Tyson Bagent Advances in the Face of Uncertainty
Whether Tyson Bagent starts as quarterback for the Bears once more now hinges on Justin Fields’ thumb healing.
Whether it’s a victory or a defeat, everything you do as the quarterback is seen to everyone.
“I’ll repeat myself: I’ll be a window when things go well and a mirror when they go poorly,” Bagent said to reporters on Sunday night at Sofi Stadium.
In his third NFL outing against the Chargers, a game the Bears lost 30-13, Bagent displayed some of the shortcomings that may be expected from a Division II thrower. The reflection was evident for all to see.
“I’ve got to do a better job taking care of the ball and that’s about the extent of it,” Bagent stated.
The same issues that have occasionally plagued the Bears offense under Justin Fields’ quarterbacking became issues for Bagent: he didn’t give DJ Moore enough passes, there were mishandled passes, and the passing game couldn’t withstand the pressure of trying to be flawless while the Bears defense continued to allow touchdowns.
“I thought it was solid,” was the way coach Matt Eberflus summed up the performance by his backup in a second straight start for Fields. “I thought he operated well.”
It was no worse than anyone else on offense, anyway. And Bagent avoided a huge gaffe, like the one wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. had when he fell while wide open in the end zone, sat there and had the ball come to him and then dropped it anyway.
When the ball left his hand, Bagent had to sense that it was a touchdown.
“I felt good about it but you know I’m always going to trust the guys that are out there,” Bagent stated to reporters. “I have complete confidence in Velus. I will still make it a point to get him the ball if that occurs the following week and the week after that because I have witnessed him make plays like that a million times.”
It is true that Bagent frequently exaggerates. He did, after all, claim to have an arm cannon.
It was better to get it to DJ Moore than to Jones. However, Moore managed to score 55 yards with four catches off six targets. Every objective but one was met in the first half.
“That’s never a good thing,” Bagent declared. It’s all simply the way the game is designed, though. I can immediately think of a few instances when I believe I could have given him the ball a little bit more.
Promote yourself
“But you know, I’ll have to go back and look at the film and check.”
Bagent did check down well and found tight end Cole Kmet 10 out of 10 throws for 79 yards. He had the 41-yard throw on the first play of the game to Darnell Mooney that wound up as a big gainer but should have been a touchdown if the official hadn’t decided to blow the whistle for no reason.
If Moore wasn’t getting open, he wasn’t alone. Mooney had no more catches after the deep ball on the first play, with four total targets.
Bagent was almost open himself on one play. It was Mooney trying to hit him on a throw-back pass, but Khalil Mack sniffed it out and followed Bagent all the way downfield to break it up.
“I think he’s one of the greatest when you think about players in the league, so high IQ and it’s a good thing he did or that would have bene a touchdown,” Bagent said.
He has an awful lot of faith in his own receiving ability or in Mooney’s arm.
Whether he gets another chance depends up on Justin Fields’ thumb now.
Bagent declared, “It’s nothing for me to figure out.” “I have no control over that. I will thus approach this week in the same manner as usual. Nothing changes.
Either way, he has to hope it does. Alternatively, it may be his final QB snap this season.
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