Fields to start Week 3 but Bears committed to Dalton when healthy

Justin Fields will start for the Chicago Bears in Week 3 against the Cleveland Browns, though head coach Matt Nagy remains committed to Andy Dalton when healthy. 

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Justin Fields celebrates his first NFL regular-season touchdown

Dalton suffered a knee injury during the Bears’ 20-17 Week 2 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. 

Fields stepped in and the 11th overall pick in the draft produced an underwhelming display, completing six of his 13 passes for 60 yards and an interception. He also had 10 rushes for 31 yards. 

And, with Dalton unavailable due to what has been diagnosed as a bone bruise, he will get the start at quarterback on the road this week. 

“Andy is still battling through his injury. We’re not expecting him to practice today or have him available this week,” Nagy told a media conference on Wednesday. 

“He’ll be week to week. Justin’s going to be our starter. He’s looking forward to it, it’s a great opportunity for Justin and for all of us as a staff to be able to take this thing and see where he goes with this. 

“When Andy is healthy our plan continues for him to be the starter.” 

Yet calls to start Fields long term will only grow should he excel against a playoff-calibre opponent in the Browns. 

Just 73.3 per cent of Fields’ 15 passes this season have been accurate, well-thrown balls compared to 87.5 per cent for Dalton. 

However, Fields is third among quarterbacks to have attempted at least 10 throws with an air yards per attempt average of 10.33. Dalton has averaged just 4.33 per attempt, highlighting the downfield upside Fields could add. 

Fields’ sole touchdown through the first two games came on the ground in the season-opening defeat to the Los Angeles Rams and his mobility adds another dimension to the Bears’ offense that Dalton cannot provide. 

Across his two seasons as a starter at Ohio State, Fields’ 15 rushing touchdowns were tied for the seventh-most among FBS quarterbacks.

That kind of production will be tough to replicate at the NFL level but, if he rises to the challenge in Week 3, Nagy’s public backing of Dalton could well prove to be lip service.