groups commerce late takeaways
Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins hit rookie huge receiver Jordan Addison with a 10-yard landing cross within the last minute of the second quarter to offer the Vikings a 12-6 halftime lead in opposition to the Bears.
Before that, solely the Bears and Vikings kickers had scored.
The Bears’ Cairo Santos made discipline targets from 53 and 22 yards and the Vikings’ Greg Joseph was good from 53 and 51 because the groups had been knotted at 6 earlier than the late Vikings drive. Rasheem Green blocked Joseph’s further level after the landing.
The Bears and Vikings traded takeaways late within the second quarter for an eventful end to the half.
Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards hit Cousins’ arm as he was attempting to cross. The ball floated into the air, and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds dived to seize it, giving the Bears the ball on the Vikings 35. Ruled an interception on the sector, sport statisticians listed it as a fumble restoration.
But Vikings linebacker Jordan Hicks intercepted Bears quarterback Justin Fields on the following drive, and the Vikings scored on Cousins’ cross to finish an eight-play, 77-yard drive.
The Bears passing offense that regarded so good in opposition to the Washington Commanders in Week 5 didn’t present up a lot within the half.
The Bears had minus-3 passing yards by means of their first three drives earlier than Fields hit Darnell Mooney with a 39-yard cross to get to the Vikings 41-yard line. But they gained solely 5 extra yards, and Santos made a 53-yarder.
Fields completed the half 6-for-10 for 58 yards with no touchdowns, the one interception and a 36.7 passer score. He was sacked thrice.
Fields was sacked twice on the Bears’ first drive, they usually punted. The Bears took to the bottom on their second drive, handing off to D’Onta Foreman, Darrynton Evans and Velus Jones Jr. and totaling 65 speeding yards.
But they couldn’t get in the long run zone after having first-and-goal on the 7, and Santos made a 22-yard discipline aim to tie it at 3-3.
Joseph made discipline targets from 53 yards on the Vikings’ first drive and 51 on their second to offer them a 6-3 lead halfway by means of the second quarter.
The Bears protection regarded to have a takeaway when Cousins fumbled a backward cross and Edwards tried to get better it. But replay evaluate decided Edwards was out of bounds earlier than recovering.
Bears proper guard Nate Davis left within the first quarter after he suffered an ankle harm on a Fields cross to Khari Blasingame. He needed to be helped off the sector by trainers. Ja’Tyre Carter took over for Davis. The Bears mentioned Davis was questionable to return.
The Bears introduced security Eddie Jackson, who rotated drives with Elijah Hicks, was questionable to return with a foot harm.
third quarter: Justin Fields leaves with proper hand harm
Bears quarterback Justin Fields went into the medical tent on the sideline after a third-quarter sack after which headed to the locker room.
Fields walked off the sector and seemed to be holding his proper hand. He sat briefly on the bench earlier than going with a coach into the tent. It didn’t take lengthy earlier than he emerged to go to the locker room.
With 4:21 to play within the third quarter, the Bears dominated out Fields from returning to the sport.
On third-and-7 on the Bears’ first drive of the second half, Vikings outdoors linebacker Danielle Hunter took down Fields for a lack of 5 yards. It was the fourth Vikings sack of the day.
As Fields was within the locker room, rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent started warming up on the sideline. He entered the sport on the following Bears drive for his regular-season NFL debut.
On Bagent’s third snap, he was sacked by security Josh Metellus and fumbled, and linebacker Jordan Hicks picked up the unfastened ball and returned it 42 yards for a landing and a 19-6 Vikings lead.
Catch up on the remainder of our protection.
‘I feel like I am just playing ball’
A protracted weekend coming off probably the most full efficiency in Justin Fields’ three seasons gave the Bears quarterback a chance to mirror.
The passing sport within the final two video games has regarded, properly, like a full-fledged assault and that’s not one thing we’ve seen with any regularity in these components. Whether Fields mirrored or not, he didn’t have something revelatory to share about what these at Halas Hall should hope is a breakthrough.
“I think I’m just focused on continuing to get better each and every day,” Fields mentioned. “The offense, as a whole, we’ve gotten better each and every week. Our main goal is to just do that.” Read extra right here.
All eyes on the RB
The Bears dominated out their prime three operating backs — Khalil Herbert (ankle), Roschon Johnson (concussion) and Travis Homer (hamstring). That leaves D’Onta Foreman as the very best speeding choice.
Foreman, who has been within the NFL since 2017, mentioned Thursday he was calm and assured as he prepares for the chance. He was pushed into motion midseason with the 2021 Tennessee Titans and the 2022 Carolina Panthers and carried out properly. He rushed for 914 yards final season with the Panthers.
The Bears positioned Herbert on injured reserve Friday, that means he’ll miss not less than 4 video games.
Tributes for Butkus
Bears gamers will put on No. 51 patches on their jerseys for the rest of the season to pay tribute to late Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus.
The patch is one in all a number of methods the Bears plan to honor Butkus, who died in his sleep at age 80 final week at his house in Malibu, Calif..
At Sunday’s sport in opposition to the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field, the Bears may have an on-field show of his retired No. 51 jersey. A Butkus memorial will sit on the stadium’s South Courtyard by Gate 1, an area the place followers can see his Pro Football Hall of Fame bust and obtain a commemorative button. A locker-room show with a Butkus jersey will likely be at Gate 7.
The Bears plan to have a number of in-game tributes. Read extra right here.
Stats package deal
The Bears have misplaced 9 consecutive division losses, going winless within the NFC North since downing the Lions 16-14 in Detroit on Thanksgiving in 2021.
Since Lovie Smith was fired after the 2012 season, the Bears have a .311 successful proportion (19-42) in division video games. Justin Fields is 1-9 as a starter in NFC North video games, together with an 0-2 mark in opposition to the Vikings. Read extra right here.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com