Getty Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent took ownership after his four-turnover game in the loss to the Saints.
Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent had another uneven outing against the New Orleans Saints, committing four turnovers in the 24-17 loss. Still, he isn’t ducking his share of the responsibility for the mistakes.
Following Sunday’s loss, Bagent blamed himself for the Bears being unable to close the gap in a one-score game against the Saints. He played fairly well through three quarters despite an early interception, but he threw two more picks and coughed up the ball on a sack in three of Chicago’s final four drives in the fourth quarter to seal their defeat.
“I thought we did a good job of controlling the game, managing the play clock, especially with the atmosphere they always tell you about when you come here to play the Saints,” Bagent said during his November 5 postgame press conference. “Thought we managed that well and were taking advantage of a lot of things.
“Really, it just all comes down myself in that last quarter, being able to do a better job taking care of the ball. Coach talks about it every day, how important it is to take care, and I didn’t do a good job of that. So that’s basically just me in that last quarter.”
In his third career start, Bagent completed 18 of his 30 passes for 220 yards and two touchdowns while adding another 70 rushing yards on eight carries. His three total interceptions and strip-sack fumble, however, proved the difference in the game for the Bears, who lost their second straight game and sink to 2-7 on the 2023 season.
Tyson Bagent: ‘Embarrassing’ to Lose Turnover Battle
Bagent admitted there were times down the stretch against the Saints where he tried to force a few balls to his receivers and ended up throwing an interception.
Bagent conceded he was off the mark on his throw to Darnell Mooney that marked his first pick of the fourth quarter. On his second one to Tyler Scott, he felt like he was on target but that Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo simply made a good play in coverage.
“I thought our team played extremely well, which is why it is so embarrassing just because [in a] one-score game, [to] lose the turnover battle by that amount, it’s embarrassing,” Bagent said. “But it’s part of the game. I’m just looking forward to building and learning from this experience.”
Tyson Bagent’s Run as Bears Starter Nearing its End
Bagent’s three-game run as starting quarterback has been a roller coaster for Chicago, but it could be coming to an end after Justin Fields returned to practice in Week 9.
Fields dislocated his right thumb in Week 6’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings and has spent the past three weeks on the sideline trying to regain grip strength in his throwing hand. The 2021 first-round pick did, however, return to the practice field for the first time as a limited participant last Friday, opening the door for him to play in Week 10.
Now, the Bears might still decide to exhibit caution with Fields and wait one more week to welcome him back into the lineup. After all, they are facing a quick turnaround in Week 10 leading up to their Thursday Night Football bout with the Carolina Panthers.
If this is the end of Bagent’s run at quarterback, though, the rookie feels he learned a lot from the experience and considers himself “blessed beyond measure” for the chance.
“I thought I did a lot of good things,” Bagent said. “I think there’s a lot of things I can also learn from. But you know, at the end of the day, I’m blessed beyond measure. I can’t believe the position I’m in. I had an extreme amount of fun with all the guys having my back the way they did. But for me, going forward, nothing changes. I continue to prepare as if I’m starting every game, so looking forward to it.”