Matt Nagy Announces Andy Dalton Will Start for Bears vs. Cardinals, Justin Fields Out

Fields has been out since Week 11 with cracked ribs.

The Bears will look to upset one of the NFL's top teams, the Cardinals, on Sunday. Veteran quarterback Andy Dalton is getting the start, as rookie Justin Fields continues to recover from a rib injury suffered a few weeks ago.

Coach Matt Nagy told reporters that Dalton will be QB1 for Sunday's game, with Nick Foles as back up. Fields, who has started eight games for Chicago this season, has been out since Week 11's loss to Baltimore.

Dalton, who lost his starting job after the first two weeks of the season, led the Bears to a 16–14 win over the Lions last weekend. He completed 24 of 39 passes for 317 yards, one touchdown and an interception in the contest. Now, he looks to make it two straight with the 9–2 Cardinals coming to town, as the Bears cling to life in the playoff race.

Arizona hopes to have its young star quarterback Kyler Murray back for this one, after three weeks out with a high ankle sprain.

Matt Nagy says Andy Dalton will start for Bears on Sunday against the Cardinals. Justin Fields is OUT. Nick Foles is the backup QB.

— Jason Lieser (@JasonLieser) December 3, 2021

On the year, Dalton is completing 64.3% of his passes for 788 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. The Bears are 2–1 in his starts.

Fields, meanwhile, has been up-and-down as a rookie. He is completing 58.1% of his throws for 1,361 yards, four touchdowns, and eight interceptions, adding 311 yards and two scores on the ground.

He looked to be turning the corner in the few weeks before his injury, playing well in losses to the 49ers and Steelers. In the latter game, he fell just short, after leading his team to a go-ahead touchdown late, before Ben Roethlisberger answered to win the game 29–27. Fields threw for 291 yards and a touchdown and added 45 rushing yards in that one.

The Bears and Cardinals kick off at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field.

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