JustinFields.jpg
© Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

There's some concern surrounding the health of Justin Fields, who left the field against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday with what's being labeled as an injury to his ribs. Initially listed as questionable, he was eventually downgraded to out by the team and did not return. There appears to be some semblance of good news, however, with early tests reportedly showing no broken ribs -- per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network -- but instead that Fields may have suffered only bruised ribs, but the Bears will run more tests before making a final determination.

In his absence, head coach Matt Nagy sent in former starting quarterback Andy Dalton, who lost the role of QB1 earlier this season after he suffered an injury himself. Without former league MVP Lamar Jackson to contend with -- inactive in this bout due to illness -- it turned into a defensive nail-biter at Soldier Field, one that hadn't seen either team find the end zone deep into the third quarter, but Dalton changed that quickly. 

Shortly after entering the contest, he found wide receiver Darnell Mooney in the flat for a short pass that became anything but, as Mooney burst forward through the Ravens defense for a 60-yard touchdown.

Dalton appeared to have an early control of the Bears offense, but while the Bears continued to work on landing the upset against the visiting Ravens, they wondered if Fields would return to the game. He didn't, and now the concern moves to Week 12, as they try to determine the severity of his injury over the next few days. For Dalton, it was an up-and-down affair against the Ravens, with the veteran quarterback delivering two touchdowns to no interceptions but also missing some key throws and completing just 11 of his 23 pass attempts.

That said, there's a chance Dalton returns to the starting role in Week 12, if Fields and his ribs aren't either healed enough on a short week or manageable -- from a pain perspective -- as they prepare to take on the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving. There's little time for head coach Matt Nagy to sort it out while trying to bounce back from letting an opportunity to upset the Ravens slip away.