NFL Week 10: Foles injury muddies Chicago Bears' QB situation
With Nick Foles on the sideline and Mitch Trubisky already inactive due to injury, third-string quarterback Tyler Bray commandeered the final drive of a dreadful Chicago Bears' offensive performance on "Monday Night Football."
Prior to Monday's game against the Minnesota Vikings, Bray had thrown one regular-season pass in his NFL career. Against the Vikings, Bray went 1-of-5 for 18 yards as the Bears tried to execute a comeback drive in what was ultimately a 19-13 loss.
Foles left the game with what was believed to be a hip/leg injury suffered after being thrown to the ground by Vikings defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo.
Reports Tuesday morning, however, suggest that the Bears QB may have avoided serious injury with coach Matt Nagy saying the injury "isn't as bad as we once thought."
Will Foles stay at quarterback for the Chicago Bears?
With Foles day-to-day heading into a bye week, the 5-5 Bears (currently the first team out of the NFC playoff picture) will have an opportunity to regroup and recalibrate their QB depth chart heading into the final stretch of the season.
Former No. 2 overall draft pick Trubisky opened the season atop the depth chart, but after 2.5 games (despite two Bears wins to open the year), Nagy turned to Foles. Trubisky, in three starts, averaged 140 yards per game, accounted for 6 total touchdowns and posted a 55.8 QBR.
Trubisky then suffered what was described by The Sporting News as a "fluke shoulder injury," and has been unable to even back up Foles in recent weeks.
“Coach made a decision that he felt was best for the team,” Trubisky told reporters after he was benched in Week 3.
After taking over, Foles -- who is best known for taking over at QB for the injured Carson Wentz and leading the Philadelphia Eagles to victory in Super Bowl LII -- has led the Chicago Bears to a 5-5 record, including four straight losses. Foles has averaged 231 yards per game and posted a 43.5 QBR to go with 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
Coming out of the bye week, the Chicago Bears have key divisional matchups against the Vikings, Lions, and Packers on the schedule. The team also has injuries to its running backs, and top wide receiver Allen Robinson II may not be happy with his role. (Robinson's agent sent a frustrated tweet during the Bears-Vikings game.)
Who coach Matt Nagy turns to at quarterback next could decide the fate of the Chicago Bears' season.