What to Watch for in Chicago Bears' 3rd Preseason Game
Two preseason games are already in the books for the Chicago Bears, and they will head to Cincinnati in the third week of the preseason to take on the Bengals on August 29 at 6:30 p.m. CT.
Teams typically play their starters deep into the third quarter of the third preseason game, and the Bears are expected to let their starters play well into the second half. Both the offense and defense showed improvement during the second preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts, but head coach John Fox knows the Bears still have a ways to go on both sides of the ball.
"I thought we made progress tonight in really all phases, but by no means have we arrived," Fox said after Saturday's game, according to ChicagoBears.com's Larry Mayer. "If we can keep that mindset, I think we'll continue to improve."
Saturday night will be a final tuneup for Chicago's starters on both offense and defense, and just ahead, we take a look at the five things to watch when the Bears take on the Bengals in the third preseason game of the year.
The Battle at Right Tackle
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After starting 19 games at right tackle between 2013 and 2014, Jordan Mills began Chicago's second preseason game of the year on the bench. Second-year man Charles Leno got the start at right tackle, but the young offensive lineman struggled in his first start of the preseason.
Leno was called for an illegal hands to the face penalty early in the game, he consistently gave up ground in pass protection and he whiffed a couple of times as a run-blocker. Even though he struggled a bit, the young tackle felt good about his performance.
"It went well," Leno said after the game, per Dan Wiederer of the Chicago Tribune. "After that penalty, I slowed my technique down and got back to fundamentals. … Being consistent now is the biggest thing I want to do."
Mills replaced Leno when the second-team offense came onto the field, and the young lineman played well after struggling in the preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins. Despite Mills' strong performance and Leno's struggles, Fox says there is still a competition at the position.
"It’s a competition. We’re going to continue to compete," Fox said, per ChicagoFootball.com's Kevin Fishbain. "No jobs have been won yet. We’re still figuring out who our 53 best players are going to be and we’ll continue to do that."
The Bears have not announced who will start the game this Saturday against the Bengals at right tackle, but there is a good chance that whoever starts Saturday night will be the team's starter in Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers next month.
Leno is an athletic tackle who moves well in space, but he is still raw. He lacks ideal strength in the running game, but he can often overcome that because of his athleticism. Mills is more experienced and stronger at the point of attack, but his lack of athleticism is evident in pass protection. He often struggles against speedy edge-rushers, but he does well in the running game.
The Bears could split the reps between the two at the position on Saturday night, but Mills stands the best chance of claiming the job because of his experience and performance last Saturday against the Colts.
Will WR Alshon Jeffery Return?
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Wide receiver Alshon Jeffery did not play against Miami in the preseason opener, and ESPN's Adam Schefter reported after the game that Jeffery would miss at least a week due to a calf injury.
"Bears [wide receiver] Alshon Jeffery is expected to miss about one week with his mild calf strain, per a source—good news for Chicago," tweeted Schefter on August 14.
Jeffery did not dress against the Colts for the second preseason game, but general manager Ryan Pace is not concerned about Jeffery's availability for the beginning of the year.
“He has a mild calf strain. He's not going to participate versus Indianapolis. But this isn't a long-term injury with Alshon,” Pace said, per ESPN.com's Jeff Dickerson. “We don’t anticipate that [he’ll] miss the Green Bay game.”
Jeffery is expected to be Chicago's No. 1 receiver this year with Brandon Marshall now with the New York Jets, but even more pressure has been placed on him to perform following the announcement that first-round pick Kevin White will miss at least the first six games of the year due to a shin injury.
"Honestly, is there a chance that he misses the season? That's a possibility," said Pace about White, per Mayer. "I want to make sure we do this the right way, not rush him back. Sometimes I feel like you have to protect them from themselves."
On Sunday afternoon, White tweeted he underwent surgery on his shin.
"Successful surgery," he wrote. "Thanks to my family, the Bears organization, friends and the fans that's supporting me. I can't wait to get back!!"
If Jeffery struggles to get back onto the field before the start of the regular season, the Bears could enter the regular season with Eddie Royal and Marquess Wilson as their top two wide receivers.
All reports indicate Jeffery's injury is a minor one, but if he is unable to play this Saturday against the Bengals, there is a chance his injury could linger for the rest of the year.
The Competition at Backup Tight End
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Martellus Bennett will enter the 2015 season as Chicago's top option at tight end, but the backup tight end position is wide-open.
As it currently stands, Dante Rosario, Blake Annen, Bear Pascoe, Chris Pantale, Zach Miller and Kevin Greene are all competing to be Bennett's backup this season.
So far in the preseason, Pascoe leads that group with 48 snaps on offense, followed by Rosario's 45, Miller's 43, Annen's 24 and Greene's seven snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. Pantale has yet to play a snap on offense this preseason.
Bennett will be expected to be the team's primary receiving tight end, while the backup will be used primarily as a blocker.
Pascoe and Rosario are the two most experienced blocking tight ends on the roster. Pascoe excels as a run-blocker, while Rosario is at his best in pass protection. Pascoe and Rosario have both been used as a fullback/tight end in offensive coordinator Adam Gase's scheme, and it will be interesting to see who lines up at that spot first this week against the Bengals.
Pascoe and Rosario have received the majority of the reps with the first-team offense during the preseason in two-tight end sets, but Miller got an opportunity to line up with the first-team offense against the Colts on Saturday night.
Miller is known for being a pass-catching tight end, but the Bears used him a lot as a lead blocker against the Colts. If the veteran tight end wants to make the team, he is going to have to prove in the third preseason game he can be an effective blocker in the running game.
At one point against the Colts, the Bears had Rosario, Pascoe, Annen and Greene all on the field at the same time on the goal line. Indianapolis eventually called a timeout on the play, but the Bears came back with the same look, and running back Jeremy Langford scored a touchdown from two yards out.
Pascoe and Rosario appear to be the front-runners for the No. 2 spot behind Bennett, but both Miller and Annen could push for the job with a strong showing against the Bengals.
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The Rotation in the Secondary
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The secondary has struggled at times during the first two preseason games of the year for the Bears, and there is a chance some of the team's unheralded defensive backs could get extended looks with the first-team defense.
Second-year man Kyle Fuller is expected to be a starter on the outside at cornerback this season, but the former Virginia Tech standout has struggled in the preseason. According to Pro Football Focus, he was thrown at twice by Miami quarterback Ryan Tannehill in the preseason opener and gave up two catches for 30 yards.
In the second preseason game, Fuller was targeted three times in the passing game, and he allowed three catches for 61 yards, including a 45-yard catch by receiver T.Y. Hilton, per Pro Football Focus.
Fuller will need to tighten up his technique and footwork this week when the Bears take on the Bengals.
Veteran Tim Jennings has looked comfortable playing man-to-man coverage on the outside in defensive coordinator Vic Fangio's scheme, and he appears to be a lock to start opposite of Fuller in Week 1.
The remaining spots at cornerback appear to be up for grabs. Currently, Sherrick McManis, Alan Ball, Demontre Hurst and Terrance Mitchell are all fighting for a spot behind Fuller and Jennings on the depth chart.
McManis has been the team's top nickelback in the preseason, Ball has starting experience on the outside and is flexible enough to play nickelback, Hurst has experience playing nickelback and Mitchell made a terrific interception in the team's second preseason game.
McManis had a strong training camp, and he looks to be the favorite to land the nickelback job this season. He played both nickelback and cornerback in the preseason opener, and he feels comfortable at either position.
“I like the nickel position, and I think playing in this game, being able to play both positions gave me an opportunity to see where I was,” he said after the Bears beat the Dolphins, according to ChicagoFootball.com's Nate Atkins.
Ball has been used primarily on the outside, and the veteran cornerback could secure a roster spot on Saturday night with a strong showing. Hurst has played both nickelback and safety this offseason, and his versatility could help him earn a spot.
Mitchell came away with an impressive interception against the Colts, and he was happy to finally make a big play.
"It’s a real confidence builder to finally be able to go out there and make a play in a game," Mitchell said, per Fishbain.
Mitchell has played well this preseason, and it will be interesting to see if the Bears will give him some reps with the first-team defense on Saturday night.
The Play of Chicago's Rookies
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Even though White will not be able to play in a game until at least November because of his shin injury, a handful of Chicago's rookies have a chance to earn significant roles in the regular season with a strong performance against the Bengals.
Second-round pick Eddie Goldman has a chance to grab the starting nose tackle position after it was announced on Monday that veteran Jeremiah Ratliff has been suspended for the first three games of the year, per WGN Radio's Adam Hoge.
Goldman played well in the team's first two preseason games, and he has a chance to solidify his spot in the starting lineup with a solid performance on Saturday night.
Fourth-round pick Jeremy Langford had a mediocre debut in the preseason opener, but the former Michigan State running back ran the football nine times for 80 yards against the Colts.
“Good effort,” Fox said about Langford after the game against Indianapolis, per the Chicago Sun-Times' Adam Jahns. “He’s a fast guy—a good guy, obviously, we thought enough of to draft. He has good vision and he’s getting used to the pro game, but I like where he is right now.”
Matt Forte is Chicago's starter at running back, but Langford has a chance to cement himself as the team's No. 2 running back this weekend.
Fifth-round pick Adrian Amos started last Saturday's game against the Colts at free safety, and the young defensive back played well.
"It's just a great opportunity," Amos said, per the Chicago Tribune's Brad Biggs. "It's a time to get better. You get more comfortable out there. It's about experience. I'm just learning and taking it all in."
Amos' performance did not make him a lock to start at free safety against the Packers, but he did prove he can handle his own at the NFL level. If he plays well against the Bengals, there is a good chance he starts Week 1 alongside veteran safety Antrel Rolle.
Statistical information courtesy of NFL.com unless otherwise noted.
Matt Eurich is a Chicago Bears featured columnist for Bleacher Report and a member of the Pro Football Writers of America.
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