Chicago Bears 2 Studs (& 2 duds) from Week 9 loss to Saints

Dud: Tyson Bagent, Quarterback

Bagent had a good game in his first NFL start in Week 7 against the Las Vegas Raiders. That has not continued in either game since. In the two games after his debut, he has gone 43/67 (64.2 percent) for 452 yards and 2 touchdowns. However, he has 5 interceptions, and 2 fumbles, losing one of them. If you include the game in which he came in for Fields, Bagent now has six turnovers.

It is difficult for a rookie quarterback to manufacture comeback victories. It is more difficult when that quarterback does not have the arm strength to throw downfield. It is just about impossible when that same quarterback commits turnovers after turnover. Bagent is not good enough to overcome that.

The Saints gave Bagent and the Bears opportunities to come back. Bagent could not take advantage of those opportunities. As mentioned earlier, the Saints were in Bears territory seven times but scored on three of them. A lot of those happened in the fourth quarter. If it wasn't a decision to forego a field goal to make it a two-score lead late in the game it was a missed field goal. However, Bagent just kept turning the ball over.

It wasn't as if Bagent was not well protected. He was sacked twice. One of them came in that ugly fourth quarter and resulted in the fumble he lost. One of his best attributes was his ability to scan the field, check down, and get rid of the ball quickly. The Saints continued to bait him into thinking he had an open receiver. The defender then jumped the pass and intercepted it. Bagent looked completely like the Division II rookie he is.

It will be interesting to see if the Bears continue with Bagent if Fields is ready to go. Do they feel he is more of the quarterback who had a good first half or one who collapsed in the second half and looked lost and confused? It will be a big and quick decision because the Bears play on Thursday night against the Carolina Panthers.