DETROIT — Everyone is growing impatient with wide receiver Chase Claypool’s slow start since joining the Bears. Even Claypool.
In the second half of the Bears’ 41-10 loss to the Lions on Sunday, with Claypool yet to have a single pass thrown his way, he vented his frustration on the sideline until quarterback Justin Fields interjected.
“[It’s] good to have emotion in a game, but you just have to know how to control it,” Fields said. “You can’t let it come out like that because ... that’s not helping anybody. That’s not helping the team.
“We’re getting blown out. Everybody feels that way. But I [said], ‘That’s not going to do anything. That’s just spreading everybody apart. We need to be here for each other, stick with each other and fight.’ He’s passionate, but he just has to learn how to control those emotions.”
Claypool left the locker room just as the media was allowed in, so he didn’t address it. Fields added that he was receptive, recalling him saying, “Yeah, my fault. I’m just frustrated right now.”
In his return from missing two games with a knee injury, Claypool had one target and no catches. Coach Matt Eberflus said the Bears restricted his playing time as a precaution.
While trading for Claypool was a long-term move, he has underwhelmed in his first two months with the Bears and has just 12 catches for 111 yards in six games.
He and Fields have missed practice time because of injuries, which hindered an already-challenging acclimation.
“It’s hard to learn an offense like this in the middle of the season, and he’s done a good job,” Fields said. “By this time next year, we’re rolling.
“I just know his passion for the game and know his work ethic, and I know that he wants to be great, so we’re going to get together and work out and just be on the same page in the offseason.”
Havoc before halftime
The Bears’ most awkward, poorly orchestrated play of the game — and that’s really saying something — was right before halftime.
After Velus Jones’ season-long 63-yard kick return got them to the Lions’ 45-yard line with seven seconds left and no timeouts, they were disorganized on a trick play that would have involved Fields’ throwing a pass and getting the ball back on a pitch in a last-ditch shot to cut into the Lions’ 24-10 lead.
Cool in theory but not reality.
Few Bears moved at full speed on the snap, the Lions were in the perfect defense and Fields threw a pass to the right sideline that defensive end Aidan Hutchinson easily jumped for an interception.
“Timing was a little off, spacing was a little off,” tight end Cole Kmet said. “A lot of mistakes going on there.”
Injury updates
Eberflus said wide receiver Dante Pettis had a head injury and cleared the concussion protocol to return to play but was hospitalized “as a precautionary measure” because he had blurred vision.
Right guard Teven Jenkins’ return from a strained neck was brief. He aggravated the injury three minutes into the game, and Michael Schofield replaced him. Schofield exited with a knee injury in the second quarter, and the Bears sent in Dieter Eiselen.
Undrafted rookie cornerback Jaylon Jones also left the game with a concussion.
