Quarterback Justin Fields returns to Chicago Bears in Week 11
Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields returns as the starter this week after missing four games with an injured right thumb.
In Week 6 against the Minnesota Vikings, Fields dislocated and sprained a tendon in his throwing thumb.
Head coach Matt Eberflus named Fields the Week 11 starter.
Not 100 percent, but feeling good," Fields said before Wednesday's practice. "There's still a little bit of room for healing. But it's stable. Like I said, it's good. ”
Prior to the injury, Fields was completing 61.7 percent of his passes for 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns this season. He had six interceptions and 24 sacks.
Although Fields rushed for 1,143 yards and eight rushing touchdowns last season, he hasn't put up impressive numbers this season. In six games, he rushed 47 times for 237 yards and just one score.
Backup Tyson Bargent as starter 2-2
When Fields was sidelined against the Vikings with a thumb injury, the Bears had no choice but to use undrafted backup Tyson Bargent. Although the Vikings defeated the Bears 19-13, Bargent looked capable in his pro debut. In the loss, he completed 10 of 14 passes for 83 yards and a touchdown.
Bargent was a star at Division II Sheppard University in West Virginia. He won the Harlan Hill Trophy, the Division II equivalent of the Heisman Trophy. The Bears signed Bargent even though he went undrafted in the 2023 NFL Draft. After an impressive training camp and preseason, he earned a spot on the team.
Bargent has led the Bears to a 2-2 record over the past four weeks with wins over the Las Vegas Raiders and Carolina Panthers. He completed 65.7 percent of his passes for 859 yards with three touchdowns and six interceptions. He also rushed for 109 yards and two rushing touchdowns.
Bargent returns to the bench but has proven his worth in the league. The Bears were 1-5 when Bargent took over as starter. With Fields back, the Bears are now 3-7.
Area: Bear Market’s Uncertain Future
The Bears selected Fields with the 11th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, but he failed to live up to expectations after leading Ohio State to a 20-2 record in his starting season in college.
Fields went 6-25 in his first three seasons as the Bears' starting quarterback. His record was 2-8 in his rookie season and 3-12 last season.
Fields has one year left on his contract, and the Bears have a fifth-year option for the 2025 season. The Bears could trade him at season's end, but Fields dismissed any controversy over the future quarterback.
Everybody wants to make a splash, get media attention, buzz, buzz, buzz, reviews, stories," Fields said. "So that's what it brings. I knew this was going to happen from the beginning. This is not surprising to me. I walk into the building every day the same way I did before my injury. I just want to be the best leader I can be. "
The Bears have two first-round picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, including one from the Carolina Panthers (1-8), who they acquired with a move down in the 2023 NFL Draft. If the season ended today, the Bears would have the first and fifth picks in the upcoming draft.
Multiple outlets are reporting that the Bears will go in a different direction at quarterback next season and hope to sign USC's Caleb Williams or North Carolina's Derek Meyer. Williams and Meyer are two of the top quarterback prospects in the upcoming draft.
"I'm not here to prove anything to anybody," Fields added. "I play for my teammates, I play for my coaches, that's it. Everything else will take care of itself."
Fade Bear
The Bears are currently 3-7 and will play two divisional road games against the Detroit Lions and Vikings over the next two weeks before a bye in Week 13.
After the bye, the Bears will host the Lions on Christmas Eve (Week 14), the Arizona Cardinals (Week 16) and the Atlanta Falcons on New Year's Eve (Week 17). The Bears hit the road for two more games after saying goodbye to the struggling Cleveland Browns (Week 15) and Green Bay Packers (Week 18).
The Bears will travel to the Lions in Week 11 for NFC North action. They are 0-2 in NFC North play and 1-4 on the road this season.
The Bears are currently a +7.5 underdog at most sportsbooks, with the exception of South Point Casino Las Vegas, where they are ranked +8.
The Lions have the best betting record in the NFL this season, going 7-2 against the spread (ATS). The Bears are now 3-5-2 ATS. The Bears are 1-5 ATS this season with Fields as the starter. The Bears are 2-2 ATS with Bargent under center.
Lions (7-2) are -1100 with a chance to win the NFC North title. The No. 1 Lions are the second-biggest conference favorite entering the second half of the season. The Kansas City Chiefs (7-2) are the division favorite at -1800 to win the AFC West. The Vikings (6-4) have a +700 chance to win the NFC North, but after acquiring quarterback Josh Dobbs in a trade and adding injured Kirk Cousins as backup, they There is a silver lining. The Packers (3-6) at +300 points and the Bears at +10,000 points are nowhere near winning the division title.
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Source: www.casino.org
