After many long months of waiting, the preseason is nearly over, and the regular season is almost here.
Before the Chicago Bears bid farewell to the preseason, the coaching staff has decided to play all healthy starters to give the team a true dress rehearsal for what will be an eventful season. The Bears will face a tough opponent in the Buffalo Bills on Saturday, a team that was one of the NFL’s best last season.
Saturday’s game is bound to be the most exciting of the preseason, and that means there are several important aspects of the game to keep an eye out for. How will a disheveled offensive line do against a fierce Bills defensive front? Can Chicago’s improved defense limit an explosive Bills offense? Will rookie phenom Tyson Bagent have another great game and lock himself in as Justin Fields’ backup?
Let’s take a look at the five biggest storylines heading into the Bears’ final game of the preseason.
1
How will the starters do in their dress rehearsal for the regular season?
The Bears have been conservative in giving their starters playing time, with only a handful receiving snaps in the preseason. Those players, such as wide receiver DJ Moore and running back Khalil Herbert, took full advantage of the downs they did play, with both scoring long touchdowns on catch-and-run plays.
The rest of the first team offense and defense haven’t been given the opportunity to have that same sort of impact, but that will change on Saturday. Head coach Matt Eberflus announced that most of the starters will play against the Bills, allowing his squad to get some live-game reps and shake off the rust before the Bears host the Packers in a couple of weeks.
Now the question is, how prepared are the starters for the speed and intensity of a live game? While the fans may be expecting the first-stringers to be firing on all cylinders to start the game, there’s a good chance they’ll come out of the locker room a bit slow as they get the reps they need to sharpen themselves physically and mentally.
The real test will be how the starters will adjust as the game progresses, and how they ultimately look as a unit before they get pulled out of the game. Saturday’s contest will reveal how ready the Bears are for the regular season.
2
Can a struggling Bears offensive line hold up against the Bills defense?
A Bears offensive line that once looked rebuilt has slowly fallen apart as the preseason went on. Talented guard Teven Jenkins suffered the most significant injury when he strained both calves, but several other prominent offensive lineman have been hampered with injuries. Center Cody Whitehair suffered a hand injury during the Bears’ joint practices with the Colts and rookie tackle Darnell Wright came up with a bad ankle earlier this week.
The starting offensive line will have a tough task going up against the Bills defensive front, with or without Wright and Whitehair. The Bills defensive line consists of talented players like Greg Rousseau, Ed Oliver, the great Von Miller, and even former Bear Leonard Floyd. The Bears offensive line could be in serious trouble if Buffalo decides to give their starters significant playing time. The unit struggled against the Titans and Colts, consistently getting beaten by opposing defensive linemen.
Going off the assumption the Bills will be at full strength, the Bears will need retune their game plan in order to mitigate such a fearsome defensive front. Expect the offense to call more quick passes, screens, and RPO’s – plays designed to get the ball out of quarterback Fields’ hands quickly.
If Saturday’s game had some bearing on the team’s win-loss record, offensive coordinator Luke Getsy may take the risk of designing more elaborate plays. But the Bears’ number one priority is getting out of the preseason healthy, so the coaching staff will not risk their starters any more than they have to.
It will become clear just how big of a headache the offensive line will be following Saturday’s game.
3
Can the Bears defense contain an electric Bills offense?
Chicago’s defense has greatly improved — there’s no denying that. General manager Ryan Poles made it a point of emphasis to add key pieces to an already on-the-rise defensive unit this offseason, drafting players like cornerback Tyrique Stevenson and defensive tackles Gervon Dexter and Zacch Pickens, as well as opening up the checkbook in free agency and signing skilled linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards.
The revamped defense will face an immense challenge against All-Pro quarterback Josh Allen and the Bills in Saturday’s game. The Bills offense has terrified opposing teams with an elite passing game, something the Bears will aim to contain. Cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon will be lining up against superstar receiver Stefon Diggs, who previously enjoyed slicing through Chicago’s defense twice a year in Minnesota. The key in bottling up Buffalo’s potent offense will be eliminating any opportunity for Allen to target a receiver deep, as the passer’s deep ball accuracy was among the league’s best.
The best way to stop big plays through the air is through a pass rush that disrupts the pocket and never allows a quarterback to feel comfortable setting his feet to throw. That will be where the Bears’ new secret weapon, defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, will come in, as he will need to flash the elite pass-rushing ability Chicago brought him in for. That is, assuming he sees the field. Trevis Gipson and Terrell Lewis will need to capitalize on the attention Ngakoue draws, however, and create havoc in their own regard.
There’s no denying the Bears’ defense is light-years ahead of where they were last year. The unit’s leaders had even said as much, with both safety Eddie Jackson and Johnson both claiming the group is special. As the saying goes, actions speak louder than words, and the defense has a chance to prove how special it is with a great showing against the Bills.
4
Will players on the bubble hurt or help their chances?
Fans are excited to watch tomorrow’s game for exactly one reason: to see the Bears at full strength before the season starts. Oh, and also to watch rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent (more on that later). The starters getting some playing time, however, does actually have one negative consequence: the players fighting for roster spots have a much smaller window to make an impact.
While the starters are looking to better themselves with live reps, the guys on the bubble will only have a limited number of snaps to make a final push for a spot on the 53-man roster. Notable players fighting for to be on the roster include receivers Velus Jones, Equanimeous St. Brown and Daurice Fountain, running backs Travis Homer and Trestan Ebner, defensive ends Trevis Gipson and Terrell Lewis, and cornerback Kindle Vildor.
While Saturday will be the first time the fans see the starters at full strength, it will also be the last time many players wear a Bears uniform, and some may never get a chance in the NFL again. After the coaching staff is satisfied with the first-team and send in the backups, it’ll be interesting to see who will make the most of their snaps and make a case for why they should secure a roster spot.
5
Will Tyson Bagent have another strong performance in battle for QB2?
Tyson Bagent season is almost upon us. The rookie quarterback put on a dazzling display in last week’s game against the Colts, leading a formerly listless offense on a methodical drive that ended with Bagent taking the ball across the goal line himself for a touchdown, immediately making himself the Cinderella story of the Bears’ preseason.
The undrafted rookie created a quarterback controversy when the position seemed solidified behind Fields a few weeks prior, something that head coach Matt Eberflus said he didn’t expect.
Matt Eberflus said the Bears' backup quarterback role is up for grabs as Tyson Bagent presses PJ Walker for the position: "That was created by pure competition."
— Chris Emma (@CEmma670) August 24, 2023
Coming into tomorrow’s game, all eyes are on Bagent. Will he write the next chapter in his fairytale story? Will he once again man the helm of quarterback for the second-team offense, showcase poise and rhythm as he takes the team down the field for another score? In that scenario, would that even be enough for the coaching staff to give him the second-string quarterback job? Watching the starters play some snaps will be a filling meal, and watching Bagent quarterback will be the dessert.
