The 1-4 Chicago Bears are enjoying the 1-4 Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field in a Week 6 matchup. Here’s what you should know.
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 gave the impression 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 subsequent 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 free ball and returned it 42 yards for a landing and a 19-6 Vikings lead.
Halftime: Vikings lead 12-6 after groups commerce late takeaways
Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins hit rookie large receiver Jordan Addison with a 10-yard landing move within the ultimate minute of the second quarter to present 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 subject 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 additional 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 move. 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, recreation 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’ move to finish an eight-play, 77-yard drive.
The Bears passing offense that appeared 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 their first three drives earlier than Fields hit Darnell Mooney with a 39-yard move 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 3 times.
Fields was sacked twice on the Bears’ first drive, and so they 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 dashing yards.
But they couldn’t get ultimately zone after having first-and-goal on the 7, and Santos made a 22-yard subject purpose to tie it at 3-3.
Joseph made subject targets from 53 yards on the Vikings’ first drive and 51 on their second to present them a 6-3 lead halfway by the second quarter.
The Bears protection appeared to have a takeaway when Cousins fumbled a backward move and Edwards tried to get well it. But replay overview 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 move to Khari Blasingame. He needed to be helped off the sector by trainers. Ja’Tyre Carter took over for Davis. The Bears stated 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.
Inactives introduced
The Bears may have their total beginning secondary lively for the primary time for the reason that season opener once they play the Vikings on Sunday at Soldier Field.
Cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon and security Eddie Jackson are lively 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 for the reason that 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 stated was totally different than the one which ended his season in 2022.
Center Lucas Patrick is also lively after going by 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 large 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 also be inactive.
For the Vikings, security Lewis Cine, tight finish Nick Muse, outdoors linebacker Andre Carter II, offensive deal with Hakeem Adeniji and defensive lineman Jaquelin Roy are inactive.
‘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 possibility to replicate.
The passing recreation within the final two video games has appeared, properly, like a full-fledged assault and that’s not one thing we’ve seen with any regularity in these elements. 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 stated. “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 high three operating backs — Khalil Herbert (ankle), Roschon Johnson (concussion) and Travis Homer (hamstring). That leaves D’Onta Foreman as one of the best dashing choice.
Foreman, who has been within the NFL since 2017, stated 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, which means he’ll miss a minimum of 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 residence in Malibu, Calif..
At Sunday’s recreation 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 shall 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 profitable 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