The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)

Bears are mum on QB against Lions

- By Gene Chamberlai­n

LAKE FOREST, ILL. » The Chicago Bears will wait until game time to announce their starting quarterbac­k for Sunday’s game against Detroit, choosing between Andy Dalton and rookie Justin Fields.

Both quarterbac­ks are dealing with injuries, but Fields has been able to go through full practices the entire week while Dalton has been limited every day. Dalton is suffering from a bone bruise to his left knee while Fields wore a brace on his injured right hand all week in practice.

Coach Matt Nagy said Friday he couldn’t rule out Dalton for Sunday at Soldier Field.

“I feel like, again, the good part about both of those guys is that they’re both progressin­g in the right way,” Nagy said.

“And then what we’ve got to do is be able to see where Andy’s at and really, up until Sunday. That’s why it’s the game-time decision.”

Fields injured his right thumb during last weekend’s 26-6 loss to the Cleveland Browns. Dalton got hurt right before halftime in Week 2 against Cincinnati.

Dalton’s mobility could be affected if called upon to start.

“For him, when you go through an injury and when you go through a knee injury and you have drop backs, you have handoffs, you have, whatever it is that you have, you want to have ultimate trust in knowing that you’re not thinking about that injury while you’re playing,” Nagy said. “I can specifical­ly say that because I know I went through that with an ACL injury.

“You think about that. And once you get by that then you can start playing football.”

The Bears (1-2) are last in the NFL in offense and passing. Their offense has scored three touchdowns, and they haven’t had one since Dalton left the second game.

“I think the biggest thing is that it’s felt better every day and it’s just kind of where I’m at with this thing is keep improving, keep getting better and that’s all my focus is right now,” Dalton said.

Fields was 6 of 20 for 68 yards and was sacked nine times in the loss to the Browns.

On the season, Fields is 14 of 35 for 138 yards with an intercepti­on.

He has run for 46 yards on 14 attempts with a touchdown.

Fields feels he and the rest of the offense are prepared to bounce back.

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