Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields ruled out for Week 9 matchup with Saints

LAKE FOREST — The Chicago Bears had a long flight home after the 30-13 loss to the Chargers on Sunday Night Football.

Dating back to Matt Eberflus’ first year as coach, the Bears have been outscored 145-77 after coming off a victory the week before. Since the 2022 season, Eberflus has only won five games and has failed to secure back-to-back victories.

Here is what the second-year coach had to say during his Monday afternoon press conference.

Justin Fields ruled out

Justin Fields has been ruled out for the Week 9 matchup against the New Orleans Saints. This will be the third-straight game Fields has missed due to the right dislocated thumb injury he suffered in the loss to the Vikings. Eberflus said that Fields is still “week to week, but he is improving.” Until Fields can return from his injury, Tyson Bagent will be the starter.

Eberflus was asked if Fields has begun throwing the football in any way.

“He’s progressing. I can just say that,” Eberflus said. “I’m not going to get into particulars but he is progressing and he is improving. I can say that. So we like where it is right now.”

The Bears chose not to place Fields on IR, and the team is still hopeful that the quarterback can return within the four-week time frame.

Jaquan Brisker concussion situtation

Eberflus made it clear that Jaquan Brisker’s current situation is unique and one that he hasn’t been a part of before.

Brisker is back in concusion protocol, according to Eberflus. Early in the week on Sunday and Monday, the second-year safety was examined by an independent neuorologist and was cleared of a concussion. Then on Tuesday, Brisker started feeling ill, showing symptoms such as a fever, and that persisted until Friday. Brisker was then brought to Halas Hall and ruled out on Saturday. His illness then was cleared on Saturday, but the next day he still felt a “bit off.”

Eberflus mentioned that Brisker has done a “very good job of communicating” with the team throughout this situation, and the coach said, “The most important thing is our players’ safety and health.”

What happened on Tyson Bagent’s first interception?

The Bears’ offense struggled at finding any rhythm in the first half. The first two drives resulted in punts, and then the third offensive possession ended in a Tyson Bagent interception.

On third-and-8 from the Chargers’ 45-yard line, Bagent lined up in the shotgun and had time to throw. The rookie quarterback had Darnell Mooney in the slot and DJ Moore lined up outside the numbers. Bagent threw inbetween Moore and Mooney and was easily intercepted by Ja’Sir Taylor.

Ja'Sir Taylor with the pick for the @Chargers!

📺: #CHIvsLAC on NBC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/afiiMv70VD pic.twitter.com/wrG2HrW7G1

— NFL (@NFL) October 30, 2023

Eberflus provided an exaplanation on what went wrong on that particular play.

“Just gotta get the ball in the flatw, that’s all,” Eberflus said. “I think it was Mooney in the flat, right?”