The Chicago Bears are headed to Indianapolis to have two practice sessions against the Colts. These practices will happen at night on Wednesday and Thursday. I enjoy these kinds of practices the most. These environments can give us a better idea of how well the team is doing. It's going to be a good challenge for the Bears. Here are three important matchups that I'll be keeping a close eye on.
Justin Fields vs Anthony Richardson
Both Justin Fields and Anthony Richardson share certain similarities. They are both big quarterbacks, although Richardson holds a slight edge in size. However, both possess remarkable speed, each clocking a quick 4.4 40-yard dash. Justin Fields, being in his third year, is expected to deliver a stronger performance. Anticipating their matchups against each opposing defenses will be fun to watch. Facing Indy's defense will particularly challenge Fields in a way he is yet to experience in training camp. In 2022, the Colts earned an overall PFF grade of 71.3 for their defense, ranking them 17th in the NFL. Notably, their pass coverage grade was even better at 76.2, good enough for 13th in the league. It will be a good test for the Bears offense.
Tyrique Stevenson vs the Colts Wide Receivers
Tyrique Stevenson has done well in training camp and played great in his first preseason game against the Tennessee Titans. He will face another challenge against the Indianapolis Colts because their top wide receiver, Michael Pittman Jr., will be a tough matchup. Jaylon Johnson will probably cover Pittman Jr. most of the time, but it won't be surprising if the Bears have the rookie cover Pittman Jr. a lot more than people think. The Colts don't have a lot of strong wide receivers. The other two that come to mind are Alec Pierce and Isaiah McKenzie. They still be a good test for the young defensive players on the Bears back 7.
Darnell Wright vs the Colts Defensive Front
Darnell Wright played for a short time in his first preseason game – just 7 snaps. 3 snaps were for pass blocking. The other 4 were for run blocking. He did well and made a significant impact on a few plays. According to PFF, his pass blocking score was a 74.3, but I think he did even better when I watched the tape back. He will get a lot more reps vs Indy, and it'll be interesting to see how he performs.
Honorable Mentions:
Roschon Johnson: It was reported on Monday that he was practicing with the ones. It will be interesting to see how much he plays there against Indy if at all.
Tyler Scott and Velus Jones Jr: Both of these players have to bounce back strongly after their disappointing first game last Saturday.
Trevis Gipson: I'm of the opinion that his performance last Saturday was sufficient to secure a place on this roster come week 1. He was truly motivated and made a significant impact. He managed to accumulate 8 total pressures against the Titans, which was more than twice of the next closest player on the team, D'Antony Jones, who had 4 pressures. Among those pressures, he recorded one into a sack. Additionally, he registered 1 quarterback hit and 6 quarterback hurries. He should be a lock to make the team at this point.
Looking for more Bears content?
If you like watching the NFL All-22 film, go check out the BFR YouTube channel. We analyzed the entire Bears vs. Titans preseason game with film guru Robert Schmitz.
