Matt Nagy expects Fields to start vs. Vikings originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The Bears expect Justin Fields to start this Sunday in the team’s final game of the season. Earlier in the week Matt Nagy said the team needed to wait until Wednesday to assess how much Fields’ ankle injury had improved before giving a clearer picture on his status for the Vikings game. On Wednesday, Nagy said that not only did he expect Fields to start in Week 18, he expected him to practice in full to start the week.
Fields missed the past two games while recovering from an ankle injury that he sustained the last time the Bears played the Vikings, in Week 15. He also missed two games earlier this year with cracked ribs.
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Fields hasn’t played in a Bears win since Week 5, and Nagy said earlier this week that giving him the opportunity to head into the offseason with a win could be beneficial for him, and the team as a whole.
“He’s put a lot of time and effort into this year, into developing and becoming better as a quarterback,” Nagy said on Monday. “What this will enable him to do is finish on a high note and do everything he can to have a great week of practice mentally, physically, be there for his teammates, which I think says a lot for these guys.
“To be able to come out here and hopefully get him healthy to where he can help us win a game, I think it would be great for him to do that.”
This season, Fields has completed 58.9% of his passes for 1,870 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. In addition, he has 420 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns and 12 fumbles.
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