The Chicago Bears suffered their fifth straight defeat in a 31-10 loss to the New York Jets on Sunday, where starting quarterback Justin Fields was inactive as he dealt with a separated shoulder.
Buy Bears TicketsAn already weird game had an extra twist as backup Trevor Siemian injured himself in pregame warmups, and third-string quarterback Nathan Peterman was named the starter. But, before kickoff, Siemian returned and got the starting nod.
On the other sideline, New York started their third-string quarterback Mike White in an attempt to re-energize the offense and possibly an attempt to motivate second-overall pick, Zach Wilson, to play better.
Unfortunately for the Bears, White would be the victorious backup quarterback as the Jets dominated the second half.
The Bears entered halftime down 17-10 but were held scoreless in the second half. Chicago’s best offensive possession in the second half, a 13-play drive, ended with a turnover on downs. After a missed Jets field goal, Siemian threw a red zone interception at New York’s 3-yard line to seal the defeat.
White finished 22-of-28 for 315 yards and three touchdowns for the Jets, including two pass plays of more than 40 yards. First was a 54-yard pass to wide receiver Garrett Wilson and later a 42-yard pass to wide receiver Elijah Moore.
Despite the loss, it was a challenging game for the Bears, who lost safety Eddie Jackson (foot) and wide receiver Darnell Mooney (ankle) to injuries during the game. Both players would leave and not return, leaving their status for next week in question.
At 3-9, the Bears will end the year with a losing record in coach Matt Eberflus’ first year. Given the mounting injuries, it’s hard to remain optimistic about the Bears winning their next few games.
Chicago will begin a three-game home stand against Green Bay, Philadelphia, and Buffalo. While the Bears play better at home, that’s a tough stretch of games.
