Bagent slated to make 4th start for Bears as Fields not cleared to play
CHICAGO (CBS) – Three quarters of good football – that's what Tyson Bagent gave the Bears in New Orleans before a three-turnover fourth quarter sealed the Bears' fate.
CBS 2's Matt Zahn had the latest on the Bears quarterback shell game that will give Bagent another chance on Thursday night against the Carolina Panthers.
Justin Fields hasn't been medically cleared and Bagent will start against the Panthers on Thursday night. That's the word from head coach Matt Eberflus, although he said more about Fields maybe still having a shot to play.
"He's not medically cleared to go right now," Eberflus said. "He's getting better though. Accuracy is improving. He's throwing it better. He's starting to do more and more and more, so we'll see where it goes."
Eberflus added, "The chances are doubtful, 51% that he's in or out. We'll see where he is."
When asked if Fields will go through any sort of pregame work on Thursday, Eberflus said, "He may. He may. It depends on what happens here in the next 24 hours."
Assuming Bagent gets his fourth straight start, he has plenty to learn from his performance against the Saints last Sunday. He did a lot of good before it all fell apart in an avalanche of turnovers late.
"Nothing that I didn't know," Bagent said. "We're playing against high-caliber NFL talent and players every week at every position. So you play against physical specimens, but you're also playing against dudes who really don't make mistakes either. You just gotta be that much sharper."
Bagent added these opportunities to start are allowing him to grow rapidly, and he and the coaches have noticed he can make adjustments he couldn't even make a month ago. Hopefully for the Bears, that means a more complete performance against the Panthers.