Week 4 injury report: Bears won’t decide on starting QB until game time vs. Lions

The Detroit Lions’ Week 4 opponent, the Chicago Bears, have declared their injury designations and there is no clarity about who will be playing quarterback for them on Sunday.

The Bears have made their quarterback hierarchy known. Andy Dalton is the starter, Justin Fields is the primary backup, and Nick Foles is the third option. Dalton got the start in Weeks 1 and 2, but a bone bruise on his left knee sidelined him for Week 3, and the rookie Fields got the start.

Dalton was able to get in three limited practices this week and is listed as questionable. Fields is also dealing with a right thumb (throwing hand) injury, but he was able to practice in full this week and does not carry an injury designation into the game. But, Bears coach Matt Nagy wasn’t tipping his hand on who would play this week, calling his quarterback situation a “game-time decision”.

On Friday, when Lions coach Dan Campbell was asked who he believed the Bears would start, he replied, “Honestly, I have zero confidence knowing who they’re going to start. There again, I think we’re prepared for whoever they want to roll out.”

While the Lions are preparing for both quarterbacks, a sourced report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter earlier this week suggested Dalton “could miss an additional week or two”.

Regardless of which quarterback suits up, Campbell doesn’t believe the Bears' offense will be that much different.

“Dalton is the one where there’s a little bit more variety in what he can do under center, in the gun and those things,” Campbell said. “But I don’t think it’ll be a huge change per se and I think we’ve got a pretty good feel of what they’re going to do, overall.”

Let’s take a look at the rest of the Bears’ injury report, with the starters bolded.

Ruled out

• LB Joel Iyiegbuniwe (hamstring)

A reserve linebacker who was not guaranteed to be active if he was healthy. He has played in two games this year and has one tackle.

Doubtful

• S Tashaun Gipson (hamstring)

Gipson didn’t practice all week and missed last week’s game due to his hamstring injury. He was replaced in the starting lineup by Deon Bush.

Questionable

• QB Andy Dalton (knee)
• WR Darnell Mooney (groin)
• EDGE Khalil Mack (foot)
• CB Xavier Crawford (back)

Mack missed two practices this week but returned to action with a limited practice on Friday. There is still a possibility he is unable to play on Sunday but there doesn't seem to be much worry about his availability from the Chicago media.

Mooney saw three limited practices this week, a solid indicator he has a good chance of playing. Crawford was healthy on Wednesday, out on Thursday, and limited on Friday, so he could end up a game-time decision.

No injury designation

• QB Justin Fields (right thumb)
• TE Jimmy Graham (rest)
• TE Jesse James (personal)
• DT Eddie Goldman (knee)

The Bears will get their starting nose tackle, Goldman, back in the lineup this week, after a knee injury kept him out the last three weeks. With Goldman back in next to Hicks, and the Bears able to get pressure off the edge, look for the Lions to lean on their running backs in the passing game to offset Chicago’s aggressiveness.