There appears to be a huge sigh of relief on Tuesday morning within the Chicago Bears organization. Nick Foles, the veteran quarterback acquired via trade this offseason who's since taken the role as starter from Mitchell Trubisky, was carted off the field after taking a hard hit by Vikings defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo during the final minute of the Bears' 19-13 loss on "Monday Night Football." With very limited information after the game, head coach Matt Nagy said Foles suffered a right leg/hip injury on the play and would be further evaluated. The Bears were preparing for the possibility that the injury could be season-ending, but they're now glad to know it is nothing of the sort.
After some positive reports came out suggesting that Foles would be OK following his injury on Monday night, Nagy confirmed to reporters Tuesday that the quarterback is "day to day" with a hip and glute injury and even stated that it "isn't as bad as we once thought." Nagy also said that he doesn't envision Foles landing on IR so t it sounds like he dodged a bullet after being thrown down on the right side of his body during the Bears' final offensive possession of the game. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the hope is that Foles suffered a hip pointer and will have an MRI today.
He was replaced by Tyler Bray, who completed his first pass before ending the game with four straight incompletions.
Here's the play, with 34 seconds left in the game: Nick Foles gets slammed to the ground and had to be carted off. pic.twitter.com/1WLHoTAP4A
— NFL Update (@MySportsUpdate) November 17, 2020
The Bears might also reportedly get Trubisky back from a shoulder injury following the bye, leaving the role of starter against the Green Bay Packers in Week 12 to be determined by whichever is healthiest -- the nod going to Foles until further notice.
Foles, who was seen communicating with the Bears' medical staff as he was being carted off the field, went 15 of 26 for 106 yards with an interception. He received virtually no help from a running game that rushed for just 41 yards on 17 carries. Bears starting running back David Montgomery missed the game with a concussion. With the loss, the Bears fell to 5-5 after a 5-1 start. Conversely, the Vikings are now 4-5 after a 1-5 start. Both teams are currently ahead of Detroit (4-5) and behind Green Bay (7-2) in the NFC North standings.
A nine-year veteran, Foles is in the middle of his first season in Chicago. A Super Bowl MVP after leading the Eagles to a victory over the Patriots in Super Bowl LII, Foles is 2-5 as the Bears starter this season. Despite the Bears' lack of success, Foles had been enjoying success as of late. He threw for 607 yards and five touchdowns in Chicago's last two games heading into Monday night's game.
It's clear the Bears would prefer to not go back to Trubisky for Week 12, and may not have to.
