It truly was the nightmare scenario for Chicago Bears fans on Sunday. The team got handed a glorious opportunity to end their losing streak with no Lamar Jackson. Not only did they fail to capitalize by losing to the Baltimore Ravens, but they also saw Justin Fields exit the game with and not return. He was later declared out with a rib injury. The extend of the damage is unknown, or at least head coach Matt Nagy refused to reveal it.
Thankfully somebody with the sanity of Bears fans in mind decided to do it for him. Simeon Kelley, a good friend and training partner of Fields, was with the young quarterback in the training room. He delivered a video on Instagram showing him laying on his side. From what was found, it appears nothing was broken. Fields suffered a case of bruised ribs. A welcome bit of news on an otherwise miserable afternoon.
So what happens next?
Much of this depends on the extent of the injury. If the ribs are indeed only bruised and not fractured in any way? There is a possibility Justin Fields can play on Thursday in Detroit. Smart money says not to count on it. The usual diagnosis is it takes about two weeks for a player to recover enough to play with a rib injury like that. Knowing the kid? He will probably push to play.
Given the Bears are 3-7 and all but eliminated from the playoff picture, they would do well to take the decision out of his hands. The last thing they need is him aggravating that injury or risking others. They have Andy Dalton. He is plenty good enough to handle things for one game. Especially on a short turnaround. Then again, it comes down to how good the player feels. Fields has already demonstrated an ability to play through pain. This might be no different.
Subscribe to the BFR Youtube channel and ride shotgun with Dave and Ficky as they break down Bears football like nobody else.
