Prediction, Three things to watch: Bears-Chiefs |
HOW TO WATCH
DATE/TIME: Thursday, Aug. 22, 7:20 p.m. (CT) TELEVISION: Chicago Bears Network on FOX 32 (Chicago area - see below for Chicago Bears Network affiliated stations), NFL Network STREAMING: ChicagoBears.com, Chicago Bears Official App brought to you by Verizon, NFL+ (outside Chicago area), Game Pass International (outside the U.S., Canada and China) BROADCASTERS: Adam Amin (play-by-play), Jim Miller (analyst), Lou Canellis (sideline) At long last, the time has come as we have entered the final week of the NFL Preseason. While most teams are gearing up to play this weekend, the Chicago Bears will have their preseason finale tonight against the Kansas City Chiefs, giving them a few extra days to prep for the regular season. In hindsight, that can be a good thing for this team, as any extra practice time is a good thing to work on the things you want to fix while also giving your players time to rest up and recover. You do have to worry about potential rust, however, heading into week one, but with everyone else getting nearly two weeks off before their first game, the playing field will be level. This is the time during the preseason when fewer fans care about the game. A big reason for that is that 99 percent of the time, the final preseason game doesn't feature any starters or even anyone guaranteed a roster spot on this team. Typically, this is the week for the roster fringe guys and practice squad guys to show what they can do as they consider this a job opportunity for the season ahead. The Bears will take that approach at some point in this one, but they have also chosen to play some of their starters for at least a series or two. Those starters remain to be seen, but depending on who they are, this game could be worth watching. The preseason finale 🤩 pic.twitter.com/capVPAksVM Here are some things to look for and predictions for Preseason Week 4:
As expected, guys like Caleb Williams, D'Andre Swift, DJ Moore, Montez Sweat, and almost every other starter in the Bears lineup have been ruled out for this game. The Bears coaching staff is happy with the work they have put in, and they hope the next two weeks of practice will be enough to get them ready for the regular season. However, Eberflus announced that some of his starters could see action in this one, which does come as a surprise. Who those starters are remains to be seen, but you have to wonder if the offensive and defensive lines are the starters he is talking about. Those units have either dealt with injuries this summer or are still trying to figure things out, so any extra game action is crucial for them. Regardless, there will be more familiar household names than normal in this contest for the Bears.
As has been the case most of the summer, there are some roster spots up for grabs on this team, and although some have been accounted for, some have not. You have seen some players grab the early advantage in camp as to who could start at some of these positions, but the best way to leave a lasting impression is to perform well in a game situation. That is the goal this week for many of these roster bubble guys, as this will be the first opportunity for a game to be focused around them. It is also the last time this summer for them to leave a lasting impression as they are playing for a job with the Bears and auditioning for other teams, whether the practice squad or another spot on the roster. Anytime you throw a bunch of players competing for a job on the field at the same time, good things tend to happen. The Bears hope for that this week, as all eyes will be on the remaining open roster spots.
The most important thing to take away from this is that this team be as healthy as possible after this game. The Bears have mostly avoided significant injuries during their preseason games, but they have suffered some injuries in camp. Most of those injuries weren't serious, but guys like Nate Davis missed some extended time this summer, which prevented him from playing with the rest of the first-unit guys for several weeks. Everyone knows that injuries are going to happen to every team, but how you adapt to those injuries and the overall depth a team has will help you overcome those injuries. The best way for a team to get off to a great start is to be as healthy as possible, which the Bears have been able to do so far this summer. That is also the main reason most of their starters and second-unit players will sit this week, as they want to avoid any unnecessary hits that could lead to potential injuries.
When you look at these two teams, the overall talent is plentiful, as both feature some of the deepest rosters in the game. Regarding the Chiefs, they have arguably the best coach in Andy Reid, and the best player in the game, Patrick Mahomes, who continues to do things many didn't expect him to accomplish. The Bears may not have the same starting talent across the board as the Chiefs, but you could make the case that their running game and defense are better. This game then comes down to the second and third units for both teams, where the Bears may have a slight edge based on the overall depth from top to bottom. This has the makings of being an excellent game and look for the Bears to pull one out and finish the preseason unbeaten following a 24-23 win.
1. How many starters play and how long?
2. Competition for roster spots
3. Staying healthy
Prediction: Bears win 24-23
