Fields injures left shoulder late in Bears' loss vs. Falcons

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ATLANTA -- Things went from bad to worse Sunday in Atlanta for the Bears as quarterback Justin Fields suffered a left shoulder injury in Chicago's 27-24 loss to the Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Fields suffered the injury on the first play of the Bears' final drive. The Bears dialed up a quarterback sweep to the left that gained 1 yard, but Fields landed on that left shoulder when he was tackled and was slow to get up. He was seen grimacing during the final two plays of the drive and was taken to get medical evaluation on a cart after the game.

The second-year quarterback said the doctors had yet to look at the X-rays. Fields isn't sure if he'll be able to play next Sunday when the Bears travel to face the New York Jets.

"I don't even know what happened to be honest with you," Fields said after the loss of the play that he suffered the injury. "It was just hurting after [that play].

"I'm just going to take it day by day," Fields later said when asked about his availability for Week 12.

Fields had a left-shoulder injury earlier in the season, but he said this injury is not related.

Even though the injury is to Fields' non-throwing shoulder, the young signal-caller said he believes it will impact his ability to throw.

"A little bit. The pain right now is pretty bad," Fields said. "Again, I'm just going to take it day by day and see how it feels later in the week."

Fields was clearly favoring his left shoulder for the four minutes he stood at the makeshift podium in the bowels of Mercedes-Benz Stadium. He was leaning over heavily when he went by on the cart to the X-ray room after the game.

The Bears' recent offensive explosion has been in large part due to Fields' prolific running ability. But Fields has said his legs are getting heavy, and the big hits he was avoiding early in the season are starting to find him.

Fields took several big hits Sunday against the Falcons, including a few that he and his teammates felt were late hits that weren't flagged.

The toughness that Fields has shown this season has resonated in the Bears' locker room.

"It sets the standard," right guard Teven Jenkins told NBC Sports Chicago. "Everybody around here preaches that we want to be the toughest team in the league. Seeing him always bounce back, it really does set the standard."

The Bears now will enter Jets week with uncertainty at quarterback. There's no question that Fields' left-shoulder injury is more than the weekly wear and tear.

Fields was honest about the pain he's feeling. Given the state of the Bears' offensive line and their 3-8 record, there's little reason to put him out there at less than 100 percent against a good Jets pass rush.

We'll find out more about Fields' status in the coming days. But the Bears might have lost more than a game Sunday in Atlanta.

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