Week 10 Official Game Thread - TNF - CAR @ CHI (Loser Bowl 2023)

[adam]

The Bears need to win this to keep CAR in the running for the #1 pick.  This might be CAR's only chance at winning another game. 

Will it be the return of Fields? Moore revenge game?

[Alaskan Grizzly]

47 minutes ago, adam said:

Moore revenge game?

I could see it being more a Foreman revenge game which is fine by me.  

[Stinger226]

Also Brian Burns is in concussion protocol and wont play. Carolina isn't very good.

[Alaskan Grizzly]

[Pixote]

I have never had a dislocated thumb. Never was a QB. However, it is taking longer than I would have expected for Fields to become "game ready." Does anyone have experience in this area? Is he a very slow healer or is this timeframe normal for this type of injury to a QB's throwing hand?

[DABEARSDABOMB]

Just now, Pixote said:

I have never had a dislocated thumb. Never was a QB. However, it is taking longer than I would have expected for Fields to become "game ready." Does anyone have experience in this area? Is he a very slow healer or is this timeframe normal for this type of injury to a QB's throwing hand?

I think the problem was this was a pretty significant injury, one at which, they had debated surgery and opted for rest.  I think that means we are talking about a grade 2 vs. grade 3 tear - but with it, recovery is slow and I presume risk of reinjury is long.  The day after it happened - there were real concerns/rumblings that he MIGHT miss the entire season (surgery would have taken him out for the year) and that normal recovery for this type of injury (if he didn't opt for surgery - because it was more of a grade 2 tear) was 4-8 weeks.  

So realistically - I think he's healing pretty consistent / on track - the question really comes down to - at what point is the grip / strength strong enough to play through and what limitations exist. Personally, I expect the Bears will play Bagent one more week and we'll see Justin back next week against the Lions.  Give him another 10 days vs. force him a week early.  If the Bears were in contention - I think Fields would probably play today (but given they aren't - why risk anything that would prevent Bears from having a better assessment).  

Worse case to me is - Fields rushs it, gets hurt/reinjures it or is limited, and Bears really get NO evaluation on Fields other than what we saw early in the season.  In one way - Poles decision is easy, as no way Fields showed enough to bank on him next year, so than you are looking at QB or at a minimum making it a QB competition next year.  

[Mongo3451]

1 minute ago, Pixote said:

I have never had a dislocated thumb. Never was a QB. However, it is taking longer than I would have expected for Fields to become "game ready." Does anyone have experience in this area? Is he a very slow healer or is this timeframe normal for this type of injury to a QB's throwing hand?

I've had a few of them.  Since you are dealing with tendons and ligaments, it takes some time.  I can bend mine like it's double jointed now.  He can actually re-injure it by squeezing the football too tightly.  If it were a huge game, he could suck it up and play.  The smart bet, is to have him come back after the Carolina game.

[Pixote]

Thanks for the info, now it makes sense.

[Stinger226]

Score 31-10 Bears

[BearFan PHX]

You know, these days during the rebuild, I've been rooting for good play. I want to win games we deserve to win, but i don't want any accidents giving us undeserved wins. I'm not rooting for unforced fumbles etc.

But this game counts, and I'm all in on winning this one no matter how it happens. I feel like I do in a year where we are playoff bound tonight. Win by any means necessary.

Let's go Bears!

[BearFan PHX]

HITS my ass. Let's see some tackling sheesh

[ChileBear]

7 minutes ago, BearFan PHX said:

HITS my ass. Let's see some tackling sheesh

No kidding. They are whiffing all over the place on D.

 

[DABEARSDABOMB]

Alright bears - make a play here and let’s start to get some momentum! 

[Alaskan Grizzly]

Tyler Scott is a keeper 

[Mongo3451]

We continue to have the worst stadium fans in the NFL.  I can't comprehend the negativity and booing.  Karma is real...

[Alaskan Grizzly]

Fields would be lighting things up if he was we playing.  Seems like Bagent has gone stagnant since the 4th quarter of last week.  Doesn’t look as crisp as he’s been for most of the last three games.  

[Mongo3451]

That was the worst offensive PI call I've ever seen.  The DB was literally ten yards from the the called area.

[Stinger226]

38 minutes ago, Mongo3451 said:

That was the worst offensive PI call I've ever seen.  The DB was literally ten yards from the the called area.

They will have Fields back and everyone should be healthy.

[DABEARSDABOMB]

43 minutes ago, Mongo3451 said:

That was the worst offensive PI call I've ever seen.  The DB was literally ten yards from the the called area.

Yeah that was bad. Defense played great. Now let’s get Fields back and go make the playoffs…and I’m serious. They are going streaking!!!! 

[ASHKUM BEAR]

Bears DBs and TJ Edward's played well.  This was a must win game and the Bears pulled it off.  

[BearFan PHX]

Carolina is the worst team in football. That's how bad we are.

But I DO see the increased talent out there. I do see the players getting better and flying around, and yet we still cant get off the field on 3rd and 4th downs. We still cant get rolling on offense.

THIS is what terrible coaching looks like. You've got players, but they're not in the right places. Every success looks like it was hard to manage. Nothing but Foreman running the ball looks easy.

We've got some dogs on defense, and that passive constant zone is putting them out of the play.

I cant stand Eberflus.

[Stinger226]

We had 20 pressures tonight, 3 sacks, defense gave up 6 points. Yes it was a bad team but we have a lot of bad teams on our schedule. Detroit is next and we will see how the defense plays. 

I cant wait for Fields to come back and try to add some juice to this offense. We had 133 yards rushing and need to get over 150 every game to help the offense. Bagent looked worst to me in this game, played uptight, probably because of his interception totals.

[AZ54]

44 minutes ago, ASHKUM BEAR said:

Bears DBs and TJ Edward's played well.  This was a must win game and the Bears pulled it off.  

Edwards was being picked on in pass coverage.  He's a good player but we have to recognize his limitations.  Of course putting Edmunds and his range next to him covers that up better than Sanborn.  

[AZ54]

29 minutes ago, BearFan PHX said:

Carolina is the worst team in football. That's how bad we are.

But I DO see the increased talent out there. I do see the players getting better and flying around, and yet we still cant get off the field on 3rd and 4th downs. We still cant get rolling on offense.

THIS is what terrible coaching looks like. You've got players, but they're not in the right places. Every success looks like it was hard to manage. Nothing but Foreman running the ball looks easy.

We've got some dogs on defense, and that passive constant zone is putting them out of the play.

I cant stand Eberflus.

I always used to have that same feeling watching Lovie's D.  Yet after reflection, the purpose of the defense is not to give up points.  That "bad" D gave up just 6 pts.  It might not always look ideal, and, for example, I certainly didn't like a blitz on 3rd and short late in the game but the net result was a good game in the NFL.  If you want to make excuses because they were playing the #1 overall rookie QB well then our undrafted Div III rookie QB put up 16pts.   If special teams didn't give up a TD to ISM that game has a totally different feel to it.  At one point it was 7 possessions for Carolina with 6 punts and 1 FG.   

[AZ54]

43 minutes ago, Stinger226 said:

We had 20 pressures tonight, 3 sacks, defense gave up 6 points. Yes it was a bad team but we have a lot of bad teams on our schedule. Detroit is next and we will see how the defense plays. 

I cant wait for Fields to come back and try to add some juice to this offense. We had 133 yards rushing and need to get over 150 every game to help the offense. Bagent looked worst to me in this game, played uptight, probably because of his interception totals.

Carolina might be missing some skill position players but their roster isn't totally devoid of talent.   They have better talent than what we put on the field for the last 8 games in 2022.   At this point in the season Young has comparable experience in their offense to what Fields had in Week 10 last year.  Who were our WRs last year in Wk 10?   I had doubts about Young, at least as a #1 overall pick and he definitely didn't look the part tonight.  It's still early for him but if you went into that game not knowing the QBs which one would you want to keep on your roster... Young or Bagent?   Neither looked good but one threw better on the run and handled pressure better.   

As for Bagent I think he really shutdown his game this week.  He made a couple risky throws early.  After that, it was mostly throwing into the dirt if there was any doubt about coverage.  His confidence is definitely shaken and he needs to get back out of the spotlight.   I'll give him credit for the throw that got that last First Down.  Super tight window there, he really threaded the needle into the perfect spot.   It was really the only throw in the game where I felt he looked like the Bagent we saw in his first couple games.... confident in the pocket and (what I think) good mechanics.  We'll see on the highlights.  Mooney made a great catch too knowing he was going to get lit up.  That is how winning teams close out tight games. 

Bagent is 2-2.  Much of that credit goes to the D and his supporting cast.  Yet that's what you expect from a backup QB.  Seeing Carolina not really worry about anything beyond 20 yds was bothersome but they were right.  I miss the explosive plays with Fields.  Now Detroit has a lot to figure out with this offense and if I'm Flus I'm making them prepare for both QBs.