CHICAGO -- The Detroit Lions are about to get a nice, long look at the quarterback they passed on in the NFL draft.
The Chicago Bears are going to start rookie quarterback Justin Fields on Sunday against the Detroit Lions, after scratching opening-day starter Andy Dalton due to a bone bruise in his left knee. Dalton was listed as doubtful to play against Detroit.
That means the Bears will turn to the rookie quarterback from Ohio State for a second straight week, and they’ll hope this game goes better than the last one. Fields completed just 6 of his 20 passes, while taking nine sacks for 67 yards. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to crunch those numbers. Fields net just 1 passing yard all day in a brutal 26-6 loss to Cleveland in his first NFL start.
Fields is a special talent, which is why he was under consideration for a top-10 pick in the NFL draft. He was still there when the Lions were on the clock at seventh overall, although they chose to build around offensive tackle Penei Sewell instead. Sewell is off to a good start too, moving to left tackle for the opener and not allowing a sack in his first three games. He’ll start a fourth straight game there against Chicago, although he expects to move back to right tackle whenever Taylor Decker returns from injured reserve. That could happen as soon as next week against the Minnesota Vikings.
Fields slipped four more spots in the draft before Chicago took him at 11th overall. He’s a dual-threat quarterback with good speed and terrific arm strength, although the plan for him in his first start was a disaster. That has the Chicago coaching staff under immense pressure, and a loss on Sunday against the winless Lions could potentially end Matt Nagy’s run with the Bears.
While Chicago is without its top quarterback, it will have standout defenders Khalil Mack and Eddie Goldman. Both were listed as questionable with injuries.
Detroit’s inactives for the game offer few surprises: Running back Jermar Jefferson, linebacker Trey Flowers (shoulder/knee), defensive lineman Eric Banks, receiver Tom Kennedy and defensive lineman Jashon Cornell.
Flowers hasn’t practiced in two weeks while dealing with shoulder and knee injuries, and was scratched on Friday. Jefferson has been inactive all season, while Banks was just acquired via waivers over the weekend and Cornell is coming off a three-game suspension.
Kennedy is inactive after dressing the last two weeks, but not recording a statistic on just four offensive snaps and another three on special teams.
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