5 Things To Watch for in Chicago Bears vs. New York Giants Preseason Game

I gave you the 12 winners and losers from last Saturday's Chicago Bears preseason opener against the Bills. Now I will give you five reasons to watch Monday night when the Bears take on the Giants.

One thing to keep in mind is that wins and losses do not matter in preseason. Last year, for example, the Bears went winless during the preseason, yet went on to capture 11 victories during the regular season.

Although there has been less time for Bears coaches to evaluate personnel this year due to the lockout, the preseason is a time for experimentation. But teams don't want to show too much, so you will often see vanilla defensive schemes like we saw last week with the Bears.

While there is nothing wrong with vanilla, as it's the finest of the flavors, it doesn't generate much excitement for the fans.

Therefore, I present to you five reasons to watch the game, so you can be focused on the most critical decisions and evaluation the Bears need to make.

The Final Episodes of the Chester Taylor Show

One item of interest for Bears fans is to determine whether they will keep four running backs like they did last year, or only three. I say it will be three and if so, the Chester Taylor show could get the axe.

Taylor carried the ball only three times in the Buffalo game, so it will be interesting to see if he gets more chances on Monday.

Taylor was a disappointment last season, averaging only 2.4 yards per carry. With Marion Barber assuming Taylor's role as the third-down and short-yardage back, there is seemingly little need for Taylor at this point.

Unless the Bears are being cheap, and figure they have already sunk most of the money into Taylor, his release should be a no-brainer. Taylor was paid $7 million in 2010, and is scheduled to make only $1.275 million this year.

A lot depends on the performance of Kahlil Bell, too. If he keeps running the way he did against the Bills, it's curtains for Taylor. Bell can also be valuable on special teams.

Caleb Hanie vs. Nathan Enderle

I'm pretty sure that Nathan Enderle is not ready to be the first QB option off the bench if Jay Cutler goes down, but he is Mike Martz's guy after all, and Martz apparently has never cared for Caleb Hanie.

Hanie looked good, considering everything, in last year's NFC Championship game against the Packers. But Enderle is the more prototypical Martz-system quarterback.

So just what is the typical Martz QB? One who prefers to stand in the pocket and let the routes develop. Martz does not like his QBs to scramble, and roll-out plays just don't exist in the Martz playbook.

Sure, the Bears used them last year and probably will again this season. But if Martz had his way, and the offensive line could pass protect better, that would not be the case.

In Saturday's game, both played fairly well at times.  

Hanie completed just 3-of-7 passing, but had a couple of drops. Enderle, meanwhile, completed 70 percent of his throws for 110 yards but he did toss an interception.

Will the Offensive Line Show Improvement?

Five of the nine QB sacks allowed in Saturday's game came against the second and third string offensive linemen. Still, the consensus was the they were getting beat physically in the one-on-one battles.

It's early, as Bears coaches remind us, but it's important to see some improvement in Monday's game.

The line did run-block very well, with the Bears rushing for 164 yards in the game. But J'Marcus Webb and Roberto Garza looked shaky, and Chris Williams did not impress, as usual.

Four of the five linemen are playing different positions than last year. I expect to see more Chris Spencer under center, so that Garza can move back to his more familiar guard position. Spencer has also played a lot of guard, so he could eventually be an option there also.

Webb and Gabe Carimi could be bookends on this line for years to come, so I don't exoect that to change in the preseason. Carimi at right tackle and Webb protecting Cutler's blindside is how they will continue to line up, though there will be growing pains.

The Bears really didn't do much to improve this line other than draft Carimi, so Mike Tice will have to work miracles for the Martz offense to be effective.

Will Matt Forte Run the Ball?

Another interesting development will be how the Matt Forte contract extension progresses and if it affects his decision to play on Monday.

We know he will suit up, as he did on Saturday, but the Bears seem to have made a compromise with Forte by not giving him any carries during the game. Forte did catch a shovel pass but that was it.

Forte came into camp in great shape and is obviously expected to be an integral part of the Bears offense this season. But will a lack of playing time in the preseason cause him to start more slowly during the regular season?

Will Amobi Okoye Continue To Impress?

Free-agent acquisition Amobi Okoye had two sacks in the first half but he has been inconsistent in the past. The former high-draft pick has teased with his athletic ability for a long time, but the Bears certainly hope that they may have finally caught Okoye at a time when he is going to blossom.

Okoye is not a run stopper, but he gets upfield quickly. 

Other interesting situations to watch on defense include:

• The development of Major Wright. He looked good but wasn't asked to do much in coverage and that's where the questions lie with Wright.
• Depth. Already thin, the injuries to Marcus Harrison, Corey Wootton and Zack Bowman could mean that other guys get more chances. Henry Melton bears watching. This is Bowman's contract year so he should be motivated, assuming he's not limited.
• Cornerback position. While Charles Tillman obviously has one spot locked down, can he stay healthy for a full season again? If not, the Bears will need more than just Major Wright to step up. Tim Jennings and DJ Moore, among others, will be interesting to watch.
• Stephen Paea. They are bringing him along slowly as he is coming off of knee surgery, but if he can get himself ready, this former Australian rugby player should be fun to watch.