Left tackle Braxton Jones is one of the Bears’ most mild-mannered players. So it seemed a little out of character to see him visibly upset as he walked off the field and told an official, “I couldn’t [expletive] see,” when he was removed in the third quarter of the Bears’ 31-26 loss to the Lions on Sunday at Ford Field.
As it turned out, Jones was OK. Officials had him leave the field after he complained of dizziness after falling to the ground and quickly getting up on Khalil Herbert’s rush for no gain. Jones missed two plays — Justin Fields threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to DJ Moore on the second one — with Larry Borom at left tackle. But Jones returned on the next possession and finished the game with no repercussions.
“I had rolled and tumbled, and I just got up way too quick, just got me a little dizzy,” Jones said. “I just needed a second. The refs took me off. I was evaluated. I was completely fine, honestly. I just think I was tired, needed 10 seconds to gather myself, but we didn’t have 10 seconds. The play clock was going down.”
The 6-6, 310-pound Jones missed six games this season with a neck injury but said the episode against the Lions was not related to the previous injury. And he never was concerned about that.
“I knew I was fine; that’s kind of why I was frustrated,’’ Jones said. ‘‘But no need to react like that, and I apologize for reacting like that. Just in the moment, I wanted to be out there for my teammates. Nothing was wrong with me. I got evaluated and was right back out there playing.”
Jefferson questionable
All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson, who has missed the last six games on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, is questionable for the game Monday night against the Bears, Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said.
Jefferson has been practicing on a limited basis since Nov. 8, but he and O’Connell are being extra-careful about returning too quickly. The Vikings (6-5), who are 5-1 without Jefferson, have a bye after playing the Bears.
“His long-term career here is the priority,” O’Connell told reporters Monday.
Missed opportunities
The Bears had three interceptions against Lions quarterback Jared Goff, who came into the game with only five interceptions on 326 passes — third-best in the NFL. But they could’ve had more. Cornerback Jaylon Johnson lamented two missed opportunities for picks that he could’ve returned for touchdowns.
“Definitely had a shot at both; I should have capitalized,” Johnson said. “I had two opportunities to put 14 points on the board. Gotta finish those better. Not easy catches, but I’m a player that can make those plays, and I’ve got to do it.”
Feeney gets the call
When center Lucas Patrick injured his back in the second quarter, Dan Feeney replaced him and played the last 40 snaps. Cody Whitehair, who has started at center and guard for the Bears, is exclusively a backup at guard.
“You can only prep one center to back up, and Feeney was the guy to do that,” Bears coach Matt Eberflus said. “He obviously has experience at that position, and then Cody was gonna back up the guard spots.”
Patrick blindsided
Patrick initially was injured when he was blindsided by a Lion while chasing safety Tracy Walker, who had recovered what he thought was a fumble by tight end Cole Kmet. Eberflus said the Bears turned that play into the league office for review.
“The play was blown down, and then Lucas was pursuing and ended up getting hit, and that’s unfortunate,” Eberflus said. “I talked to the ref about it, we discussed it and we’ll leave it at that. We’ll see what they say.”
Playing it safe
The Bears converted two fourth-down situations in the first half — Fields’ five-yard pass to Moore on fourth-and-two at the Lions’ 43 in the first quarter and Roschon Johnson’s five-yard run on fourth-and-one at the Lions’ 32 in the second quarter. The Bears scored three points after those conversions.
But Eberflus wasn’t ready to gamble with a 20-14 lead and a fourth-and-one at the Lions’ 23 after Fields was stuffed on a sneak attempt on third-and-one. Cairo Santos kicked a 40-yard field goal to give the Bears a 23-14 lead and force the Lions to score twice to win.
That’s generally the correct play. Teams have gone for the first down in that situation seven times in six games this season and converted four times. For what it’s worth, the gambling team won each time, whether the gamble worked or not.
“The fourth downs early were good decisions,” Eberflus said. “We’ve got to capitalize on those and turn them both into touchdowns. Later in the game, where the game was, based on what we’ve seen to that point, we like our decisions on fourth down, not going for it and kicking those field goals.”
