Chicago Bears vs. New York Jets live updates from MetLife Stadium

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Everybody wanted to know if Bears quarterback Justin Fields was going to play Sunday.

Fields said this week that when his Ohio State Buckeyes were playing in the national championship game a couple years ago, he would’ve done anything to be on the field. He played in that game against Alabama despite having several cracked ribs.

Sunday’s game against the New York Jets in Week 12 is not the national championship game for the 3-8 Chicago Bears.

Fields is nursing a left shoulder injury and will not play Sunday. Officially, he was listed as questionable and tested out his shoulder before the game. With Fields sidelined, backup Trevor Siemian started the game in his place.

Follow @bears_insider for live updates all game long. Shaw Local Bears beat reporter Sean Hammond is covering the game live from New Jersey. Follow him on Twitter at @sean_hammond and on Instagram at @bears_reporter.

Catch up on everything you need to know ahead of the game below, and stay here all game long for live updates.

Jets kneel on a 31-10 win

The Jets ran out the clock on a 31-10 win over the Bears. Mike White threw for 315 yards and three touchdowns for the Jets. The Bears failed to score in the second half.

Borom, Claypool evaluated for injuries

Right tackle Larry Borom and wide receiver Chase Claypool were both evaluated in the Bears’ medical tent along the sidelines. Claypool was slow to get up after leaping for a high pass from QB Trevor Siemian. Borom appeared to injure his leg a couple plays later.

Borom left the Bears’ sideline and went to the locker room. Claypool stayed on the team sideline after exiting the medical tent.

Michael Schofield entered the game at right tackle in place of Borom, who was already replacing injured starter Riley Reiff.

Jets’ running back Ty Johnson stiff-arms his way into end zone

Jets running back Ty Johnson stuck his hand in the face of Bears safety Elijah Hicks and stiff-armed his way into the end zone for another Jets touchdown. The Jets went up by three touchdowns, 31-10, late in the third quarter. Johnson’s touchdown went for 32 yards

The short-handed Bears defense appeared to be falling apart without Eddie Jackson, Kyler Gordon or Jaquan Brisker.

Mike White throws his third TD pass

Jets quarterback Mike White connected with receiver Elijah Moore for a 22-yard touchdown pass midway through the third quarter. The score extended the Jets’ lead, 24-10.

For White, it marked his third touchdown pass of the game. With a quarter and a half remaining in the game, White had completed 18-of-23 passes for 259 yards and three scores.

Darnell Mooney suffers apparent leg injury

Bears receiver Darnell Mooney suffered an apparent lower leg injury. On a David Montgomery carry, Mooney was blocking when it appeared that an opponent rolled up on Mooney’s legs from behind.

Mooney was down on the turf for several minutes, being attended to by team trainers. Mooney did not put any weight on his left leg as he was helped back to the team locker room.

The Bears later announced that Mooney was doubtful to return due to an ankle injury.

Jets kicker Greg Zuerlein makes 57-yard field goal

Jets kicker Greg Zuerlein made a 57-yard field goal to extend New York’s lead, 17-10, in the waning seconds of the first half. The Jets drove 34 yards on nine plays to add three more points before the half.

At halftime, Jets QB Mike White is 16-for-20 passing for 235 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Bears QB Trevor Siemian is 8-for-11 for 127 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. Running back David Montgomery has 18 rushing yards on six carries, plus 29 receiving yards on two catches.

Eddie Jackson suffers injury, Jets score touchdown

Bears safety and captain Eddie Jackson crumpled to the field holding his left foot or ankle, leaving a wide open lane for Jets receiver Garrett Wilson to score a 54-yard touchdown. The Jets regained the lead, 14-10, with 4:57 remaining in the second quarter.

For quarterback Mike White, it marked his second touchdown pass of the game.

Jackson needed to take a cart from the Bears’ sideline to the locker room. Minutes later, the team ruled Jackson out for the remainder of the game with a foot injury.

Jets botch field goal try

On third-and-11 at the Bears’ 22-yard line, the Jets elected to go short and try to set up a field goal. On the field goal try, holder Braden Mann couldn’t handle the snap and aborted the kick, electing to run for it. After a few steps, he attempted to pitch the football. A wild sequence ensued where the Bears wound up with the loose football and subsequently fumbled it.

The fumbles were all for naught, though, because the referees ruled that Mann had thrown an incomplete forward pass.

Pringle makes tough touchdown catch

Bears receiver Byron Pringle caught his first touchdown of the season, and it was a tough one. QB Trevor Siemian zipped a ball toward Pringle in the middle of the end zone. Pringle went up and over Jets cornerback D.J. Reed to catch the ball over the top of Reed’s helmet. For Pringle, who has been injured for stretches of the season, it was just his fourth reception of the year.

It officially went for a 4-yard touchdown pass from Siemian to Pringle. The Bears took their first lead of the afternoon, 10-7, with 14:20 remaining in the second quarter.

Riley Reiff injures shoulder

Bears starting right tackle Riley Reiff left Sunday’s game with a shoulder injury and is officially questionable to return, per the team. Reiff played the first offensive possession at right tackle. Backup Larry Borom entered the game for the second possession.

Bears safety and special teams player Dane Cruikshank is doubtful to return due to a hamstring injury.

Siemian starts; Bears score field goal

After some confusion prior to the game as to who would be starting, backup Trevor Siemian started the game at quarterback. The team announced prior to the game that third-string QB Nathan Peterman would start because Siemian injured his oblique in warm ups. After additional warm ups, that plan appeared to have changed.

Siemian completed three passes on the opening drive and led the Bears downfield for a field goal. Kicker Cairo Santos made a 22-yard field goal try, cutting into the Jets’ lead, 7-3.

Jets score first

Quarterback Mike White led the Jets down field on a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. White connected with receiver Garrett Wilson for an 8-yard touchdown. The Jets went ahead early, 7-0, following the opening possession.

Making his first start of the season, White went 6-for-7 passing on the opening drive for 69 yards.

QB Trevor Siemian injured pregame, Nathan Peterman will start

Bears backup quarterback Trevor Siemian injured his oblique during warm ups prior to Sunday’s game, team officials announced. Third-string quarterback Nathan Peterman will start Sunday.

Because the injury happened after the deadline to make players inactive, Siemian will still suit up and serve as the backup. Justin Fields remains inactive and will not be in uniform.

Peterman’s last NFL start was in 2018 with the Buffalo Bills – against the Chicago Bears. This will mark his fifth career NFL start. He has appeared in 10 NFL games, including one last year as a member of the Las Vegas Raiders.

Peterman has been on the Bears’ practice squad all season and was elevated to the active roster on Saturday. He signed with the team as a free agent in March.

In his last start against the 2018 Bears, Peterman threw three interceptions and completed 31 passes for just 188 yards. For his career, he has 12 interceptions and three touchdown passes.

Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said this week that running back David Montgomery would be the emergency QB if Peterman were to suffer an injury. Montgomery last played quarterback in high school growing up in the Cincinnati area.

“He’s kind of that extra green dot that we have in our back pocket,” Getsy said, referring to the green dot that quarterbacks where on their helmets.

Update: Bears officials now say there’s a chance Siemian could start. Siemian took reps with the first-team offense during warm ups.

Justin Fields is inactive, will not play

Bears starting quarterback Justin Fields briefly warmed up prior to Sunday’s game, but has been listed as inactive and will not play Sunday. The Bears will officially pivot to backup quarterback Trevor Siemian.

Also inactive for the Bears is safety Jaquan Brisker, cornerback Kyler Gordon and linebacker Sterling Weatherford, who are all out due to concussions. Receiver N’Keal Harry, lineman Alex Leatherwood and lineman Ja’Tyre Carter are inactive but are healthy scratches.

So how bad is Fields injured shoulder?

Fields last spoke with members of the media on Wednesday after practice at Halas Hall. At the time, he said he wouldn’t have played if the game were Wednesday.

The 23-year-old quarterback injured his left shoulder after being tripped up near the end of last week’s loss in Atlanta. Fields landed awkwardly on his left shoulder along the sidelines. He stayed in the game for two more plays before throwing an interception that essentially ended the game.

Bears head coach Matt Eberflus has been intentionally vague about Fields’ status this week. Asked this week about the gamesmanship involved – not wanting to tip his hand to the Jets – Eberflus said “you have to do that.”

The Bears flexed third-string QB Nathan Peterman from the practice squad to the active roster on Saturday, likely indicating that the Bears will need him to dress as the backup.

[ What changes if Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields can’t play Sunday? Pretty much everything ]

Who is Trevor Siemian?

If Siemian takes the reins, it will be his first start as a member of the Bears. He signed with Chicago as a free agent in March. The Northwestern alum has started 29 games during the course of his eight-year career. He most recently played for the New Orleans Saints, making four starts last year after Jameis Winston injured his knee.

He saw his most extensive action in 2016 and 2017 with the Denver Broncos, when he started 24 games following Peyton Manning’s retirement. The Broncos were 13-11 in his 24 starts.

This season, Siemian has taken only three snaps in regular season action.

[ Bears expected to sign QB Trevor Siemian, per report ]

What to expect from the Jets

The big news this week in New York was that the Jets benched former No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson in favor of backup Mike White. Wilson was selected ahead of Trey Lance, Justin Fields and Mac Jones in the 2021 draft, behind only Trevor Lawrence.

White performed better than expected in limited action in 2021 when Wilson was injured. He threw for more than 400 yards in his first career start. Eberflus called White more of a pocket passer, and he’s certainly less mobile than Wilson.

Here are five things to watch in Sunday’s matchup. What does the Shaw Local staff think of this game? Here are our picks for Sunday.

For your pregame listening, head over to the Shaw Local Bears Insider podcast.

What else did I miss this week?

Here’s what else was happening at Halas Hall this week.

[ Chicago Bears QB Justin Fields tried to apologize for Sunday’s loss, but teammates wouldn’t let him ]

[ Bear Down, Nerd Up: Even after progress, Chicago Bears’ passing attack still has a long way to go ]

[ Chicago Bears just want refs to treat Justin Fields like other QBs ]