He’s Baaaack! Justin Fields will start in Week 11 vs. Lions

Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields is expected to return o the starting lineup in Sunday’s Week 11 matchup against the Detroit Lions, NFL insider Ian Rapoport tweeted on Wednesday morning.

Sources: #Bears QB Justin Fields, out the last month with a dislocated thumb, is expected to start Sunday vs the #Lions, assuming today’s practice goes well. The key has been regaining grip strength, and Fields was nearly there before TNF. With a solid practice, he will be. pic.twitter.com/6Oxp4Ta8G4

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 15, 2023

Bears fans were expecting Fields to return this week, but with head coach Matt Eberflus’ recent transformation into a words gymnast, it’s nice to get some clarity from an insider like Rapoport.

Of course, there’s a caveat. Justin Fields can’t suffer any setbacks over the next few practices. That’s usually the case for any player who’s returning from injury, and I assume that will be Eberflus’ primary talking point.

Fields enters Week 11, completing 61.7% of his passes for 1,201 yards, 11 TDs, and six INTs. He was on a two-game tear in Weeks 4 and 5, throwing for eight touchdowns and just one interception, but he left a frustrating last impression against the Vikings in Week 6 before exiting with a dislocated right thumb.

Rookie Tyson Bagent managed the offense well in his four starts, going 2-2, and, at one point, created a mini-quarterback controversy. Perhaps that’s just what happens with Bears fans. If a quarterback plays well, he’s the savior. If a quarterback struggles, he’s the curse.

Fields has been a combination of both savior and curse since being selected 11th overall by the Chicago Bears in the 2021 NFL Draft. He’s caused a divide among Bears fans on social media, there’s an equal number of fans who still believe he can be the QB1 this team has always lacked and fans who think Chicago is better off moving on and drafting a quarterback in the first round of the 2024 draft.

Justin Fields has seven games to prove his fans right and recruit the non-believers back onto his bandwagon. It gets started on Sunday against the Lions, and it won’t be easy.

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