Justin Fields - Separated Left Shoulder - Now What?

[RichH55]

How can his shoulder be hurt?

Carrying this f-kn offense for a season and a half would hurt anyone’s shoulder.

Thats why I always say lift with the back!

Ha

[IE]

I'd assume if he plays it would be because he's pretty close to 100% and pain free - and able to throw without interference from that shoulder. In that case it would be no different than any other week. That would be a bit of a pleasant surprise if he recovered so quickly from getting dinged like that. Of course he is 23 and invincible and football is a young man's game for the most part... so it shouldn't be a huge surprise. He didn't have his eggs scrambled like Tua. If you've ever had a shoulder dislocate you'd know a week later it might not be a show-stopper (at least the throwing arm).

If he does play, he'd probably still play a little more cautious, be a little quicker to get rid of it & avoid contact ... might end up playing even better. I believe it might change Getsy's calculus as well, leading him to call some passes at times when he may have recently been calling a keeper simply because running was a lower risk call. Now passing would be lower risk. Maybe Getsy would change his approach. Maybe.

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

Of course he is 23 and invincible and football is a young man's game for the most part... so it shouldn't be a huge surprise.

I learned all I needed to know about Fields toughness when I saw the college game against Lawrence’s Clemson.
He was rushing, took a terrible hit - a helmet straight onto his ribs at pace. He got up, threw a TD a few plays later, went off the field clearly in pain. Came back and threw 5 TDs and upstaged Lawrence.
He didn’t come out of the game, even when a win was pretty secure, he wanted to punish that opponent and he did it to devastating effect.

This kid eats nails for breakfast and spits rust.

[RichH55]

I'd assume if he plays it would be because he's pretty close to 100% and pain free - and able to throw without interference from that shoulder. In that case it would be no different than any other week. That would be a bit of a pleasant surprise if he recovered so quickly from getting dinged like that. Of course he is 23 and invincible and football is a young man's game for the most part... so it shouldn't be a huge surprise. He didn't have his eggs scrambled like Tua. If you've ever had a shoulder dislocate you'd know a week later it might not be a show-stopper (at least the throwing arm).

If he does play, he'd probably still play a little more cautious, be a little quicker to get rid of it & avoid contact ... might end up playing even better. I believe it might change Getsy's calculus as well, leading him to call some passes at times when he may have recently been calling a keeper simply because running was a lower risk call. Now passing would be lower risk. Maybe Getsy would change his approach. Maybe.

Fields is a tough SOB.

With these circumstances - you just can't let him play

[IE]

I can't see your posts, Rich. Sorry. Mama tried.

[RichH55]

I can't see your posts, Rich. Sorry. Mama tried.

We weren't disagreeing

Do you ever get a chance to watch the USA Hockey National team by you?

Great arena

[The Cooler King]

I have zero idea on how to feel about him possibly playing, but the murkiness of reporting on the actual injury is substantial here.

Can't bubble wrap a guy, even in a now lost season. But the question is ultimately whether or not playing on the injury will damage it further and will resting the injury help it to recover faster. If both are a no, there's really no way you can hold him out.

[docc]

He's a Big strong guy..BUT sit him..the future of this team and his future deserves to keep him as healthy as possible.

Lose to the QB screwed up Yets is of NO CONSEQUENCE...

[RichH55]

I have zero idea on how to feel about him possibly playing, but the murkiness of reporting on the actual injury is substantial here.

Can't bubble wrap a guy, even in a now lost season. But the question is ultimately whether or not playing on the injury will damage it further and will resting the injury help it to recover faster. If both are a no, there's really no way you can hold him out.

I kind of disagree.

You sit him down - tell him we think you are the future of this franchise, and we appreciate you wanting to play but we have 3 wins right now. We have to protect you. If this was a playoff game - you are full bore. But it's not.

Do the smart thing

[Arkansasbear]

Of course he is 23 and invincible and football is a young man's game for the most part... so it shouldn't be a huge surprise.

I learned all I needed to know about Fields toughness when I saw the college game against Lawrence’s Clemson.
He was rushing, took a terrible hit - a helmet straight onto his ribs at pace. He got up, threw a TD a few plays later, went off the field clearly in pain. Came back and threw 5 TDs and upstaged Lawrence.
He didn’t come out of the game, even when a win was pretty secure, he wanted to punish that opponent and he did it to devastating effect.

This kid eats nails for breakfast and spits rust.

You mean this hit by James Skalski? I'm with you, that's all I need to know about how tough he is.



I though Skalski would have a big future in the NFL, but just saw he went undrafted and the was signed by the Colt.

[Arkansasbear]

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2 ... -shoulder/

I don't know if this has been put out there around here, but PFT is saying it's NOT a dislocation. Still don't know if he should start, but it might not be as bad as first reported.

[docc]

Why would we care to risk Justin to beat the Jets ? Absurd..keep the future..Justin and higher draft picks..and tons of $$,,

[Ditka’s dictaphone]

I learned all I needed to know about Fields toughness when I saw the college game against Lawrence’s Clemson.
He was rushing, took a terrible hit - a helmet straight onto his ribs at pace. He got up, threw a TD a few plays later, went off the field clearly in pain. Came back and threw 5 TDs and upstaged Lawrence.
He didn’t come out of the game, even when a win was pretty secure, he wanted to punish that opponent and he did it to devastating effect.

This kid eats nails for breakfast and spits rust.

You mean this hit by James Skalski? I'm with you, that's all I need to know about how tough he is.



I though Skalski would have a big future in the NFL, but just saw he went undrafted and the was signed by the Colt.

That’s the one

[The Cooler King]

I have zero idea on how to feel about him possibly playing, but the murkiness of reporting on the actual injury is substantial here.

Can't bubble wrap a guy, even in a now lost season. But the question is ultimately whether or not playing on the injury will damage it further and will resting the injury help it to recover faster. If both are a no, there's really no way you can hold him out.

I kind of disagree.

You sit him down - tell him we think you are the future of this franchise, and we appreciate you wanting to play but we have 3 wins right now. We have to protect you. If this was a playoff game - you are full bore. But it's not.

Do the smart thing

They can take steps to protect him without shutting him down completely. I wish it were a little more simple and he just had better protection, but they can still get him development time that he does need.

But it comes back to the nature of the injury and its risks, which right now seems awfully murky. So I don't know how to ultimately feel.

[malk]

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2 ... -shoulder/

I don't know if this has been put out there around here, but PFT is saying it's NOT a dislocation. Still don't know if he should start, but it might not be as bad as first reported.

If it was a dislocation he just wouldn't be playing. For a separation/subluxation etc. then it really might not be all that much. I've done it a few times, stupidly playing on in a couple (amateur rugby, team has run out of subs etc.) and even though it's really painful during the game and for a day or two after, then you get the mobility back and it's pretty much the same as the bumps and bruises you'd normally expect. Put another way, I'd much prefer to have a minor subluxation of my shoulder than a sprained ankle.

Of course I'm not playing in the NFL and I'm not a QB! But suffice to day I don't think playing him is automatically irresponsible, it genuinely might not be that serious.

[EDIT: typos]

[thunderspirit]

I mean, just cos they're optimistic doesn't mean he's gonna play. I'm optimistic that Scarlett Johanssen will return my voice mails, but that doesn't mean it's gonna happen.

This team under Eberflus is weirdly tight-lipped about injuries. I'm sure there's a competitive reason (don't give the opponent information, yadda yadda yadda) but it just feels off. I dunno. Maybe just me.

At any rate, what matters is if he practices this week, how much/how often, and what happens on Sunday.

[bearsoldier]

For once, I think there is good reason to believe sportsmockery may have actually had the scoop on this. I know, I know its "sportsmockery"

https://www.sportsmockery.com/chicago-b ... likely-is/

I have coached in the past and have also experienced the injury firsthand with some of our athletes. My first thought was, I hope he did not break his collarbone. X-rays were good, and that was great news.

When you watch how painful it was, it makes sense that it may have been the AC joint. It is very painful the first few weeks, but it does not necessarily rule out playing again in one week if only a minor sprain.

I also think the Bears are allowed to describe it as a dislocated shoulder because in essence an AC joint sprain is actually considered a minor dislocation. I do not think the injury rules require teams to get into specifics.

Excerpt from the NIH website...
"Acromioclavicular (AC) joint injuries are common in young athletes and are one of the most prevalent shoulder injuries in contact sports. Reports have shown that 41% of collegiate football players and 40% of National Football League quarterbacks experience AC joint dislocations during their careers."

That said, I think they should rest him until after the bye week in a season with nothing to prove at this point.

[RichH55]

I mean, just cos they're optimistic doesn't mean he's gonna play. I'm optimistic that Scarlett Johanssen will return my voice mails, but that doesn't mean it's gonna happen.

This team under Eberflus is weirdly tight-lipped about injuries. I'm sure there's a competitive reason (don't give the opponent information, yadda yadda yadda) but it just feels off. I dunno. Maybe just me.

At any rate, what matters is if he practices this week, how much/how often, and what happens on Sunday.

Are you actually optimistic about those voice mails though?

I feel like either you shouldn't be - or you shouldn't say it.

And that's what the coaching staff should be saying - Press Conferences do NOT matter and you are NOT under oath. Sell the hell out of the injury- so you can either let Fields rest OR if he plays then it helps the image

Either way the presser doesn't matter - especially to the Locker Room

[dplank]

None of this explains the apparent lack of leg burst we saw throughout the game. The shoulder happened right at the end, but he looked a bit off all game IMO.

[docc]

I think he meant Ingemar Johanssen...who has been quite silent for awhile..

[Grizzled]

None of this explains the apparent lack of leg burst we saw throughout the game. The shoulder happened right at the end, but he looked a bit off all game IMO.

It's not uncommon for pro athletes to hit a brick wall during a season, especially if they've seen a lot of action. Seems to be common in pro basketball with rookies. They play 30 to 35 games in a college season and some just flame out in their first and longer pro season. The Bears should announce today if JF 's playing. I think besides the shoulder he just needs some rest to let his whole body heal and get some energy back.

[G08]

Fields was cleared to practice today, but it's a walk-through and he would have been designated as limited.

I hope this is just "gamesmanship".

Sit him against the Jets, play him against the Packers and then give him the bye to recover.

[G08]

Bears quarterback Justin Fields clarified that his left shoulder injury is “a separated shoulder with partially torn ligaments, basically an AC joint.”

[Moriarty]

Bears quarterback Justin Fields clarified that his left shoulder injury is “a separated shoulder with partially torn ligaments, basically an AC joint.”

He's not diagnosis level specific here, but

https://www.uptodate.com/contents/acrom ... sics/print

Acromioclavicular injury — Acromioclavicular injury is labeled as a type I, II, III, IV, V, or VI, depending upon the extent of injury and number of ligaments involved. The type of injury can usually be determined with a physical examination and x-rays.

●Type I injuries involve a sprain or partial tear of AC ligaments with no injury to the CC ligaments. This causes a tender AC joint that often has mild swelling. Type I sprains usually heal within a few weeks.
Athletes who use overhand motions (eg, those who play tennis and serve volleyball, baseball pitchers, American football quarterbacks) may require two to three weeks to return to full activity. Complete healing may take four to six weeks.


After a type II AC injury, most people are able to return to full activities when full range of motion and strength are regained, usually after two to four weeks. Gradually, add back activities as tolerated by pain or soreness. Complete healing generally requires several more weeks.


Patients with a type III injury may return to normal activities between six and twelve weeks following injury,
type 3-6
season over

[G08]

He's not diagnosis level specific here, but

https://www.uptodate.com/contents/acrom ... sics/print

Acromioclavicular injury — Acromioclavicular injury is labeled as a type I, II, III, IV, V, or VI, depending upon the extent of injury and number of ligaments involved. The type of injury can usually be determined with a physical examination and x-rays.

●Type I injuries involve a sprain or partial tear of AC ligaments with no injury to the CC ligaments. This causes a tender AC joint that often has mild swelling. Type I sprains usually heal within a few weeks.
Athletes who use overhand motions (eg, those who play tennis and serve volleyball, baseball pitchers, American football quarterbacks) may require two to three weeks to return to full activity. Complete healing may take four to six weeks.


After a type II AC injury, most people are able to return to full activities when full range of motion and strength are regained, usually after two to four weeks. Gradually, add back activities as tolerated by pain or soreness. Complete healing generally requires several more weeks.


Patients with a type III injury may return to normal activities between six and twelve weeks following injury,
type 3-6
season over

I'd venture an uneducated guess that it's a Type I.

Fields said if he had to play TODAY, he would not have been able to do so (pain tolerance, etc). I think he'll try and gut it out, mentioned taking a pain-killing shot if needed before the game.

Jets defense has 32 sacks (4th), 81 QB hits (2nd) and 42 QB knockdowns (3rd) through 10 games.

I can't imagine any fool trotting Justin Fields out against this defense behind our porous offensive line. Then again, these are the Bears...

[docc]

SIT FIELDS UNTIL TOTALLY HEALTHY..
FUCK THIS SEASON..

[Moriarty]

https://www.nfl.com/news/bears-qb-justi ... -wednesday

Fields later said the decision to play Sunday against the New York Jets will be his.
"Coach (Eberflus) said it was up to me," he said. "They want the best for me."

No, they don't, or they'd take responsibility for the decision themselves (even if they actually let him decide).

Now Fields either has to play hurt, when he shouldn't
Or look like a wuss, with his coach hanging him out to dry


This is being handled so poorly.
It's like the Bears of old.

[karhu]

https://www.nfl.com/news/bears-qb-justi ... -wednesday

Fields later said the decision to play Sunday against the New York Jets will be his.
"Coach (Eberflus) said it was up to me," he said. "They want the best for me."

No, they don't, or they'd take responsibility for the decision themselves (even if they actually let him decide).

Now Fields either has to play hurt, when he shouldn't
Or look like a wuss, with his coach hanging him out to dry


This is being handled so poorly.
It's like the Bears of old.

It's Tua-tastic.

[Middleguard]

https://www.nfl.com/news/bears-qb-justi ... -wednesday

Fields later said the decision to play Sunday against the New York Jets will be his.
"Coach (Eberflus) said it was up to me," he said. "They want the best for me."

No, they don't, or they'd take responsibility for the decision themselves (even if they actually let him decide).

Now Fields either has to play hurt, when he shouldn't
Or look like a wuss, with his coach hanging him out to dry


This is being handled so poorly.
It's like the Bears of old.

This has shaken me. Why are the inmates running the asylum? This is the first time I've had to seriously question whether the coaching staff is really up to the job.
I'm hoping that Fields is actually misrepresenting their position on this matter.

[o-pus #40 in B major]

It rings off-key.